Church Membership Not Required?

(A very deadly belief)

MAINSTREAM CHRISTIANITY has a very wide range of doctrinal positions from one denomination to the other on how one can be saved, but one of the main things the majority have in common is their agreement that church membership is not of great importance for one to be saved. The religious writers of GotQuestions.org when criticizing the Iglesia Ni Cristo, they stated:

“True churches recognize that there are other Christian churches outside of their own denomination that are rightfully Christian and that we can all believe different things on secondary doctrines, yet still all be saved. Jesus Christ Himself said that salvation is found in Him, that He is the only way to the Father (John 14:6),not membership in a specific church.” (Emphasis Mine)

There are several major problems with the above statement that are completely unbiblical made by the Protestant faith (GotQuestions.org) that we must address, and the sole basis of our defense will be none other than the written words of God since:

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living, so that the person who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good deed.” ( II Timothy 3:16-17, Emphasis Mine)

GotQuestion.org’s opening statement claimed that there is more than one true church established by Christ by stating “True churches” using the plural form for the word church ― churche(s). Is there more than one “true church” established by Christ? What does Christ have to say about this? Let us consult Christ; how many churches did He establish?:

“And so I tell you, Peter: you are a rock, and on this rock foundation I will build my church, and not even death will ever be able to overcome it.”

(Reference: Matthew 16:18 TEV, Emphasis Mine)

Christ clearly stated that He would build His church (singular), saying “my Church”; Christ did not say, I will build “my churches” in the (plural) form. Thus, to say that Christ built more than one church is unbiblical, and moreover, to claim that they are all “true churches.” Secondly, the writers of GotQuestions.org went on to say, “We can all believe different things on secondary doctrines, yet still all be saved.” To claim that anyone can just believe different things is in the same sense as saying anyone can interpret the bible for themself and believe whatever they desire and still be saved. This is not only unbiblical but extremely dangerous, which will lead man to his destruction:

“speaking about these things as he does in all of his letters. In which there are some things that are difficult to understand, which the untaught and unstable [who have fallen into error] twist and misinterpret, just as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.”

(Reference: II Peter 3:16, Emphasis Mine)

Moreover, the words of God are written within are not of “private interpretation” (II Peter 1:20 NKJV). The Bible cannot be privately interpreted because the gospel has been hidden in mystery. (Rom 16:25 NKJV). Therefore, the belief that the Bible is an open book, that anyone who reads and studies it will understand the true meaning of what is written, is contrary to what the bible itself says. This is why Christ sends His true messengers to preach His words so mankind can be saved (Mk. 16:15-16 GNT); only His messengers were given to know the mystery (Mk. 4:11-12 NKJV).

GotQuestions.org also asserted the presence of “secondary doctrines.” However, it is important to note that there is no such biblical category of “secondary doctrines.” According to the teachings of Christ and his apostles, there is only ONE unified doctrine or faith:

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, ONE FAITH, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

(Reference: Eph. 4:4-6 NIV, Emphasis Mine)

The last part of the GotQuestions.org statement emphasized that “Jesus Christ Himself said that salvation is found in Him, that He is the only way to the Father (John 14:6), not membership in a specific church.” What GotQuestions.org writers failed to understand is that although Christ is the Savior and we agree no one can come to the Father except through Christ, the question is, when the Bible says “through Christ” how does one go through Christ to draw near to the Father? It’s by adhering to the invitation of Christ to enter the fold or flock:

“I am the door; anyone who comes into the fold through me will be safe.”

(Reference: John 10:9 Revised English Bible, Emphasis Mine)

The fold or flock is none other than the Church of Christ:

“Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock, over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.”

(Reference: Acts 20:28 Lamsa Translation, Emphasis Mine)

Thus, by entering the fold or becoming a member of the Church of Christ, we become one in Christ. “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another” (Rom 12:5 NKJV), which Christ is the Head of the body the church (Col. 1:18), and Christ is himself the Savior of the church, his body and gave his life for it (Eph 5:23,25). Moreover, since Christ’s body is the church it is named after its head as “Church Of Christ” (Acts 20:28 Lamsa Translation).

