Who makes up the Church of Christ? Becoming a Member of Christ's Church. Who Will Actually Go to Heaven?

"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust"    II Peter 1:4                                                     Who are members of the Church of Christ? The Church of Christ is made up of members who have obeyed the gospel plan of salvation and as such have been "added to the church, those that  have been saved" (Acts 2:27).  This opportunity is available to all  people everywhere.  The Bible tells us that "God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" ( II Peter 3:9).  Nowhere in the New Testament does the Bible ever mention a multitude of different churches.  Instead, the New Testament describes for us a single church meeting in different locations but unified in their doctrine and faith.   I Corinthians 12:12-13 says "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.  For by one Spirit we are baptized into one body....and have been all made to drink into one Spirit".  Jesus said that he would build "His church" <singular> (Matthew 16:18).  The church is also called the "Family of God"  (Ephesians 3:14-19) and the "Kingdom of Christ" (Colossians 1:13).

The word "church" is never used in the Bible to describe a building or a place of worship.  In fact, the Greek word used by the New testament writers means "the called out". The word "church" always refers to "people".  When Jesus prayed, in John 17: 20-21, for "oneness" He was praying for His people to be unified, or together, in their beliefs and  their faith.  Paul tells us that there is "one faith and one baptism" (Ephesians 4:5).  So we can conclude that when a person is added to the church, they are added to a singular institution which is spiritual, not earthly, and is headed by Jesus Christ.  Furthermore, Jesus intends for this institution to be unified in faith and belief.  When added to this institution, such a person is called a Christian and, no matter where they live, they are a member of the one church.  The name used most often in the Bible to refer to a group of Christians meeting to worship in a certain location is "Church of Christ" (for instance-Romans 16:16).   It is also important to understand that church membership is not the choice of a "membership committee" or any similar church group.  Acts 2:47 says "... And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."  Thus, the Bible teaches that it is God who adds a person to the membership of the church.  This is done when a person obeys His commands and allows his or her conscience to be led to an active faith culminating in baptism.  Baptism does not allow entrance into a denomination.  In fact, the concept of a denomination is foreign to the teaching of the Gospel.  God intended that there be only one church, made up of the saved of the mankind.       [Top]

How does one become a member of the Church of Christ? We have no conditions of membership in the Lord's church other than that given to us by "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.". Mark 16:16   Jesus Christ himself and His apostles.  Since Christ is the head of the church, we do not have the power, nor the desire, to try to change what He has said.  The steps for Christ "adding" a person to His church are simple-so simple that men have tried to abrogate them for centuries.  Paul recognized that some men would consider the Gospel as "foolishness" (I Corinthians 1:21) but actually this is a an indication of a "hardened heart".  The question of what to do was asked by the crowd on the day of Pentecost listening to the first sermons preached by Peter and the other Apostles.  In Acts 2: 37 they asked "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"  Peter's answer is simply put and in the next verse; "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins..." Notice these individuals had heard and believed what they heard but there was something more that they had to do...namely repent and be baptized.  As they did they would have confessed the name of Christ as the Son of Go d, as did the Ethiopian in Acts 8:37.  From these instances of conversion, and others, we can see the simple truth... those that are added to the church are those that: 1. Hear the Gospel preached                                         2. Believe what they hear                                             3. Repent from their sins because of their belief       4. Confess the name of Christ as the Son of God         5. and have been Baptized for the remission of sins in the name of Jesus Christ.  This is the plan that God intended all along.  It was divinely given to us through the Bible. Those who heed His word and do the things written have their names added to "The Lambs Book of Life" and are added to the church.  Again, it is important to notice that God adds an individual to the church, not men.  The preacher, teacher, or minister can help lead a person to Christ and can even assist in their baptism but cannot themselves add an individual to the church.    [Top]

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6      So are only members of the Church of Christ going to Heaven? This is a "weighted" question usually asked out of dislike for the Lord's Church or out of ignorance. The church is not a denomination so the question is not whether one group of worshippers or another will or will not be saved.  The question is whether or not an individual has obeyed God and followed what He has required of us; that is, to follow the steps that lead to Him adding a persons name to the church and then for that person to live a life faithful to God. (The steps toward salvation are found throughout the New Testament and consist of:         1. Coming in contact with the Word of God by reading and/or hearing it preached     2. Believing what God's Word teaches by believing what is written in the scriptures        3. Repenting or turning away from a sinful life        4. Confessing the fact that Jesus is the Son of God        5. Coming in contact with the blood of Christ through baptism  (thereby arising a "new person".)

If a Christian is sincere in his or her desire to please God then they will want to enjoy the fellowship of other Christians and will want to come together for worship and praise of His name.  If a person does these things then they are part of His church and as such have been promised a home in Heaven with Christ, following a faithful life upon this earth.  So you see it is not a matter of "my group" against "your group" but a matter of an individual's preference to save his or her soul.  God's son is head of the church and members of the church are part of God's family.  God has chosen that His family will be saved.   [Top]

Are you part of God's family by having been added to His church?

Need Additional Information?

Click here for FAQ and answers concerning the Lord's Church. Church of Christ, Lords Church, Church of God, plan of salvation, salvation, Christian, Church, Church of Christ, Lords Church, Church of God, plan of salvation, salvation, Christian, Church, Church of Christ, Lords Church, Church of God, plan of salvation, salvation, Christian, Church, Church of Christ, Lords Church, Church of God, plan of salvation, salvation, Christian, Church, Church of Christ, Lords Church, Church of God, plan of salvation, salvation, Christian, Church