Will Choosing the Wrong Church Send you to Hell?

                 

There are many denominations that make finding a church to call home overwhelming. Many of which claim to be the "one true" church. Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Assyrian Church of the East, and some other churches all claim to have the fullness of truth. This makes it seem that there is an urgency to find the one true church. The reality is, no matter which church you join there will always be a group of Christians who are against it. For example, if you choose the Catholic Church, protestants and Orthodox will be against your decision. Same with choosing Protestant or Orthodoxy. So forget converting to make someone happy, because ultimately it is your journey, not theirs. We are not saved by choosing a church, but we are saved through Christ our Lord. 

Are all Churches Apart of the Body of Christ? 

When visiting a Lutheran Church this past Sunday I talked to the pastor about denominations. The pastor said something in the lines of," There is no Church history, only history of heresy. The Church is eternal." This made a lot of sense to me since the Church is the bride of Christ and will be with God in the kingdom of heaven. I genuinely believe that all Christians regardless of denomination are apart of the body of Christ. If we look at Mark 9:38-41 it says, “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.” “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me for whoever is not against us is for us. Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward." This passage is one of the reasons why I believe that the type of church you go to is not important when it comes to salvation. There are many saints in all Christian traditions. 

How do you Choose a Church to go to? 

If you are doubting your current church or are searching for one then I recommend to talk to fellow believers, research topics to see where you align, and read the Scriptures. If you are currently in a church, but are doubting the denomination, then I recommend reading church history books and talk to people in other traditions. Even in doubt, continue to serve at your current church and stay plugged in because it can be dangerous to wrestle with doubts alone. Stay clear of watching too many debates because that can cause confusion and make you sink more into doubt. Every side of apologetics will have good arguments, so it is important to genuinely search for the Truth. Just remember, we are saved by Christ's sacrifice and we are adopted into the family of God. Be patient with yourself and continue to grow your relationship with God. 

God Bless you all!