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Calhoun Times 1o doubt many denominational people are represented among our many readers. %ut you know what church you are a member of, and you know the name of the church of which you attend. 6o we kindly ask you to go to your preacher and ask him to give you the book, chapter and verse in the %ible that mentions the name of your church. If it is there he will certainly know where to find it; if it is not there, you have a right to know it. 6o ask him to help you.

We have read the language of 3aul in 1 Cor. 1: in which he addressed “the church of God which is at Corinth.” And when he made his farewell address to the elders at Ephesus he said: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, Over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood” (Acts : ). In these two passages we have reference to “the church of God.”

Then 3aul wrote Timothy after this fashion: “But if I tarry long, that you mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth”( 1 Tim. :1 ). And here reference is made to “the church of the living God.”

When 3aul wrote the church in Rome he said: “The churches of Christ salute you.” Rom. 16:16. In the section from which 3aul was writing there were a number of congregations, and they were sending their greetings to the church in Rome. +ence, 3aul said: “The churches of Christ salute you.” It is an evident fact, of course, if a number of congregations were called “churches of Christ,” one of them would be a “FKXUFK RI &KULVW ”

Taking all of these 6criptures together, we read of the church of God, the church of the living God and the church of Christ. These were not different religious organi]ations but were simply different designations for the same body of people. %ut is it possible to read anywhere in the %ible of any mention of the name of the church to which you belong" This is an important matter, for the %ible is our guide book from earth to glory, and we should not want to belong to something the %ible says absolutely nothing about. 6o ask your preacher to help you find the name of your church in the %ible.

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3erhaps no statement has been made by religious people more often than this one. 2n every hand, from the pulpit and in the pew, you will hear the statement: “2QH FKXUFK LV DV JRRG DV DQRWKHU VR LW PDNHV QR GLIIHUHQFH ZKLFK RQH \RX EHORQJ WR ” Maybe you have said this over and over; and you have heard your preacher preach it all of your life. If that be the case, then it must be something that both you and he are interested in, and you should want to know where the %ible makes the statement.

In Eph. 4:4 we find recorded this statement: “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as we are called in one hope of your calling.” This passage plainly says: “There is one body.” Yet in the face of it we have hundreds of conflicting religious bodies in the world. Well, one body can¶t mean two hundred bodies. %ut what does 3aul mean by the one body" In Eph. 1: , he said: “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body.” 3aul clearly says there is “one body,” and the body is the church.

Furthermore, when Jesus promised to build +is church, +e said: “Upon this rock I will build my church.” Matt. 16:1 . +e did not say: “upon this rock I will build my churches.” +e mentioned only one ”my church” not churches, If the /ord built but one, and he certainly did for that is all he promised to build, then somebody else must have built all the others. And are we ready to say that any church that man built is as good as the one the /ord built" This is what we will have to say if we contend that one church is as good as another.

In Col. 1:1 3aul also declared: “He is the head of the body, the church.” /ook at this passage in your %ible Col. 1:1

and see Must what it says. We don¶t want you to take our word for it, but it will certainly be alright for you to read it yourself and take Must what it says.

1ow, does it say, “+e is the head of the %2'IE6 the C+8RC+E6"” It does not read that way in your %ible, does it" %ut it says: “He is the head of the body, the church.” There is the same number of bodies as there is heads. +ow many heads " +e is 7+( +($'. That means Must one head. “He is the head of the body, the church.” 6o there is one head, one body, one church. And since Jesus is the head of only one, somebody else must be the head of every other. 'o you believe that a church of which man is the head is as good as the church of which Jesus is the head" You must believe this if you believe that one church is as good as another.

We do not believe that you can find a church that would be as good as the one founded by Jesus. 1o uninspired man, or even inspired man, could do that. Jesus died that he might establish +is church +e purchased it with +is own blood. If man could establish one Must as good, without even dying for it, as the one Jesus purchased with +is blood, then Jesus died in vain. This would give man more power than the /ord had. 6o if your preacher has been telling you that one church is as good as another, please ask him for the scripture that says so. And while he is finding that for you, you might ask him how many churches are mentioned in the 1ew Testament.

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6o many times the statement is made that the church does not save you. 2f course, we know that the church is not the 6avior. Jesus is our 6avior. %ut the statement as used simply means the church is not necessary to your salvation; that you can be saved outside of it as well as on the inside. 1ow, you have likely heard your preacher make that very statement many times; and as he is your teacher in spiritual things, he should be glad to provide where to find such a statement in the %ible. If there is any such statement in the %ible, he should know where it is or if he does not, it should not take him but a little while to find it for you.

We have often read the statement of 3aul in Eph. : which says: “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body.” If You will read the verses that follow, you will readily see that the term “body” refers to the church. 6o Christ is the savior of the church. This statement could not be true if he saves men out of the church and before they enter the church. In that case he would be the savior of men out of the church but not the 6avior of the church. Yet 3aul says he is the 6avior of the church. If the /ord saves one man out of the church, he evidently saves all who are saved out of the church. +ence, every person who goes into the church is saved before he enters. Then how could Jesus be “the 6avior of the church"” It Must wouldn¶t be possible.

6o the statement shows us that the /ord saves men who enter the church, not those on the outside. And while the church is not the savior, it is the institution which the 6avior saves men. We, therefore, read in Acts :4 : “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” Every saved person in the city of Jerusalem was added to the church. There was not a saved person in all that city that had not been added to the church.

And what was true of the city of Jerusalem has, throughout the ages, been true of every other place. The /ord has added to the church everywhere such as should be saved. And if anyone from that time to this has been saved out of the church, he was saved when he should not have been. %ut in spite of all these statements, you will hear preachers constantly say that you can be saved out of the church. If you have heard your preacher say this, please ask him to tell you where it is found in the %ible.

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In view of Acts :4 , “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved”, does the /ord allow men to have their choice in matters of this kind" If man is allowed to choose the church that suits him best, then the /ord has no choice in the matter. %ut since Jesus built but one church, do you think he will allow you to choose one that some uninspired man built in preference to the one he built" The /ord gives you the choice of accepting him or reMecting him, but if you reMect him, he will see that you do not go unpunished. Why not let the /ord have his choice instead of choosing your own way" %ut if your preacher has been telling you to Moin the church of your choice, he ought to be able to give you the passage of scripture that says so.

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+ave you been bapti]ed into Christ" If you have not been bapti]ed you are still lost in your sins. Jesus says, “+e that believes and is bapti]ed shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). 3aul said; “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). The words of Jesus teach us that to become a Christian one must:

‡ +ear the gospel (John 6:44 4 ).

‡ %elieve in Jesus as the Christ (John

‡ Repent of all sins (/uke 1 : ).

‡ Confess Christ as /ord (Matthew 1 : ).

‡ And be bapti]ed to be saved (Mark 16:16).

‡ After baptism remain faithful to God. (Matthew 1 : ).

: 4).

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It is our sincere desire and prayer that you obey the gospel today and be saved. Remember the words of Jesus, “1ot every one that saith unto me, /ord, /ord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, /ord, /ord, have we not prophesied in thy name" and in thy name have cast out devils" and in thy name done many wonderful works" And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniTuity” (Matthew : 1 ).

If we do Must what our /ord commanded we know that our salvation is certain and we will hear +im say “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the Moy of thy lord” (Matthew : 1). /et us go back to the %ible, back to Christ and +is church and do e[actly what +e commanded. 3lease let us help you in your obedience to the gospel before it is eternally too late.

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