Some in the religious community have said that a person can be saved and not be a member of the church. Here is what they are saying. Someone can have their religion and never get up and go to any services of the church. This is a religion of convenience rather than conviction. Do you think that the above is true? Let us think about the title of this article.
What is said is that the Blood of Christ is unimportant. If Christ purchased the church with His Own Blood, and that institution which He purchased with His blood, is not necessary to the salvation of anyone soul, the only correct conclusion is that the Blood of Christ is unimportant. One wonders if they will agree with this. But the Bible is our source of authority in all things religious. Let us observe what the Bible says about the church being unimportant.
The church was purchased with the Blood of Christ. Acts 20:28 states clearly, “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.” Peter calls this Blood, precious, “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” (1 Peter 1:18-19). If a person studies the book of Hebrews carefully, they will find that the blood of Christ is very important. This book refers to the blood that was shed by animals, but that the blood of these animals was not sufficient to take away the sins of mankind. The blood of animals was not sufficient to take away sins. Hebrews 9: 11-12 informs us, “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Then reassurance is given in verse 14 in the form of a question, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Sprit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” After studying this would you not agree that the blood of Christ is important? Not only is the Blood of Christ important, it is very important.
Salvation is by the Blood of Christ. “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood” (Revelation 1:5). But how are we going to have our sins washed in His Blood? The Bible answers, “And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). When is a person saved? Mark informs us exactly when this takes place, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16). When a person is saved notice what the Lord does for him, “Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47). If a person has their sins washed away in the Blood of Christ by baptism in water, that individual is saved and is also added to the church.
Would those religious people say that they can be saved without contacting the Blood of Christ? That is the correct conclusion that must be drawn if they believe that the church is unimportant. Yet the church is important, the Blood of Christ is important, and salvation is very important. Do you not agree?
Love, Keith
