Does going to church make you a Christian?
Short Answer
Consider what the Bible says makes you a Christian:
Romans 10:9-10 – If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.
It’s not what country you were born in, or who your parents are, or even where you go to church that saves you. It is your belief in Jesus as God who can forgive your sins, evidenced by your confession of Him as Lord and your submission to His authority over every area of your life.
More Info
For the sake of the question, let’s assume that “Baptists” are people who go to a Baptist church, “Lutherans” are people who go to a Lutheran church, “Catholics” are people who go to a Catholic church, etc. (this also includes Methodists, Anglicans, Pentecostals, Non-denominational, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Orthodox, etc.). To put it bluntly: Not everyone who goes to any of these types of churches is saved.
Churches, like any organization, need to be consistent with their foundational documents. True churches are consistent with the Bible. For example:
They believe there is only one God.
They believe God created the universe.
They believe the Bible is the Word of God.
They believe all people are sinful and need saving.
They believe Jesus is God.
They believe Jesus died for our sins and was raised from the dead.
These worldview positions separate true Christian churches from all the false “world religions” (Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, etc.) and all of the logically incoherent self-contradicting “corruptions of Christianity” (Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witness, Bahai, Islam, etc.).
It’s also important to understand that our salvation is by faith alone, not by works. Even amongst historical Christian denominations, it can be tempting to add our own efforts and achievements to the finished work of God.
Ephesians 2:8-9 – For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
There are undoubtedly many true Christians who believe what the Bible teaches about salvation and go to many different kinds of churches.
Link: Got Questions.org https://www.gotquestions.org/are-Catholics-saved.html
