Topic(s): Church, Salvation

Todd Clippard

(Note - The entirety of the inquisitor’s comments appear below:

I am also curious about a rumor I heard, that the Church of Christ believes you can't be saved without being a member of your church. If this is so, I must note that Jesus said He does "not dwell in temples made with hands" and the verses you laid out make it abundantly obvious that HE is the only way.

I do not have a church. The Lord has a church. In Matthew 16:16-19, He said He would build His church. Acts 20:28 teaches He purchased the church with His blood. The Bible only speaks of one church. The term "church of Christ" is not an identity of ourselves as simply one denomination among the thousands now in existence. Rather, it identifies Christ's church, that is to say, the church that belongs to Christ. The one He came to build and for which He gave His life.

Acts 2:47 says the Lord adds the saved to the church. Ephesians 1:22-23 and Colossians 1:18 teach there is one head (Christ) and one body (church).

Ephesians 5:23-33 utilizes 12 nouns and pronouns referring to the church, all of them singular.

Also, in this and other passages, the church is likened to the bride or the wife of Christ (e.g., Rom 7:1-4). Therefore, to teach there is more than one church is to make Jesus a polygamist.

Please consider a few simple questions:

Can a man be saved without being reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:18-20; Eph 2:16)?

According to these verses, where is the place of reconciliation?

Is the body of Christ the church (Eph 1:22-23; Col 1:18)?

How many bodies does Jesus have (Eph 4:4)?

According to Ephesians 5:23, of what is Jesus the Savior?

Now, must one be a member of the church of Christ in order to be saved?