�Will Only Members of the church of Christ be Saved?�

Introduction.� This question is one that we encounter from time to time in our interaction with people, in this form or some other form.� It is important that we are prepared to answer it properly.

Definition of Terms:

�� �church of Christ.�

A.� Jesus came to build �His church�� (Matthew 16:18).

B.� The Holy Spirit condemns division as carnal (1 Corinthians 1:10-17; 3:1-4).

C.� There is a �church of the firstborn� made up of those who are �registered in heaven�� (Hebrews 12:22-24).

�� �Members.� (Note: NT often uses �member� of our bodies).

A.� Christians used to be �strangers and foreigner� but in Christ become �members of the household of God� (Ephesians 2:19).

B.� There are many members - one body� (Romans 12:4,5;� 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 4:25; 5:25-30).

�� �Be Saved.� We have already seen that the church is made up of those �registered in heaven� (Hebrews 12:23).

A.� The church is those who are saved (Acts 2:37-47).� Some early manuscripts don�t use the word �church.�� This is reflected in the ASV and NASB that omit.� That conclusion may be subject to debate, but the conclusion is the same. In the phrase �added to them,� we must ask the question, who is �them�?� It is those who had come to Christ, i.e. His church (cf. Acts 5:11; 8:1 talking about the same people, describes them as the �the church�).

So under these definitions it is accurate to say, yes:

Only members of the Lord�s church (or church of Christ) Will be Saved.

But, let�s clearly define as well what that does not mean.

�� Not simply those who are members of some human denomination that calls itself �the church of Christ� or �the church of God.��

A.� The Lord knows those who are his (2 Tim. 2:15-19).

B.� What the Lord has not established will be uprooted (Matthew 15:12-14).

C.� Commandments of men = vain worship (Matthew 15:8-9).

�� Not simply those who have obeyed the gospel.

����������� A.� We must abide in the word (John 8:31).

����������� B.� Those who follow Christ in truth are his (Romans 8:9).

Conclusion.� Why be a member of a human denomination?� Why not seek, together with those at this place to be members of nothing more and nothing less than the Lord�s church?� You can do that by obedience to the gospel.