# Most important thing in the Christian life



## johnc (Apr 4, 2011)

How would you respond or react to the following statement?

"The most important thing in the Christian life is going to church."

I'll add that I heard this statement made in a gathering of reformed believers.

Thanks,
John


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## EverReforming (Apr 4, 2011)

I'd respond with the following from the Westminster Catechism:

Question 1: What is the chief and highest end of man?

Answer: Man's chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever.


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## Grillsy (Apr 4, 2011)

What about the mediatorial work of Jesus Christ? That has to be pretty important right?


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## Notthemama1984 (Apr 4, 2011)

EverReforming said:


> I'd respond with the following from the Westminster Catechism:
> 
> Question 1: What is the chief and highest end of man?
> 
> Answer: Man's chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever.


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## johnc (Apr 4, 2011)

Grillsy said:


> What about the mediatorial work of Jesus Christ, that has be pretty important right?


 
I agree. However, I think the discussion was centered more around the most important thing that a Christian does (should do) and not the most important thing in general. I should have made that more clear in my original post. Some of my thoughts at the time were what about the Greatest Commandment, 1 John 3:23, repentance, etc. The WSC #1 is also a good thought.

The discussion then moved to the idea that outside of the covenant community (church), you are cut off from the means of grace, hence, going to church may be the most important thing you can do. However, I disagreed with this line of reasoning.


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## Grillsy (Apr 4, 2011)

johnc said:


> I agree. However, I think the discussion was centered more around the most important thing that a Christian does (should do) and not the most important thing in general.



I see. I should have read the OP more carefully. 

Off topic but glad to have another Kentuckian on the PB.


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## moral necessity (Apr 4, 2011)

johnc said:


> How would you respond or react to the following statement?
> 
> "The most important thing in the Christian life is going to church."


 
I would add the word "healthy" to "church".

Blessings!


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## Jack K (Apr 4, 2011)

The question could be helpful for understanding where a particular believer is coming from. But ultimately I think it's impossible to find a single best answer as to what's the most important specific activity in the Christian life. The activities of the Christian life are too interconnected, and the situations of individual Christians too varied.



johnc said:


> The discussion then moved to the idea that outside of the covenant community (church), you are cut off from the means of grace, hence, going to church may be the most important thing you can do. However, I disagreed with this line of reasoning.



The argument that by attending churches services you expose yourself to the means of grace is a pretty strong one. So if pressed, I might buy the "go to church" answer especially if it were phrased more like "be an active member of a church." That's because active membership includes prayer, daily repentance, works of mercy, ongoing fellowship and encouragement, etc. as well as attendance at services. But in that case the answer really isn't specific anymore, is it?


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## torstar (Apr 4, 2011)

For WCF Question 1.

I would add also:

Question 1. What is thy only comfort in life and death?

Answer: That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ; who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.


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## johnc (Apr 4, 2011)

From the comments after my qualification, it seems that most responders could accept the statement with some possible caveats. I am still unsure about it, but I will give it some more thought. Thanks.

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Grillsy said:


> johnc said:
> 
> 
> > I agree. However, I think the discussion was centered more around the most important thing that a Christian does (should do) and not the most important thing in general.
> ...



Well, I'm not a native Kentuckian, but I certainly love living here.


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## he beholds (Apr 4, 2011)

If love is the greatest quality to have, then isn't loving God and others the greatest thing we could do? (And it is certainly the greatest commandment.)
What about missionaries who sacrifice all--including church--to reach very unreached peoples? I mean, there will be times where starting a church is not the first thing that happens. Are those believers not doing the most important thing?


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## Joseph Scibbe (Apr 4, 2011)

The most important thing a Christian does is regular private Biblical study.


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## MarieP (Apr 4, 2011)

johnc said:


> "The most important thing in the Christian life is going to church."



I believe Jessica is right- the most important thing in the Christian life (besides Christ, obviously) is love. I was a bit surprised it took that many comments to get to it, actually! Of course, we have to define love, especially today when so many in the world and in the church (ie Rob Bell) reduce it to a spineless feeling that makes anything right.