Despite this biblical truth that Christ established a church and gave His life for it, making the church indispensable for man’s salvation, the widely and popular upheld belief among many people today is influenced by the unbiblical Protestant teaching that to be saved, all one has to do is put their faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior and ask him into your heart and he no longer needs to join any church, thinking that Church membership is not necessary or required for salvation. They even boldly went to the extent of claiming:

“Church membership can never save. There is no church in the world that has power to save. Christ alone can do that.”

(Reference: The Salvation of God by Oswald J. Smith, Litt. London: Marshall & Scott, 1969., Emphasis Mine)

Of the roughly 2.4 billion people who identify themselves as Christians, according to the “World Population by Religion: A Global Tapestry of Faith,” around 37 percent are Protestants. This is no small figure. Pewresearch.org stated that In Western Europe, 29% of Protestants say that sōlā fidē (faith alone) is needed to get to heaven. In the USA, 35 percent [of US Protestants] believe that church membership in any particular church is not of great importance and believe in either “sōlā fidē” (faith alone) or “sola scriptura” (scripture alone) but not the other.

Is this widely held belief regarding salvation correct?

GOD'S MASTER PLAN OF SALVATION

Being the repository of God’s words, the Bible is what should be consulted as to whether membership in a church is necessary for salvation or not. This is written in Ephesians 3:6, thus:

” And this is the secret: that the Gentiles will have their full share with the Jews in all the riches inherited by God’s sons; both are invited to belong to his Church, and all of God’s promises of mighty blessings through Christ apply to them both when they accept the Good News about Christ and what he has done for them.”

(Reference: Living Bible, Emphasis Mine)

If church membership were not needed for salvation, then why did Apostle Paul say that the Gentiles and Jews who belong to or are members of the Church are the ones with the full share in the riches inherited by God’s children? He also said that all of God’s promises of mighty blessings through Christ apply to them. In fact, the Lord God has a master plan of salvation for the Church:

“May he be given glory forever and ever through endless ages because of his master plan of salvation for the Church through Jesus Christ.”

(Reference: Eph. 3:21 LB, Emphasis Mine)

If the Church were not needed for salvation, then why did Apostle Paul say that the Lord God has a “master plan of salvation for the Church”?

No wonder, the Lord adds to the Church those who should be saved (Acts 2:47 King James Version).

NOT JUST ANY CHURCH LEADS TO SALVATION

While the Bible is emphatic that the Church is important to receiving salvation, however, it does not mean that a person is to join just any church or religion to be assured of salvation. The Bible points out that a person must also be justified or declared free of guilt through Christ’s blood:

“But God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Therefore, since we have now been justified [declared free of the guilt of sin] by His blood, [how much more certain is it that] we will be saved from the wrath of God through Him.”

(Reference: Rom. 5:8-9 Amplified Bible, Emphasis Mine)

Because of man’s sins, he was separated from God and is doomed to suffer eternal torment in the lake of fire come Judgment Day (Rom. 5:12; Isa. 59:2; Rom. 6:23; Rev. 20:14; II Pet. 3:7, 10). That is why man needs to be saved. But for this to happen, he must first be freed of guilt or forgiven of sins through Christ’s blood (Eph. 1:7).

The flock or Church that was redeemed or purchased with Christ’s blood is the Church Of Christ. Let us cite this passage once more:

“Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock, over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.”

(Reference: Acts 20:28 Lamsa Translation, Emphasis Mine)

The Church Of Christ is the one that was purchased with Christ’s blood and forgiven; thus, this Church alone is assured of salvation. There is no redemption or salvation outside the Church Of Christ. Believing otherwise is very dangerous to one’s soul.

