Where In The Bible Will I Find:

Salvation In Christ And His Church?

God has promised specific blessings in designated places. The apostle Paul tells us that God has placed spiritual blessings IN Jesus Christ, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" (Eph. 1:3). God could have extended spiritual blessings to man OUT of Christ, but He did not choose to do so!

As Noah and his family found salvation IN the ark, God, now places salvation IN Christ. Paul wrote, "... I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" (II Tim. 2:10). The salvation Paul was interested in, and the salvation he wanted everyone to have, was located IN Christ Jesus. It was not to be found OUT of Him.

Peter, also, points this out, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). You either obtain salvation IN Christ, or you die without it. To be IN Christ is to be IN His body, His church, for the body of Christ and the church of Christ is the same thing (Col. 1:18, 24). For God "...gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all" (Eph. 1: 22-23). Every spiritual blessing IN Christ is in His spiritual body, His church.

Paul wrote, "even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body" (Eph. 5:23) Jesus saves those who are IN Him, those IN his body, His church. Everyone that is IN Christ is IN His body, His church. Everyone that is IN Christ is IN his body, His church is IN Him. Conversely, everyone that is OUT of His body, His church is OUT of Him.

As in the case of Noah, only those IN the ark were saved, and those OUT of the ark were lost. And so it is only those that are IN Christ, His body, His church, will be saved. The church is NOT the saviour, Christ is our Saviour, but He saves ONLY those who are IN His body, His church. How does one get IN Christ, His body, His church?

There is only ONE way, God's way, the way that is recorded in God's Word. Jesus said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved..." (Mark 16: 16). Peter commanded, " Repent and be baptized…”  (Acts 2:37-38). After preaching to the Gentiles, Peter commanded them to be baptized in water (Acts 10:48).

Paul was told to " …arise, and be baptized…”  (Acts 22:16). He later preached the gospel to a jailor and his family, they believed and all were baptized (Acts 18:8). Paul tells us exactly how to be IN Christ, "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Gal. 3:26-27).