Examining and reproving these myths in light of God

1

• Examining and reproving these myths in light of
  Gods word

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Added to the Church

• Acts 247b - And the Lord added to the church
  daily those who were being saved.

3

• I Can Find Salvation Through Any Church

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The Position

• One of the most misunderstood teachings of the
  Catholic Church is this one
• Outside the Church there is no salvation (Extra
  ecclesiam nulla salus).
• Those trying to grasp the meaning of this
  teaching often struggle with its formulations by
  various Church Fathers and Church Councils down
  through history. Of course, to understand an
  isolated formulation of any Church teaching, one
  must study the historical context within which it
  was written why it was written, what was going
  on in the Church at the time, who the intended
  audience was, and so on. One must discover how
  the magisterium (teaching office) of the Church
  understands its own teaching. If someone fails to
  do this and chooses, rather, to simply treat a
  particular formulation as a stand-alone teaching,
  he runs the risk of seriously misunderstanding it.

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The Position

• In recent times, the Church has recognized that
  its teaching about the necessity of the Catholic
  Church for salvation has been widely
  misunderstood, so it has re-formulated this
  teaching in a positive way. Here is how the
  Catechism of the Catholic Church begins to
  address this topic How are we to understand
  this affirmation, often repeated by the Church
  Fathers? Reformulated positively, it means that
  all salvation comes from Christ the Head through
  the Church which is his Body (CCC 846).
• In keeping with the Churchs current spirit of
  ecumenism, this positive reformulation comes
  across less harshly than previous negative
  formulations. Even so, it remains quite
  controversial.
• (http//www.catholic.com/thisrock/2010/1005btb.asp
  )

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The Position

• Q. Please explain this sentence from your study
  on Rev. 2-3 (Epilogue). And dont be surprised
  when youre joined (in the rapture) by some who
  were Catholic, some who were Protestant, some
  conservatives and some liberals and even some who
  didnt appear to belong to any church at all.
  Do you mean that some will be saved that have not
  been to church?
• A. What I mean is that no church has the corner
  on salvation. From the letter to Thyatira we saw
  that some Catholics will be taken in the rapture.
  From the letter to Sardis we know there will be
  some main line Protestants joining us, too. Some
  of these people will be classified as liberal in
  their theology and some conservative. And there
  will be many who dont fit into our definition of
  a traditional church at all . This includes home
  church groups, members of so-called virtual
  congregations from the internet, and some who
  arent connected to any of the above. For
  example, there are many places in the world where
  Christians cant meet publicly and have to
  worship in secret. Theyll all be with us on
  that day when the Lord takes us home. Remember,
  its not going to church that makes you a
  Christian. Its believing that Jesus died for
  your sins. (www.gracethrufaith.com/articles)

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The Position

• We are not arguing
• That one denomination is better than another!
• John 172021 - 20 I do not pray for these
  alone, but also for those who will believe in Me
  through their word 21 that they all may be one,
  as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You that
  they also may be one in Us, that the world may
  believe that You sent Me.
• That the church saves people!
• Ephesians 523 - For the husband is head of the
  wife, as also Christ is head of the church and
  He is the Savior of the body.

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General Reproofs

• If I can find salvation through any church, why
  does the Bible reveal that there is only one
  body?
• Ephesians 435 - 3 endeavoring to keep the
  unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There
  is one body and one Spirit, just as you were
  called in one hope of your calling 5 one Lord,
  one faith, one baptism
• Ephesians 12223 - 22 And He put all things
  under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all
  things to the church, 23 which is His body, the
  fullness of Him who fills all in all.

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General Reproofs

• If I can find salvation through any church, why
  does the Bible reveal that there is only one
  body?
• 2 Corinthians 112 - 2 For I am jealous for you
  with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to
  one husband, that I may present you as a chaste
  virgin to Christ.
• Ephesians 525, 27 - 25 Husbands, love your
  wives, just as Christ also loved the church and
  gave Himself for her . . . 27 that He might
  present her to Himself a glorious church, not
  having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but
  that she should be holy and without blemish.
• Revelation 219 - Then one of the seven angels
  who had the seven bowls filled with the seven
  last plagues came to me and talked with me,
  saying, Come, I will show you the bride, the
  Lambs wife.

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General Reproofs

• If I can find salvation through any church, why
  does the Bible reveal that there is only one
  body?
• Matthew 1618 - And I also say to you that you
  are Peter, and on this rock I will build My
  church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail
  against it.
• 1 Thessalonians 11 - Paul, Silvanus, and
  Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in
  God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ Grace
  to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord
  Jesus Christ.
• 1 Corinthians 1227 - Now you are the body of
  Christ, and members individually.
• Romans 125 - so we, being many, are one body in
  Christ, and individually members of one another.

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General Reproofs

• If I can find salvation through any church, why
  does the Bible reveal that there is only one
  body?
• Acts 24041 - 40 And with many other words he
  testified and exhorted them, saying, Be saved
  from this perverse generation. 41 Then those who
  gladly received his word were baptized and that
  day about three thousand souls were added to
  them.
• Acts 247 - praising God and having favor with
  all the people. And the Lord added to the church
  daily those who were being saved.

