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Saved by Jesus Outside the Church?
As a writer of religious articles I from time to time get people who comment on what I have written. Onecomment that is becoming somewhat common after two and a half years of writing is the idea expressedthat organized religion (the church) has nothing to do with salvation. All that matters it is claimed iswhether or not one has a personal relationship with Jesus.I do not know where this "personal relationship with Jesus" language came from for if you type in the phrase in any online Bible concordance you will not get a single return for the phrase is manmade and notfound in scripture. I am not fond of terminology that cannot be found in scripture. Why not express biblical concepts in biblical language? Why not use language like "faith in Christ," "love of God," andother scriptural language one can readily pop up in a Bible concordance search?All of that aside I want to deal with the idea that one can develop this relationship with Jesus on a personal level that will save him outside the church. If a person means they can be saved outside theCatholic Church I completely agree. If they are saying they can be saved outside of a denominationalchurch I again completely agree. If, however, they are saying they can be saved outside the church onereads about in the Bible and outside of any association whatsoever with other Christians in an organizedmanner (an organized congregation) when such association is possible (that is such congregations exist inthe area where one lives) I disagree.Here is the problem with this whole concept men have that salvation is possible outside the church – Godadds to the church every man who is saved. All the saved are in the church and none outside it. Thatdoes not mean that every man in the church is saved for backsliding into apostasy, unfaithfulness, andsuch like enter into the equation. The Bible does not teach once saved always saved. That being said if you find a saved man he is going to be found in the church and not outside it.Scripture is what counts, not what a man says, so what does scripture say? It says that "the Lord added tothe church daily those who were being saved." (Acts 2:38 NKJV) This is the church of which Jesus said,"I will build my church" (NKJV) in Matt. 16:18. If you are saved you cannot help but be in the churchfor the Lord does the adding at the time one obeys the gospel and he adds only the saved and none whoare not saved. You do not join the church, though many have the misconception they do, but if you obeythe gospel in all sincerity of heart the Lord adds you to his church. This adding is to the church universalwhich consists of all true Christians all over the world wherever they are found and consists both of theliving and of those now dead but who died as faithful Christians.Paul, in writing to Timothy, speaks of "the house of God, which is the church of the living God." (1 Tim.3:15 NKJV) He told Timothy he was writing "so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God" (1 Tim. 3:15) thus he expected and knewTimothy to be in that house of God (the church) and if you will read the whole book of 1 Timothy youwill readily see he was not just talking about the universal church. He was instructing Timothy how toconduct himself in an actual organized entity (a church, a congregation) existing on earth. In that entity(an organized church) he gives Timothy instructions on how bishops (or elders, one and the same) anddeacons are to be appointed (qualifications) and how widows are to be provided for so that the "thechurch" be not burdened unnecessarily (1 Tim. 5:16 NKJV), etc. The point being that we are talkingabout the necessity of a congregation and organized religion in what Paul wrote to Timothy.
 
If you desire to be saved by the blood of Jesus but stay out of the church you are out of luck. In Acts20:17 Paul called for the elders of the church of Ephesus and then encouraged them in Acts 20:28 to"shepherd the church of God which he purchased with his own blood." (NKJV) This church had anactual earthly existence in the city of Ephesus in an organized body of saints (Christians) over whichthese elders were to shepherd. In the book of Ephesians Paul says "Christ also loved the church and gavehimself for it" (Eph. 5:25 NKJV) which is to say he died for it.Let me ask you a question here. Could you have lived in the city of Ephesus as a resident back in thosedays and been saved by "a personal relationship with Jesus" while not a member of the church there, thechurch over which the elders were to oversee or shepherd? In his letter to the Ephesians Paul said tothem, "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins." (Eph. 1:7 NKJV) Who isthe "we" in that passage if not the church (the brethren) there? But, we know that the brethren there werean organized body overseen by elders (Acts 20:28).In Heb. 13:7 we read, "Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account." (NKJV – see also Heb. 13:7, 24) Who are these men? It is thesame men whom Paul gave Timothy the qualifications to set them in the church as bishops (a bishop andan elder are the same person in the New Testament). He said, in part, "If a man does not know how torule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?" (1 Tim. 3:5 NKJV) What is the point?It is this – Christians are to be in organized bodies (congregations) overseen by men Paul was speaking of which the Bible calls elders, bishops, shepherds, and overseers (all one and the same referring to the samemen and the same work). How does the man who claims to be saved by "a personal relationship withJesus" separate and apart from an organized body of believers (a congregation) obey the injunction givenhim to obey and be submissive (Heb. 13:7)? By refusing to join in with fellow disciples in such a bodyhe separates himself from them and disobeys God.The truth is every Christian is a living stone (see 1 Peter 2:5) in the spiritual house of God both in theuniversal church and the church on the local level if he is living faithfully. The church is made of individual members called by Peter "living stones" which he says "are being built up a spiritual house, aholy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:5 NKJV)There was no such thing in the New Testament as a Christian living separate and apart from a localcongregation when such a congregation existed. Certainly, the apostles traveled around along with other evangelists and were not tied to a specific location but when they were in a locality and a congregationwas established there it is obvious they made themselves apart of it. One cannot read the New Testamentand deny that. They did not try and live off by themselves apart from the brethren and claim nofellowship or association with them.Look at the epistles. To whom are they addressed? When not to an individual was it not generally thecase that it was to a church in a particular locality? It is "to the church of God which is at Corinth" (1Cor. 1:2 NKJV), "to the church of God which is at Corinth" (2 Cor. 1:1 NKJV), "to the churches of Galatia" (Gal. 1:2 NKJV), "to the saints who are in Ephesus" (Eph. 1:1 NKJV), "to all the saints in ChristJesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons" (Phil. 1:1 NKJV), "to the saints and faithful
 
