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The Church Where The Members Are Saved
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The question is sometimes asked "do members of the church of Christ believe they are the only ones going to heaven?"
The answer depends on what the person asking means by, the church of Christ.
This is a misunderstood, and can be a misleading, question. The answer is sometimes YES, sometimes NO and sometimes MAYBE.
First a definition: the Greek word translated “church” in the New Testament is ekklesia.
A literal translation of ekklesia would be “a called-out assembly.”
It is important to keep this definition in mind as you continue.
To understand what the church is, we need to go to the scriptures.
The church is a part of God's eternal purpose.
Ephesians 3:9-10
Ephesians 3:9-10
9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages
has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;
10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the
principalities and powers in the heavenly places,
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Jesus said "I will build my church".
Matthew 16:18
Matthew 16:18
And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church,
and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
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He purchased it with His own blood.
Acts 20:28
Acts 20:28
Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers,
to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
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For clarification on this web page it is referred to as 'the church'.
The question here is "what church did Jesus build"?
Is it the local church of Christ that meets at Lassen Street in North Hills? No.
Is it a denomination or group that meets in a building down the street? No.
If neither of these are the church, what is it then, and when was it built?
To answer this question, we first go to the book of Acts.
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In Acts chapter 1, After His crucifixion and before His ascension, Jesus promised they would receive power when the Holy Spirit comes.
Acts 1:8
Acts 1:8
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to
Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
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In Acts chapter 2, As Jesus promised, on the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came to them.
Acts 2:1-4
Acts 2:1-4
2 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 Then there appeared to them tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
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The disciples were gathered together and Peter preached a sermon telling them
that Jesus, whom they crucified, is both Lord and Christ. Having realized this they were told to repent and be baptized for the remission sins
Acts 2:36-39
Acts 2:36-39
36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
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Many were baptized; and that day about 3,000 souls were added to them
Acts 2:41
Acts 2:41
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
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The Lord added to 'the church' daily those who were being saved
Acts 2:47
Acts 2:47
.... And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
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Acts chapter 2 tells us 'the church' has been built and disciples who were saved by repentance and baptism were added to it.
Also, we can see in
Acts 5:11
Acts 5:11
So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.
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and
Colossians 1:13
Colossians 1:131
He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
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'the church' had already been built.
Those in 'the church' are those who are saved.
Ephesians 5:25-27
Ephesians 5:25-27
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
but that she should be holy and without blemish.
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Only members of 'the church' are registered in heaven.
Hebrews 12:23
Hebrews 12:23
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,
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Paul says there is only one body
Ephesians 4:4
Ephesians 4:4
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
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and Jesus is the head of that body, 'the church'
Ephesians 1:22-23
Ephesians 1:22-23
22 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.
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Only that one body belongs to Christ and only the body of Christ will be saved.
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The church is defined two different ways:
1) Spiritual: 'the church' - Jesus shed His blood on the cross for this church and
the Lord adds those who have been saved to this church.
2) Earthly: a place, normally a building, where members of the 'the church' meet
to carry out the commands of God. We normally call this the
church of Christ.
How do we become a member (saved) of 'the church'?
We must obey the gospel of Christ to be saved and be added by God to 'the church'
as they were saved and added by God to 'the church' in Acts chapter 2.
What is the gospel of Christ?
Hear the gospel
Romans 1:16
Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,
for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
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Romans 10:17
Romans 10:17
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
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Believe Jesus to be the Christ
John 8:24
John 8:24
Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
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Repent of sins
Acts 17:30
Acts 17:30
Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,
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Confess Jesus as Lord
Romans 10:9-10
Romans 10:9-10
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised
Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
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Be baptized for the remission of sins
Acts 2:38
Acts 2:38
Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
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Mark 16:16
Mark 16:16
He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
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1 Peter 3:21
1 Peter 3:21
There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh,
but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
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Live faithfully the rest of your life while on this earth
Galatians 2:20
Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which
I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
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If an earthly church does not teach this way for a person to be saved, it will not be part of
'the church' Jesus built.
Will members of the earthly church of Christ at Lassen Street go to heaven just because they are members
of the church of Christ at Lassen Street. No, absolutely not.
Will members of the earthly church of Christ at Lassen Street who have obeyed the gospel of Christ
go to heaven. Yes, this makes them a member (saved) of 'the church'.
This is true for all earthly churches everywhere.
What is the answer to the question?
If the question means, the church of Christ whose members meet in an earthly building called the church of Christ,
the answer is MAYBE. No member of the church of Christ on earth will go to heaven unless
they have been added to 'the church'.
If the question means, 'the church' spoken of by Peter, in Acts 2, where almost 3,000 were baptized, and added to 'the church' at Pentecost, the answer is YES.
If the question means, does the bible teach there is only one church, i.e., 'the church', and is the only church going to heaven,
the answer is YES.
If you are a member of any or no earthly church and have obeyed the gospel as defined above, you have become a member of 'the church'.
Acts 2:47
Acts 2:47
... the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
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However, the answer to the question now is MAYBE.
As defined above, "you must live faithfully the rest of your life while on this earth".
This means you must follow the teaching and commandments of God as written in the new testament.
If you do not, God will no longer consider you a member of 'the church' and you will not go to heaven.
Matthew 7:21-23
Matthew 7:21-23
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name,
and done many wonders in Your name?’
23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
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Luke 6:46
Luke 6:46
“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?"
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John 14:15
John 14:15
“If you love Me, keep My commandments".
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‣ All who are in 'the church' will go to heaven.
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Summary
As noted in the definition at the top of this page, a church is only people, “a called-out assembly.”
No one will go to heaven who is not a member of 'the church', the church that Jesus built.
Obedience to the gospel of Christ will result in earthly church members being added by God to 'the church'.
They will have been saved and will go to heaven.
The New Testament never uses the word church to indicate a place like a location, room or building.
The church is people, members of 'the church', who meet in a certain location, room or building.
Therefore, the building at Lassen Street can never be called a church. It is simply a building where earthly
members of 'the church' meet together.
The New Testament uses multiple
NAMES
to identify members of 'the church'.
When God's word uses many different terms, we must use one of them to identify the church on earth.
If it uses any other name, it is a name not supported by the scriptures.
From the list of names, the members at Lassen street have chosen to use the name "church of Christ" to identify its earthly members.
'The church' is also identified as the Kingdom of Christ
and will be turned over to God at the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father.
This will include all who are saved and are in 'the church' that Jesus built.
Matthew 16:18-19
Matthew 16:18-19
18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven,
and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
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1 Corinthians 15:24
1 Corinthians 15:24
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 in heaven.”
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The scriptures teach us that we need to search the scriptures to see if that which
we practice is true. It is necessary to understand that which we believe and practice.
Acts 17:11
Acts 17:11
These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness,
and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
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1 Timothy 4:16
1 Timothy 4:16
Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
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The information on this page is not meant for us to judge anyone. We only point out that to be acceptable and pleasing to God, we must follow
the teaching and commandments of God as written in the new testament.
It is necessary for all people everywhere to understand that only members of 'the church', the church Jesus built, will go to heaven.
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