I would take the person who made the statement in the OP to 1 Cor. 13 and point out that if one goes to church and has not love, they are nothing... Verse 13 asserts, "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." (Love is greater than faith?!?!)

Then I would go to Galatians 5:14- "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'"

And Matthew 22
34 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

And 1 John as well.

---------- Post added at 05:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:36 PM ----------

I just read Matthew Henry on 1 Cor. 13:13, and I had to share!!!



> IV. To sum up the excellences of charity, he prefers it not only to gifts, but to other graces, to faith and hope (v. 13): And now abide faith, hope, and charity; but the greatest of these is charity. True grace is much more excellent than any spiritual gifts whatever. And faith, hope, and love, are the three principal graces, of which charity is the chief, being the end to which the other two are but means. This is the divine nature, the soul's felicity, or its complacential rest in God, and holy delight in all his saints. And it is everlasting work, when faith and hope shall be no more. Faith fixes on the divine revelation, and assents to that: hope fastens on future felicity, and waits for that: and in heaven faith well be swallowed up in vision, and hope in fruition. There is no room to believe and hope, when we see and enjoy. But love fastens on the divine perfections themselves, and the divine image on the creatures, and our mutual relation both to God and them. These will all shine forth in the most glorious splendours in another world, and there will love be made perfect; there we shall perfectly love God, because he will appear amiable for ever, and our hearts will kindle at the sight, and glow with perpetual devotion. And there shall we perfectly love one another, when all the saints meet there, when none but saints are there, and saints made perfect. O blessed state! How much surpassing the best below! O amiable and excellent grace of charity! How much does it exceed the most valuable gift, when it outshines every grace, and is the everlasting consummation of them! When faith and hope are at an end, true charity will burn for ever with the brightest flame. Note, Those border most upon the heavenly state and perfection whose hearts are fullest of this divine principle, and burn with the most fervent charity. It is the surest offspring of God, and bears his fairest impression. For God is love, 1 John iv. 8, 16. And where God is to be seen as he is, and face to face, there charity is in its greatest height—there, and there only, will it be perfected.


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## Andres (Apr 4, 2011)

Unashamed 116 said:


> The most important thing a Christian does is regular private Biblical study.



I would respectfully disagree. This is where the importance of being an active member of a biblical, local church is essential. I personally have known a few Christians who attempt to go at their faith alone. They regularly read their bible, but they do not attend church. These people often have some very warped views that they pull from scripture precisely because they are going at it alone. They do not have a pastor/elders and other believers to help keep them on the right track.

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Jack K said:


> The argument that by attending churches services you expose yourself to the means of grace is a pretty strong one. So if pressed, I might buy the "go to church" answer especially if it were phrased more like "be an active member of a church." That's because active membership includes prayer, daily repentance, works of mercy, ongoing fellowship and encouragement, etc. as well as attendance at services. But in that case the answer really isn't specific anymore, is it?



I really like Jack's answer here because if one is a member of a biblical church then all the other things should fall into line.


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## discipulo (Apr 4, 2011)

Andres said:


> Unashamed 116 said:
> 
> 
> > The most important thing a Christian does is regular private Biblical study.
> ...





The ordinary means of Grace may only be effective to those who truly believe by God's Grace, but they are not optional at all to any Christian.

Someone mentioned missionaries, but they too must be sent by the Church, supported in prayer, finances and contact by the Church and be accountable to the Church. 

Someone also mentioned Love, a fruit of the Spirit, but how can we truly love God away from the Church?

_Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister._ 1 John 4:20-21


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## MarieP (Apr 4, 2011)

discipulo said:


> Someone also mentioned Love, a fruit of the Spirit, but how can we truly love God away from the Church?
> 
> Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. 1 John 4:20-21



I agree with you! That's why love of God and love of neighbor are both the greatest commandment. But someone can go to church without love.


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## discipulo (Apr 4, 2011)

MarieP said:


> discipulo said:
> 
> 
> > Someone also mentioned Love, a fruit of the Spirit, but how can we truly love God away from the Church?
> ...



Saddly it is also true like you say, and there it is, that most beautiful chapter 1 Corinthians 13, right between chapters 12 and 14, that we may never forget it.


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