 brethren in Christ who are in Colosse" (Col. 1:2 NKJV), "to the church of the Thessalonians" (1 Thess.1:1 NKJV), "to the church of the Thessalonians in God" (2 Thess. 1:1 NKJV).Since one is not required, according to some, to be a member of a local congregation, an organized churchas it is often put, what does one do with the epistles written to these churches? Does the messagescontained therein not thus apply to us since we can be saved it is said by "a personal relationship withJesus" separate and apart from the church? Can we just toss these epistles away?To whom did Jesus have John write to in Revelation chapters 2 and 3? Was it not to the angels of the 7churches of Asia? The messages were meant for 7 churches. We can learn from them even today but atthe time they were specific to 7 congregations or churches. Read those two chapters. You will see somechurches were in pretty bad shape but Jesus was still interested in them. However, we are told today thechurch doesn't matter. It mattered to Jesus so why does it not to you who believe all that matters is a"personal relationship with Jesus?"The church consists of brethren united in faith, worship, labor, and love. One of the great messages of the New Testament is love for the brethren. How do you love the brethren when you want no part of themfor they are found in the church and you want no part of the church? How do you encourage them? Howdo you worship with them? How do you help them when you won't even associate with them longenough to know who they are or what their needs are?It is a sin to try and be saved by a personal relationship with Jesus separate and apart from the church(from the brethren). "Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsakingthe assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, … for if we sinwillfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries."(Heb. 10:24-27 NKJV) One who thinks he has a personal relationship with Jesus while ignoring his brethren and thus being disobedient to God's commands is self deceived.It is mission impossible to be saved outside the church. Sardis was an example of a church where fewinside it were going to be saved (Rev. 3:4) but nonetheless all in Sardis who were going to be saved werein the church there. Jesus "is the savior of the body" (Eph. 5:23 NKJV) and the body is the church (Eph.1:22-23, Col. 1:18, 24). One is either in that which Jesus is going to save or he is not in it. It is thatsimple, even black and white.I want to close with this thought. I have no use for denominationalism nor the Catholic Church. I am notadvocating either. I have written quite a bit on denominationalism already. What I do advocate is areturn to New Testament Christianity and that can only be done through restoration. The New Testamentis our pattern, our blueprint, for what it takes to make one a Christian and what it takes to remain faithful.The same is true of the New Testament as a pattern and blueprint for the church.I know many do not believe in the concept of restoration. I would simply say to those people that to beconsistent they ought to never ever again use a blueprint or pattern for anything. Why? Because theyhave just confessed that to them a pattern or blueprint is worthless.There is nothing illogical in the concept of restoration. The problem is not in the concept. The problemis New Testament Christianity is a radical religion that places stringent demands upon man and few want
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BORIS

8 But you are not to be called 'Rabbi', for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth 'father', for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.10 Nor are you to be called 'teacher', for you have one Teacher, the Christ.11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

reply10 / 22 / 2010
BORIS

And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not ke

reply10 / 22 / 2010
tsupasat

I've always thought of it like this: Every baby born naturally needs to be in a natural family; in the same way, every spiritual baby born needs to be in a spiritual family (a local church). Another way to think about it: You don't love just the head of your spouse, you love his or her whole body. In the same way, you can just love Jesus the head of the church and not love His body, which is the p

reply10 / 22 / 2010
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