Garden City Church of Christ - CAN ONE BE SAVED OUTSIDE THE CHURCH?

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CAN ONE BE SAVED OUTSIDE THE CHURCH?

INTRODUCTION:
1. Religiously speaking, our age is one of ignorance and indifference.
  1. Man is more interested in Mars than heaven.
  2. People are being indoctrinated with theories about the Bible--not the Word.
  3. Illustration: One man bet another $5.00 he couldn't say the Lord's prayer.
    "Now I lay me down to sleep..." (Didn't think you knew it!")
2. Much of the problem is the product of denominationalism. Jno. 17:20,21.
  1. "One church is as good as another" - (If Jesus were responsible!)
  2. "Join the church of your choice" - (Where does God come in?"
  3. "If you think you are right, then OK" - (No standard now!)
  4. "There is nothing in a name!" - (O, well--Jezebel!)
3. This question is hindered by serious problems.
  1. Popular idea salvation one thing--church membership another.
  2. Christians who are on the plane of worldlings.
  3. Illustration: Man stranded on island, feared the cannibals. Came upon a scene where he heard cursing, saw booze bottles flying, he peeped through the brush and saw four Englishmen in a poker game, exclaimed, "Thank heaven, they're Christians!"
4. Can I stay at home, read my Bible, live a good clean life and go to heaven without being a member of the church?
  1. I know Jesus is the saviour.
  2. Raise these questions:
1. WHAT SAVES MAN.
  1. Man cannot be saved without Christ's blood. Jno. 14:6Acts 4:12; I Pet. 1:18,19; Heb. 9:22.
    1. Good works therefore will not save! Isa. 64:6; Tit. 3:5; Eph. 2:8,9.
    2. Cornelius was a good, moral man. Acts 10:1,2; 11:13,14; 15:4,9.
  2. If man can be saved without the church--he can be saved without blood.
    1. Two things to consider when you make a purchase.
      1. The need--Isa. 53:6; Rom. 3:23.
      2. The price--Acts 20:28; I Cor. 6:19,20.
    2. Did the Father direct the Son to do a worthless thing? Lk. 19:10; Mt. 16:18; Jno. 3:17; Phil. 2:5.
  3. If a man can be saved without the church--then salvation is not common.
    1. If one can, then all can - Acts 10:34,35.
    2. But one couldn't--Cornelius - Eph. 2:16; Eph. 5:23.
    3. If you can, and he couldn't, then salvation is not common. Jude 3.
2. WHERE DOES THE SAVIOUR SAVE?
  1. God has always had a special place for the saved.
    1. Noah and his family were in the ark.
    2. We could argue whether God could have saved them somewhere else!
  2. Salvation is in Zion.
    1. Matter of prophecy - Isa. 46:13.
    2. Zion is the church - Heb. 12:21-23.
    3. Therefore, salvation is in the church - Eph. 5:23.
  3. Symbols for the Church prove salvation.
    1. Kingdom of Christ - Mt. 16:19; Col. 1:13; Rev. 1:9.
      1. If saved outside, then saved in Satan's kingdom.
      2. How can one be subject to Christ outside His kingdom?
    2. House of God - I Tim. 3:15; Heb. 3:6; I Pet. 2:5; Jno. 3:5.
      1. Can one be a child of God and not be in God's family?
      2. If not a child of God, then a child of the devil.
    3. Body of Christ - Eph. 1:22,23; Eph. 2:16.
      1. To be in Christ is to be in His body - Gal. 3:27; I Cor. 12:13.
      2. To be saved outside body is to be saved without reconciliation.
3. WHEN DOES THE SAVIOUR SAVE?
  1. When one obeys the Gospel - Heb. 5:8,9; I Pet. 4:17; Rom. 6:16-18.
  2. What is obedience to the Gospel - Mk. 16:16.
    1. The blood saves - contact blood in baptism. Gal. 3:26,27.
    2. The blood bought the church--baptized into body. I Cor. 12:13.
    3. Proof from Pentecost. Acts 2:39,41,47.
CONCLUSION.
1. Man cannot come on his "think-so" and "opinions." He must come by that blood-stained trail mapped out by Jesus.
2. You are not too good to obey the Gospel--or, not so bad to accept the invitation.
3. Why delay your salvation any longer?

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CAN ONE BE SAVED OUTSIDE THE CHURCH?