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General Reproofs

• If I can find salvation through any church, why
  are we told that we are baptized into Christ?
• Galatians 32628 - 26 For you are all sons of
  God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many
  of you as were baptized into Christ have put on
  Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there
  is neither slave nor free, there is neither male
  nor female for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
• Acts 514 - And believers were increasingly added
  to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women

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General Reproofs

• If I can find salvation through any church, why
  are we told that we are baptized into Christ?
• 1 Corinthians 1213 - For by one Spirit we were
  all baptized into one body whether Jews or
  Greeks, whether slaves or freeand have all been
  made to drink into one Spirit.
• Acts 2028 - Therefore take heed to yourselves
  and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit
  has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of
  God which He purchased with His own blood.

14
General Reproofs

• If I can find salvation through any church, why
  are we told there is salvation in no other name
  under heaven?
• Acts 41012 - 10 let it be known to you all,
  and to all the people of Israel, that by the name
  of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified,
  whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man
  stands here before you whole. 11 This is the
  stone which was rejected by you builders, which
  has become the chief cornerstone. 12 Nor is
  there salvation in any other, for there is no
  other name under heaven given among men by which
  we must be saved.

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General Reproofs

• If I can find salvation through any church, why
  are we told there is salvation in no other name
  under heaven?
• 2 Corinthians 135 - Examine yourselves as to
  whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do
  you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in
  you?unless indeed you are disqualified.
• Jude 3 - Beloved, while I was very diligent to
  write to you concerning our common salvation, I
  found it necessary to write to you exhorting you
  to contend earnestly for the faith which was once
  for all delivered to the saints.

16
General Reproofs

• If I can find salvation through any church, why
  are we taught that all spiritual blessings are in
  Christ?
• Ephesians 13 - Blessed be the God and Father of
  our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with
  every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places
  in Christ
• 2 Corinthians 120 - For all the promises of God
  in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of
  God through us.
• Ephesians 167 - 6 to the praise of the glory
  of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the
  Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His
  blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the
  riches of His grace

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General Reproofs

• If I can find salvation through any church, why
  are we taught that all spiritual blessings are in
  Christ?
• Ephesians 111 - In Him also we have obtained an
  inheritance, being predestined according to the
  purpose of Him who works all things according to
  the counsel of His will
• Ephesians 2810 - 8 For by grace you have been
  saved through faith, and that not of yourselves
  it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest
  anyone should boast. 10 For we are His
  workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good
  works, which God prepared beforehand that we
  should walk in them.

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General Reproofs

• If I can find salvation through any church, why
  are we taught that all spiritual blessings are in
  Christ?
• 1 Corinthians 12 - To the church of God which is
  at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ
  Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every
  place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,
  both theirs and ours
• Colossians 114 - in whom we have redemption
  through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
• Romans 81 - There is therefore now no
  condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,
  who do not walk according to the flesh, but
  according to the Spirit.

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General Reproofs

• If I can find salvation through any church, why
  are we taught that all spiritual blessings are in
  Christ?
• 2 Corinthians 517 - Therefore, if anyone is in
  Christ, he is a new creation old things have
  passed away behold, all things have become new.
• Philippians 314 - I press toward the goal for
  the prize of the upward call of God in Christ
  Jesus.

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General Reproofs

• If I can find salvation through any church, why
  are we taught that all spiritual blessings are in
  Christ?
• Revelation 1413 - Then I heard a voice from
  heaven saying to me, Write Blessed are the
  dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes,
  says the Spirit, that they may rest from their
  labors, and their works follow them.
• 2 Timothy 210 - Therefore I endure all things
  for the sake of the elect, that they also may
  obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus
  with eternal glory.

21
Case Studies

• The Corinthians
• 1 Corinthians 11217 - 12 Now I say this, that
  each of you says, I am of Paul, or I am of
  Apollos, or I am of Cephas, or I am of
  Christ. 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified
  for you? Or were you baptized in the name of
  Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you
  except Crispus and Gaius, 15 lest anyone should
  say that I had baptized in my own name. 16 Yes, I
  also baptized the household of Stephanas.
  Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any
  other. 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize,
  but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of
  words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of
  no effect.
• 1 Corinthians 311 - For no other foundation can
  anyone lay than that which is laid, which is
  Jesus Christ.

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Case Studies

• The Seven Churches of Asia
• Revelation 25 - Remember therefore from where
  you have fallen repent and do the first works,
  or else I will come to you quickly and remove
  your lampstand from its placeunless you repent.

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Colossians 112-14 12 giving thanks to the
Father who has qualified us to be partakers of
the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13
He has delivered us from the power of darkness
and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of
His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through
His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
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Colossians 118 And He is the head of the body,
the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn
from the dead, that in all things He may have the
preeminence.
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John 831-32 31 Then Jesus said to those Jews
who believed Him, If you abide in My word, you
are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know
the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
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John 1717 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your
word is truth.