Can A Good Man Be Saved Outside The Church?

Introduction
I. There are many controversies in the religions world today and the question that we
shall endeavor to answer is one of them.

II. When there are people who differ as to the answer to a question (such as above) the
only way they can resolve the problem is to agree as to who is the authority on the
matter and then accept what is said.

A. For instance: If two people were playing scrabble and one believed that he spelling of his
word was correct and the other didn't, they would look in the dictionary and that would settle it.

B. Another example: If one man says Rome is in Italy and another says it is in Poland they would
have to agree to accept what was placed on a geographical map.
1. If the man that believes that Rome is in Poland wouldn't consent to look at the map and to
accept what it showed, but said, "You believe what you want to believe & I'll believe what I
want to believe",
then the controversy could never be resolved....
2. There would be no way for there to be agreement.

C. The same is true with the question under consideration.
1. Can A Good Man Be Saved Outside The Church?
2. First, we must agree as to what is the authority and that we will accept what it says.
3. Again, if one says, "you believe what you want to believe..." the controversy can never be
resolved.

D. In the matter of a religions question, the controversy is not as easily resolved because there are
more than one who claim authority, therefore more difficult to agree on one authority.
1. Suppose two people of dif. den. are discussing this question and one says, "we'll accept only
what my church creed says."
a. The other will not agree because he believes they should accept what his church creed says.
b. So what does this prove?
1) That the issue cannot be resolved by going to the creeds of men.
2) Only when they agree to the authority can they come to an agreement.
2. When there is no agreement as to authority there can be no agreement.

E. God's word, the Bible, is the only true authority in religion.
1. The only way that there can be unity in religion (truth) is that men & church creeds be
rejected and the Bible accepted.
2. Jesus said, ". . .He that believes and is baptized shall be saved " (Mark 16:15,16).
3. The N.T. is His will, our law, so it is to the N.T. that we shall look for the answer to our question.

Body
I. Definition of Terms

A. "Good Man" . . . one who pays debts; good to wife, children and neighbors; not worldly, etc.

B. "Be Saved" . . . have sins forgiven; be fitted for heaven.

C. "Outside" ....without being in or a member of the church.

D. "Church"
1. Negatively . . not:
a) Material building.
b) Man-made institution (Matt. 16:18).
2. Positively
a. Spiritual body of Christ, the spiritual kingdom.
1) Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world..."
b. It is those who have obeyed the gospel...complied with the Lord's terms of
salvation. (Acts 2:47).

II. It is a common idea that one can be saved out of the church as well as in it.

A. As in all matters, we should not be concerned with what the majority believe but with finding
the truth, because the majority can be wrong.

B. At one time majority thought earth flat.

C. At one time majority was wicked in sin and were destroyed by flood.
1. Only those who got into the ark were saved.
2. Noah preached God's word for 120 years but only eight boarded the ark and were saved.
a. Everyone thought that they would be alright outside the ark, until the waters began to rise.
b. Who would contend that a good man could have or should have been saved outside the
ark?

III. Some say, "I'm better outside the church than some in it, hence, I'm alright"

A. Take example of the ark again.
1. If there had been someone outside the ark that was "better" than someone inside, do you
think that he would have been alright?
2. No, he wouldn't because salvation was inside the ark, & there was no promise to those
outside, except that they hear and get in the church, or perish.

B. One who thinks by this reasoning that he can be saved outside the church needs to consider
the case of Cornelius.
1. Acts 10:1-2 - "There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the
band called the Italian [band],[A] devout [man], and one that feared God with all his house,
which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway." 2. But, Cornelius was not yet saved.
Acts 11:13-14 - "And he shewed us how he seen an angel in his house, which stood and
said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; Who shall
tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved." a. What did he have to do?
b. Whatever he had to do we have to do the same, and we will see a little later . . .

C. Just as there was no promise outside the ark there is no promise outside the church or body
of Christ.
1. Col. 1:18 tells us the body and church are same.
2. Eph. 5:23 tells us that Christ "...is the savior of the body."
3. There is no promise to those outside.
4. There is however, a promise to those inside the church just as to those inside the ark.

IV. If a good man can be saved outside the church:

A. The church is a worthless institution as far as salvation is concerned.
But: The church is not ... because:
1. Christ loved it and gave himself for it. (Eph. 5:25) "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it."
2. Church is the body of Christ. (Eph. 1:22-23) "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body" 3. Church was purchased with Christ's blood (Acts 20:28).
The elders were exhorted to "feed the church of God which He hath purchased with His own
blood."

B. Christ made a bad deal . . .paid too much for the church.
1. Gave his blood (Acts 20:28).
2. Gave himself (Eph. 5:25).

C. One can be saved without being saved!
BUT: All the saved are in the church. ACTS 2:47

D. One can be saved without being called out of the world.
BUT!
1. "Church" from Gk "ekklesia" meaning, "called out of"
I Pet. 2:9 - "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar
people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you outof darkness
into his marvelous light."
Col. 1:13 - "Who hath delivered us form the power of darkness, and hath translated us into
the kingdom of his dear son." E. A branch can have life and bear fruit apart from the vine.
BUT:
1. Jesus said, John 15:1-8: - I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every
branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every [branch] that beareth fruit, he
purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have
spoken unto you.Abide in me, and I in you.As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it
abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.I am the vine, ye [are] the branches:
He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can
do nothing.If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men
gather them, and cast [them] into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my
words abide in you, ye shall askwhat ye will, and it shall be done unto you.Herein is my Father
glorified, that ye bearmuch fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. a. Christ is the vine, verse 1.
b. Disciples are the branches, verse 5.
2.. A branch (disciple) cannot bear fruit apart from vine Christ) verse 4.

F. One can be saved without a savior.
BUT:
1. Christ is the savior of the church (Eph. 5:23).
2. He has not promised to save anything else!
3. So, if one can be saved outside...he can do it without the savior.

G. One can be saved apart from forgiveness of sins.
BUT:
1. This is in Christ, his body, church.
Eph. 1:7 - "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,
according to the riches of his grace" H. One can be saved without being reconciled to God.
BUT:
1. Eph. 2:16 - "And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having
slain the enmity thereby" 2. We see that one cannot be saved without being reconciled to God.

I. One can be saved without becoming a new creature.
BUT:
1. One becomes a new creature in Christ, body, church.
2 Cor. 5:17 - "Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature: old things are passed
away; behold, all things are become new." 2. However, we see that one becomes a new creature when…

Conclusion
I. One simply cannot believe the Bible and believe that anyone can be saved outside
the church.
Acts 4:10-12 - "Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of
Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, [even] by him
doth this man stand here before you whole." This is the stone which was set at nought of you
builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for
there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
II. We have given sufficient proof that one cannot be saved outside the Lord's church.

A. Hence, we are pleading with you to get into the church as did Noah plead...before the doors
were shut.
B. Salvation is in the church – you can get in or you can choose to not…

III. Cornelius was a good man but not saved until complied with God's conditions for pardon.

A. We have to do the same things that he had to do to be saved.
1. Hear
2. Believe
3. Repent (Acts 17:30) "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth..."
4. Be baptized - Acts 10:48 - "And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord."
Gal. 3:27 - "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ"
Mark 16:16 - "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved..."
Acts 2:38 - "Repent and be baptized...for the remission of sins..." Acts 2:47
a. Cornelius was baptized, saved, and added to the church.
b. Will you do the same?

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