A STUDY OF THE CHURCH (6):

The Salvation Found in the church

Victor M. Eskew

 

          In this article, we will address the subject:  “The Salvation Found in the church.”  For many, this article will contain information that is new, shocking, and controversial.  “Why?” one might ask.  The reason is because most of the religious world does not put very much importance on the church.  They do not believe the church is significant.  They believe a person can be saved without the church.  They believe the church is just a temporary measure in the plan of God.  They tell us that one church is just as good as another church.  The confused ideas about the church can be multiplied several times over.

          Salvation is found in the church.  The opposite of this statement is also true.  There is no salvation outside of the church.  Let’s approach this study from several angles.  The first angle involves the blood of Jesus Christ.  Is Jesus’ blood important?  There can be no doubt about it.  Romans 5:9 declares that we are justified by Jesus’ blood.  Ephesians 1:7 instructs us that “we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.”  In that same book, Paul writes that those who were at one time “afar off” were “made nigh by the blood of Christ” (Eph. 2:13).  According to Colossians 1:20, Jesus brought peace to man through the blood of His cross.  His blood purges our conscience from dead works (Heb. 9:14).  And, Hebrews 13:12 reveals that Jesus sanctifies individuals by His own blood.  Peter summarizes the importance of Jesus’ blood well in 1 Peter1:18-19.  “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”  John connects the love of Jesus for mankind and His blood in Revelation 1:5.  “…Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.”

          Yes, the Scriptures teach the vital nature of Jesus’ blood for all men.  Did you know that Jesus’ blood purchased the church?  That is what Paul said when he spoke to the elders of the church of Ephesus while at Miletus.  In Acts 20:28, we have these words of Paul recorded for us:  “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”  Jesus purchased the church with His own blood.  These are the words of an inspired apostle.  Jesus’ blood is what makes the church so important.  Anything connected to Jesus’ blood should not be discounted in any way. 

          Let’s think about this angle just a little more.  Each person must be purchased, that is, redeemed, by the blood of Jesus Christ in order to be saved.  Those individuals become Jesus’ purchased possessions when they obey the gospel.  Remember, the church is purchased by the blood of Christ.  All of those purchased by the blood of Christ make up the church.  They are the saved ones, saved by Jesus’ blood.  They are the purchased ones, purchased by the blood of Christ.  They are the church, the blood bought institution of Jesus Christ.  Each Christian belongs to the Christ.  All Christians together make up the church.  Thus, the church belongs to Him.  Christians, those purchased by the blood of Christ, make up the church.  Thus, there are no Christians, no saved ones, no one purchased by Jesus’ blood outside of the church.

          The second angle we want to consider involves the body of Christ.  Paul tells us that Jesus is the head of the body (Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18).  He told the saints in Corinth that they were the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27).  There is only one body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:12, 20; Eph. 4:4).  Paul tells us how individuals are made members of the body in1 Corinthians 12:13.  “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free…”  This is interesting because, a person must be baptized in order to be saved.  “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved…” (Mark 16:16).  “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us…” (1 Pet. 3:21).  When a person is baptized, he is forgiven of his sins.  When a person is baptized, he is added to the church.  Listen to the closing verse of Acts 2.  “Praising God, and having favour with all the people.  And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (v. 47).

          If we connect the previous point we made to this one, everything starts to come together.  Jesus’ blood saves us from our sins.  We contact the blood of Jesus when we are baptized into His death (Rom. 6:3-4).  At that time, we are saved.  Thus, the Lord adds us to the church.  At that time, we become a purchased possession of Jesus Christ.  Those purchased by the blood of Christ are the blood bought institution called the church or the body of Christ. 

          The last angle we will study regarding salvation and the church has to do with being “in Christ.”  Salvation is found only in Christ.  “Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory” (2 Tim. 2:10).  How does a person get into Christ?  Paul tells us that we are baptized into Christ.  “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27).  Every person who is baptized is in Christ.  Every person who is in Christ is saved.  The saved compose the church (Acs 2:47).  Thus, the Bible should reveal to us that the church is in Christ.  It does in 1 Thessalonians 1:1 and in 2 Thessalonians 1:1.  Let’s read 1 Thessalonians 1:1.  “Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians, which is in God the Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ…”  Paul refers to them as the church, and he says that they are “in the Lord Jesus Christ.”  Remember, salvation is found in Christ. 

          Dear readers, the church houses all of the saved today.  They have been purchased by the blood of Christ.  They are members of the one body of Jesus Christ.  They are in Christ where salvation is found.  If you remember a previous article, we found that the church is defined as “the called out ones.”  They are called out of the world.  They are cleansed by the blood of Christ.  They are added to the body of Christ.  They are the saved who are in Christ.  Again, there are no saved outside of Christ.  This point should prove to all honest students of God’s Word that the church is of the utmost importance, especially to man’s salvation.