Even other Protestant preachers themselves attest that all who are saved are in the body or Church Of Christ and that:

“outside that body there is no salvation”

(Reference: A Time To Unite by David Middleton, Minister of Surrey Chapel, Norwich, London: Evangelical Press, 1968, pp. 29, 31, Emphasis Mine)

Indeed, joining the Church Of Christ is imperative if one wants to be saved.

The importance of the Church Of Christ for the attainment of salvation can never be overstated. This is why Christ was made the one new man out of the two, breaking down the wall of separation between man and God:

“For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,”

(Reference: Ephesians 2:14-15, Emphasis Mine)

The one new man from the two that is created in Christ is the head and the church, His body:

And He is the head of the body, the church,”

(Reference: Col 1:18 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)

Aside from those mentioned above, the Bible tells us that the Church is God’s very own people (I Pet. 2:9) and the flock of Christ (Acts 20:28). The members of the Church are chosen and called by God out of darkness into His marvelous light (Col. 1:13-14). Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for it, that it would be cleansed and sanctified (Eph. 5:25-27).

IN CONCLUSION

1

The Church of Christ is indispensable for man’s salvation; one must be a member of the true church that Christ built and is the Head of, for Christ will only answer for the sins of His body, the church, meaning ONE, NOT churche(s), for Christ has only one body, hence one church that He established and gave His life for and is comprised of ONE unified doctrine of one body, one Spirit, one hope,one Lord, ONE FAITH, one baptism, one God and Father (Eph. 4:4-6 NIV). Thus, when one becomes a member of the true Church of Christ, one becomes one in Christ and a member or part of Christ’s body in which Christ will save His body on the Day of Judgment. It is the head that is responsible for the sins of its body, “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” (II Cor 5:21 NLT) Therefore, outside the body, there is no salvation. God will judge those outside (I Corinthians 5:13). And those who are separated from God will answer to the full payment of sin which is God’s judgment, the second death in the lake of fire (Revelations 20:14).

And… “Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelations 20: 15). Thus, every person not included in the book of life are those who are separated from God; they will be thrown into the lake of fire. This condition will be final; the destination is permanent. Hence, one must be part of Christ body or church to avoid separation from God on the Day of Judgment so to escape eternal damnation and receive the joyful and eternal life in the Holy City which is now being prepared for those who belong to Christ (Rev. 21:2).

2

In light of these biblical truths, beware of being enticed or lulled into the false sense of security and misled that faith alone is enough for salvation and that church membership is not required. Such belief is dangerous and completely unbiblical. Following this popular and widely accepted doctrine will only lead people to their peril and destruction on the Day of Judgment.

WE KINDLY EXTEND our visitors an invitation to explore the pristine, unadulterated teachings of Christ and His apostles as they were taught in the first-century Church Of Christ to gain a deeper understanding of the pristine biblical teaching on salvation. These teachings presented here is the path that leads to eternal life for all on that appointed day of Judgment:

The Truth About Salvation

CHRISTIANITY IS A RELIGION with over 2.4 billion followers worldwide. It is composed of diverse faiths with thousands of denominations, such as Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, Adventist—the list goes on. The Center for the Study of Global Christianity estimates that there are over 45,000 denominations globally, with more than 200 in the United States alone. Each denomination has its own unique set of beliefs and doctrines, especially when it comes to how one can achieve salvation. Do any of these religions truly teach the proper way of salvation?

Membership in the True Church: an Inseparable "Partner" of Faith

THE DOCTRINE THAT we, Church of Christ members, uphold regarding the need for a person to enter this Church in order to be saved is unwelcome to many. To begin with, people think that this doctrine was…

Reach Out

If you wish to acquire a deeper understanding of our Church Doctrines and have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We would be delighted to direct you to one of our local resident ministers in your vicinity. Kindly include any queries you may have so that we may forward your inquiry in advance. Thank you.

“Do not let unwholesome [foul, profane, worthless, vulgar] words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good for building up others, according to the need and the occasion, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear [you speak].”
(Eph. 4:29, Amplified Bible)

“Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured.”
(1 Corinthians 13:4-5, Amplified Bible)