“Salvation Is Not In The Church?” “One church is as good as another.” “Saved without being in any church.” “Church doesn’t save anyone, so which church doesn’t matter.” “Be a Christian first then be part of the church of your choice.” “A Christian can be simply one who is a moral-ly, decent family person and citizen in a community.”

Must One Be In The Church To Be Saved?

“When” Or “Where” (in what relationship) Does Jesus Save? Is it “in” or “out” of the church? Bible answers both “when” and “where”. It is agreed that: Christ is the Savior—the one who saves. Therefore, he has the right to lay down the “when” and “where” of his salvation. God, “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”……..1 Tim 2:3-4

19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 1 Pet 3:19-20 Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 2 Tim 2:10

Boundary of Salvation “In Christ” This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:11-12 Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6

every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Eph 1:3 Redemption…………….1 Pet 1:18-19, Eph 2:13, 1:7 Forgiveness…………………………………...Col 1:14 New Creation…………………………….....2 Cor 5:17 Spiritual Life……………. John 1:3-4, 1 John 5:11-12 Reconciliation………………….Jas 4:4, Eph 2:11-16 Salvation…………………………………….2 Tim 2:10 One Body………..………………….Eph 2:16, 1:22-23 When one is reconciled in Christ, he is reconciled in the body or church. Therefore, to be in Christ for reconciliation is to be in the church.

The Saved Are In The Church Only those in the church are saved. “For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.” ……………………………………………….Eph 5:23 All the saved are in the church. “praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”…………………………..Acts 2:47

All “True” Christians Are In The Church To be saved is to be “in Christ”, because salvation is in Christ, “Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”…………….2 Tim 2:10 Yet, the saved are “in the church”, “And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” ……………………………………….…………..Acts 2:47 Those in the church were called “Christians”, “So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”……….Acts 11:26 One cannot be a Christian and not be in the church.

“every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” Eph 1:3 ----- “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” Eph 1:3 Redemption Forgiveness New Creation Spiritual Life Reconciliation Salvation One Body IN C H U R

Consider Some “If’s” If people can be saved outside of the “church”, they can be saved in the “world”. The world is Satan’s realm of darkness....Col 1:13-14 Jesus said he would build his church....Matt 16:18-19 The word church means “called out”. The church Jesus built consists of those “called out” of the world. The saved are in the church and the church is not in the darkness of the world. Therefore, the saved will not be found outside of the church in the world of darkness.

Consider Some “If’s” (cont.) If people can be saved outside of the Lord’s church then Christ died to establish a worthless institution. “to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”……………………..Acts 20:28 “just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her”…………………………………...Eph 5:25-27 Since Christ purchased the church with his blood, those not in the church are not purchased from sin.

Consider Some “If’s” (cont.) If one person can be saved outside of the Lord’s church then two or three or the whole world can be saved outside of the church. Why did Christ build his church if it was not necessary? But the Bible says Jesus will save only those in the church. “For the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.” ……………………………...………..Eph 5:23 “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” ……………………………………………Eph 1:22-23

What Is This Church Christ Will Save? The “body of Christ” is the “church of Christ” “For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.”………………………………………..Eph 5:23 “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually”…………….…..……………1 Cor 12:27 “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” ……………………………………………Eph 1:22-23 “Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you.”………………….………Rom 16:16

Consider Some “If’s” (cont.) If one can be saved outside the church or in a church other than the one spoken of in the Bible, then any church is as good as another. This is called “denominationalism”. The church of Christ is not a denomination. “Aren’t there Christians in all denominations?” One can be saved and never be a member of any denomination. Christians complete in Christ………..………Col 2:9-10 Jesus prayed for unity…………………...John 17:20-21 Unity is in the church of Christ…...................Eph 4:1-6 Now, must a person be a member of Christ’s church to be saved?........................................2 Tim 2:10, Acts 4:12

“Do You Believe You Are The Only Ones Going To Heaven?” “Why are you asking that question?” “Who do you believe will go to heaven?” “Are you asking just to start an argument?” “Do you want a Bible answer?” “Will you be willing to study the Bible to find out how God would answer?” How Would You Answer?

“Do You Believe You Are The Only Ones Going To Heaven?” “I believe the same way you do, that the only ones going to heaven are the ones Jesus said would go to heaven.” “I believe the only ones saved are the ones Jesus said he would save.” “I believe Jesus when he taught that only the saved will be in his church, and he will save only his church.” “I will answer this question when you answer mine.”

“Where in the Bible did Jesus say he would save many different churches?” “Where in the Bible does anyone have a promise of heaven who is added to a church of which Jesus spoke nothing concerning salvation?” “Where in the Bible did Jesus or his apostles ever teach that one can be saved without being in the only church of which the Bible speaks?” “If you can truthfully answer these questions, you will have answered for yourself the question, ‘Do you believe you are the only ones going to heaven?’” The only ones going to heaven are the ones Jesus will save in his church, the church of Christ.

“That means a great many will be lost?” No surprise........................................................Matt 7:13-14 Remember Noah? “I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off; my salvation shall not linger. And I will place salvation in Zion, for Israel My glory.”…………………Isa 46:13 “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,”………………………Heb 12:22-23 God has chosen to save only those in Christ’s church. What God can do and what God will do are two different matters.

“Since salvation can only be found ‘in Christ’, how can one get “into Christ”? One is baptized into Christ. "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” …………………………………....Rom 6:3 “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”……………………….Gal 3:27 One is baptized into Christ, and “in Christ” is salvation, therefore, when one is baptized into Christ he is saved.

Before one can be baptized into Christ he must come “unto” Christ. Believe in Christ……………………………...John 8:24 Repent of a life of sin and turn the heart and life to Christ……………………………………………2 Pet 3:9 Confess this newly acquired faith in Jesus as the Son of God…………………………………..Rom 10:10 Each one of these acts brings one “unto” Christ and salvation, but do not put one “in Christ”. You NEVER read of one “believing into Christ” You NEVER read of one “repenting into Christ” You NEVER read of one “confessing into Christ” You DO read of one being baptized “into Christ”

In the day of judgment the only ones saved will be those who have died “in Christ” “Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, Write: `Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.' Yes, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”...Rev 14:13 “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.” ………………………………………………1 Th 4:14 One cannot die in Christ unless he has been baptized “into Christ”.

“But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.”…….1 Cor 15:20-24