Do I have to go to church?

The main reason people reject Christianity, in my opinion, is not because they don't believe God exists, but because they believe they have all these rules and regulations they must adhere to. You have to go to church. You have to follow these commandments or else. You must fast. You must do x, y and z to get to heaven. This is how they see religion - as rules.

This couldn't be further from the truth.

Orthodox Christianity does not view God as transactional. Neither is God an enforcer. He does not force anyone to do anything. All he desires is love. That we love one another, and that we might love him back, with the same love he has for us.

So do I have to go to church? Do I have to fast? These are all things that you do only if you want to. Only if you desire to. And why would you desire to?

Well, when you understand fully what God did for you, it compels you to want to do these things.

Going to church is not a transactional thing that will get you into God's "good books". It is the end result of understanding the great and awesome mystery of what Christ did. It is an act of love.

When we think we must go to church because we must in order to attain some sort of reward, we are misguided. We go because it is the place where people gather to collectively praise God, partake of Christ, and shudder before the awesome ineffability of his forgiveness and love; when we understand what it all means.