Does It Matter Which Church I Attend?

Many believe that as long as a person believes in Jesus, the church he attends does not matter; but the truth is that the church one attends matters greatly:

1. It matters because God said there is only one true plan of salvation, and churches teaching conflicting plans of salvation cannot all be correct. The Apostle Paul wrote, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8; cf. 1:6-9; Acts 2:38; 8:35-39; 10:34-35; 22:16; Ephesians 4:5; Colossians 2:11-13; 1 Peter 3:20-21; Jude 3).
2. It matters because churches preaching a corrupted gospel cause precious souls to be lost, which may include your soul and the souls of those you love (Matthew 16:26; Galatians 1:6-9; 5:4).
3. It matters because teaching error on critical subjects such as salvation should not be swept under the rug and ignored: “…mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them” (Romans 16:17; cf. Galatians 1:6-9; Ephesians 5:11; 2 John 9-11).
4. It matters because the Lord adds to His church those who obey what He said to be saved; He does not add anyone to a denomination/man-made church, and He does not add anyone to His church who does something different than what He said (Matthew 7:21-27; 16:18; 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:47; Acts 2:36-41, 47; 19:1-5; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 5:23; Hebrews 5:9).
5. It matters because denominational divisions caused by man-made churches are condemned in the Bible (John 17:17, 21-23; Romans 16:16-17; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13; Ephesians 4:3-6).
6. It matters because denominations are smaller than the global church and larger than a local congregation, and there is no such entity authorized in the Bible; there is only authority for the one true church of Christ and the congregations comprising it (Matthew 16:18; Romans 16:16-17; Colossians 3:17; 1 Peter 5:2).
7. It matters because if Christ did not build the church under consideration in Jerusalem in the first century A.D., it cannot be the prophesied church for which Christ shed His blood (Daniel 2:44; Isaiah 2:1-4; Matthew 16:18; Acts 20:28; Ephesians 4:4; 5:23).
8. It matters because Christ only established one kind of church, and if the church you attend is not that kind of church, it is a man-made church with no Biblical authority to exist (Matthew 16:18; John 4:23-24; Acts 20:7; Ephesians 5:19-20, 23; Colossians 3:17; 2 John 9).
9. It matters because the religious name worn matters to God and must be authorized by God (Acts 4:12; 11:26; Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13; Colossians 3:17; 1 Peter 4:11, 16).
10. It matters because Christ’s true church belongs to Him—not John the Baptist, Martin Luther, or anyone else (Matthew 16:18; Acts 20:28; Colossians 3:17; 1 Peter 4:11).
11. It matters because Christ is not a polygamist—He only has one bride/church, and His bride is not ashamed to wear His name (Acts 11:26; 26:28; Ephesians 5:22-32; 2 Corinthians 11:2-4; 1 Peter 4:11, 16).
12. It matters because Christ is not a deformity—He is not one Head connected to many bodies/churches, but one Head connected to one body/church (Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:4; Colossians 1:18).
13. It matters because in the Bible not all believers in Jesus were saved; and if not all believers are saved, not all churches are saved (Matthew 7:21-23; John 8:31-44; 12:42-43; Acts 2:36-41, 47; Ephesians 5:23; James 2:14-26).
14. It matters because some churches accept anyone as a faithful Christian, even if the people have not done what the Bible says to be saved; thereby making lost people feel comfortable in their sins instead of teaching them the Truth in love (Acts 19:1-5; Ephesians 4:15).
15. It matters because we are commanded to “…believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1; cf. Acts 17:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:21).
16. It matters because the ministers of Satan appear to be righteous: they “transform themselves into ministers of righteousness” as “wolves…in sheep’s clothing” (Matthew 7:15-20; 2 Corinthians 2:11; 11:13-15).
17. It matters because congregations that were once faithful can become unfaithful and lost (Revelation 2-3).
18. It matters because the way they are organized may be a departure from the New Testament pattern God requires (Acts 14:23; 20:17, 28; 1 Corinthians 14:34-35; 1 Timothy 2:11-15; 3:1-13; 5:17; Titus 1:5-11; 2 Timothy 4:2, 5).
19. It matters because they may be more concerned about having a large group than a faithful group (Luke 6:26; 1 Timothy 4:16).
20. It matters because they may be more concerned about getting your money than helping you get to Heaven: “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you…” (2 Peter 2:1-3).
21. It matters because they may be more concerned about having a beautiful building than being the true temple of God built from “living stones” (1 Peter 2:5).
22. It matters because they may be more concerned about entertainment than faithfulness (2 Timothy 4:2-4).
23. It matters because they may be more concerned with pleasing people than pleasing God (Isaiah 30:10; John 12:43; Galatians 1:10).
24. It matters because they may deceive you into thinking they are correct when they are not (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25; Acts 17:11; 23:1; 26:9; Romans 16:16-18; Ephesians 4:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:21; Hebrews 5:11-14; James 1:22; 2 Peter 3:15-18).
25. It matters because you may be supporting false teaching with your attendance and/or money, and if so, God will hold you accountable (Ephesians 5:11; 2 John 9-11).
26. It matters because if they are not following God’s Word, the example set by your attendance could cause other precious souls to be lost (1 Corinthians 8:9-13; 10:23-33; 11:1; 1 John 2:10).
27. It matters because they may be teaching false doctrine about divorce and remarriage, the return of Christ, or other matters that will cause people to be lost (Matthew 19:9; Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Timothy 4:16; 6:3-5; 2 Timothy 1:13; 2:15-18; Titus 1:9; 2:1).
28. It matters because they may be more concerned about following man-made traditions than faithfully following God’s Word: “Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition” (Mark 7:9; cf. Matthew 4:4).
29. It matters because the way they worship may not be what God specified in the New Testament and would thus be “vain worship” (Matthew 15:9; John 4:23-24; Hebrews 11:4).
30. It matters if we are serious about doing what the Lord said: “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46; cf. Matthew 7:21-27; Luke 6:46; Hebrews 5:9; Revelation 3:15-16).
31. It matters because Jesus said, “Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up” (Matthew 15:13).

Based on all this, the church we are members of or attend matters greatly because it will directly impact whether we go to Heaven!