Salvation and Church Membership

Text: Ephesians 5:23-33

Introduction:
  I. The church we are talking about.
     A. Not just any church, but the church as taught in 
        the New Testament.
     B. Primitive, apostolic, New Testament church that 
        existed in Apostolic times and of which every 
        Christian was a member.
     C. The church which Christ established. Matthew 16:13-
        19
     D. The church which Christ purchased with his own 
        blood.
     E. The church over which he is head and under which he 
        is the foundation, and in which he is the chief 
        corner stone.
     F. The church which wears Christ’s name and whose 
        members are simply called Christians, without any 
        prefixes or suffixes.
 II. The Church within itself does not save.
     A. There will be those in the church who will not be 
        saved.
        1. The parable of the tares and the net. Matthew 13
        2. Matthew 25
III. Neither can men save anyone.
     A. Men cannot forgive sins.
     B. Catholics use John 20:21-23 as a basis for the 
        confessionals and the priests forgiving sins.
     C. We notice how Apostles forgave sins. Acts 2:37-38
     D. They would have to establish successors to apostles 
        who had the same power which the Apostles had and 
        of course this they cannot do.  Then they would 
        have to forgive sins as the Apostles did, which 
        they do not do.
 IV. Jesus is the Savior and the only Savior.
     A. One is saved only when he complies with the terms 
        which the Savior has given.
     B. However, those Christ saves, he adds to the Church.

Body:
  I. When one becomes a Christian, he is added to the 
     Church.
     A. The Lord added to the church. Acts 2:47
        1. God does not add anyone to the church except 
           those who are saved.
           a. Born again. John 3:5
           b. Translated out of darkness into the kingdom 
              of His Dear Son. Colossians 1:13
           c. Term saved used in two senses: Salvation from 
              pass sins and Eternal salvation.
        2. Give plan of Salvation. Acts 2:36-38
     B. The Church is the family of God.
        1. Galatians 6:10 “household of faith”
        2. 1 Timothy 3:15 “house of God, which is the 
           church of the living God.”
        3. Hebrews 3:6 – “But Christ as a son over his own 
           house; whose house are we.”
        4. Ephesians 3:15 – “of whom the whole family in 
           Heaven and earth is named.”
        5. There are no children out of his family.
        6. To say that God has several families with 
           children in each, is to call God a spiritual 
           adulterer.
     C. We are born into the Family of God. John 3:5
        1. Just as children are born into the fleshly 
           family through natural birth, we are born into 
           God’s family by the new birth.
        2, We become a member of God’s family when we are 
           born again.
        3. Illustration of my boy wanting to join my family 
           at some later time.
        4. We do not become Christians and then at some 
           later time join some church.
        5. The Lord adds us to his church when we are born 
           into it.

 II. The Church is the Body of Christ.
     A. The church is compared to the human body.
     B. Christ is the head of the church.  Ephesians 1:22-
        23; Colossians 1:18
     C. There is no relationship with head unless we are 
        part of the body.
        1. Illustration of cutting off an arm.  Although it 
           may be preserved perfectly, there is no 
           relationship with the head.
    D. Christ has promised to save the Body. Ephesians 5:23
       1. Hence, not to be in the body is not to be saved.
    E. Christ will deliver the kingdom unto God the Father.
       1. 1 Corinthians 15:24

Howard See