A Little Bible Q & A For Your Day

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Date: Jul 08 2016 3:40 PM

Hey Everybody,

I hope your week is turning out to be positive and productive. I thought about saying a few things regarding the recent violence and hatred that has been circulating throughout the communities of this country. I thought about using my own words to show my appreciation for our public servants and protectors. But there are enough good people doing that. I will give you a few words from Jesus, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends." Please take a moment, when you get a chance, and shake the hand of a police officer, firefighter, medical professional, and/or soldier. From them we ask for security and well-being. From us they ask for support. Why don't we give it to them.

Here is a little Bible Q & A for your day.

The Question:

Dear Sir: Do you believe that good and honest people, that live a good Christian life, are going to be lost just because they do not belong to the church of Christ?

The Answer:

People are lost for only one reason - SIN. Jesus pointed out, "The Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). He further taught, "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:17-18). As the apostle Paul put it, "All have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). The only thing that causes people to be lost is sin. The only thing that can cleanse people is the blood of Christ.

Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). Again, we read of Jesus, "He is the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him" (Heb. 5:9). Doing the will of the Lord Jesus is necessary in order to be saved from sin, and this is clearly taught in many passages of the Scriptures (Matt. 7:21-23; Luke 6:46; 1Pet. 1:22; Rom 6:17; etc.). But let us look to the Scriptures to see just what that kind of obedience involves.

Jesus promised, "I will build my church" (Matt. 16:18). The apostles, guided by the Holy Spirit as the Lord had promised (John 14:26; 16:13; etc.), preached Jesus to be the Christ, the Savior. Notice the result of that preaching: "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit ... Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them... And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved" (Acts 2:36-47).

When "good and honest people" heard the gospel, they obeyed it and became members of the church which Jesus built. They did not join any denomination of man - but they were members of the church of Jesus Christ (the Lord’s church). Please read that passage again. When people responded to the Lord's gospel by obeying it, the Lord added them to His church. How, then, could "good and honest people" remain outside of that church?! The same Lord who saves people adds them to His church.

Those good and honest people "that live a good Christian life" live that life in Christ, for "there is salvation in none other" (Acts 4:12), and Jesus said, "No one comes to the Father, except through me" (John 14:6). Those people on Pentecost (Acts 2) were baptized into Christ (Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:3), as the Lord had taught (Mark 16:16). Only when one is thus "in Christ" can he live a Christian life. Just remember, the same Lord who saves people when they obey His will adds them to His church. When one becomes a Christian, he becomes a member of the Lord's church. Those are not two separate events. But people will not be lost because the Lord never added to His church. They will be lost because of their sins. When they are saved, they will be in His church. For Christ is "head over all things to the church, which is his body ... He is the savior of the body" (Eph. 1:22-23; 5:23), and the Lord never promised to save people anywhere else.

I hope this helps.

Have a great weekend

Mitch Robison

Enon Church of Christ

1366 Enon Road

Webb, AL 36376

[email protected]

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