Follow me

Every Easter, churches are packed.  The next week, typically they’re back to one-third capacity.  I like to say, you don’t have to go to church to be a Christian.  Neither does going to church make you one, just as Jesus said that having Abraham for a Father doesn’t make one Jewish.  

In Matthew 19, a rich young ruler asks Jesus how to gain eternal life.  Jesus tells him, “keep the commandments.”  “Which ones?” he inquired.  Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”  Paul has a similar list in Romans 13, except that he adds, “You shall not covet,” and “whatever other command there may be” while Paul does not list false testimony or honoring parents.

It’s a rather short list compared to the 613 commandments in the OT.  I note that keeping the Sabbath is not mentioned.  (I also wonder if going to Temple / synagogue was so ingrained in society, that it went without saying.)

So, I am convinced that, not only do you not have to go to church to be a Christian, you do not have to be Christian to get to heaven (as Pope Francis said), provided you love your neighbor as yourself.  I know Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, none come to the Father except by me” but I believe he was talking about Judgment Day at that time and was literally saying everyone will come before him in the End.  But regarding church, if you are a Christian, why would you not take every available opportunity to worship, pray, sing, serve, learn and commune with other believers?  And because loving our neighbor is not always easy, regular reminders through regular church participation of why and how should be useful. 

In addition to this short list of commandments, Paul adds “whatever else” in the “love your neighbor” command.  I believe the way to understand this is, if you are interpreting any Law in a way that is unloving, you are doing it wrong.

Then, as Jesus’ conversation with the rich young ruler continues, Jesus adds a new “suggestion”, in line with the Commandment from Leviticus and the Sermon on the Mount. 

“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”  Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”  If you want to be perfect.  Can we be?  Not me.  Not by my own strength certainly.  But perhaps with the help of the Holy Spirit!

That is, as Paul said in Romans 12, to make our lives a living sacrifice.