My mother just told me recently that I was going to die if I didn't go to the meetings. I guess God has appointed her judge over humans on earth. What love!
At the time of Jesus, the way to God was through the Jews yet he dealt with many non-Jews and blessed them. Jesus knew it wasn't necessary to worship in a certain building to have God's favor.
Matthew 15:21-28
21
Leaving there, Jesus now withdrew into the parts of Tyre and Si´don.
22 And, look! a
Phoe·ni´cian woman from those regions came out and cried aloud, saying: "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David. My daughter is badly demonized."
23 But he did not say a word in answer to her. So his disciples came up and began to request him: "Send her away; because she keeps crying out after us."
24 In answer he said: "I was not sent forth to any but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." 25 When the woman came she began doing obeisance to him, saying: "Lord, help me!"
26 In answer he said: "It is not right to take the bread of the children and throw it to little dogs."
27 She said: "Yes, Lord; but really the little dogs do eat of the crumbs falling from the table of their masters."
28 Then Jesus said in reply to her: "O woman, great is your faith; let it happen to you as you wish." And her daughter was healed from that hour on.
John 4:7-97
A woman of Sa·mar´i·a came to draw water. Jesus said to her: "Give me a drink."
8 (For his disciples had gone off into the city to buy foodstuffs.)
9 Therefore the Sa·mar´i·tan woman said to him:
"How is it that you, despite being a Jew, ask me for a drink, when I am a Sa·mar´i·tan woman?" (For Jews have no dealings with Sa·mar´i·tans.)
John 4:19-2219
The woman said to him: "Sir, I perceive you are a prophet. 20 Our forefathers worshiped in this mountain; but YOU people say that in Jerusalem is the place where persons ought to worship."
21 Jesus said to her: "Believe me, woman, The hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will YOU people worship the Father.
22 YOU worship what YOU do not know; we worship what we know,
because salvation originates with the Jews.
John 4:25-2625
The woman said to him: "I know that Mes·si´ah is coming, who is called Christ. Whenever that one arrives, he will declare all things to us openly." 26 Jesus said to her: "I who am speaking to you am he."
And what about those Jews who were worshipping in the correct building?
John 8:31-32
31
And so Jesus went on to say to the Jews that had believed him: "If YOU remain in my word, YOU are really my disciples, 32 and YOU will know the truth, and the truth will set YOU free."
John 8:40-4240
But now YOU are seeking to kill me, a man that has told YOU the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.
41 YOU do the works of YOUR father." They said to him: "We were not born from fornication; we have one Father, God."
42 Jesus said to them: "
If God were YOUR Father, YOU would love me, for from God I came forth and am here.
John 8:4444
YOU are from YOUR father the Devil, and YOU wish to do the desires of YOUR father.
Yes, Jesus knew that it was not being in a certain building, not being in a certain group, would identify a person as his follower.
Matthew 7:21-23
21
"Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will. 22 Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’
23 And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew YOU! Get away from me, YOU workers of lawlessness.
