Again, we observe the Lord’s reply to a religious question, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” (Lk. 10:26). The alike answer is proper today.
On the question of salvation outside of Christ, “What is written in the law?” “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me'” (John 14:6). “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24). “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is NO OTHER name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). So, “What is your reading of it?” Very simple, man can only be saved through Jesus Christ. The Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jew, Skeptic, or Atheist cannot be saved in their erroneous beliefs — they will be lost in hell. Only a determined effort to misunderstand can bring about a denial of this truth.
On the question of salvation outside of Christ’s church, “What is written in the law?” “And He put all things under His feet and gave Him to be head over all things to THE CHURCH, WHICH IS HIS BODY, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Eph. 1:22-23). “That He might RECONCILE THEM BOTH TO GOD IN ONE BODY through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity” (Eph. 2:16). “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved THE CHURCH and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 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” (Eph. 5:25-27). So, “What is your reading of it?” It is easy to see that one must be a part of the body of Christ, the church, in order to be reconciled to God, cleansed from sin. It would take help from the false teacher to misunderstand this. Let us hasten to point out that the inspired Word of God says that there is ONE church and that when one is baptized into Christ, where salvation is, one is added to the church (Eph. 4:4; Acts 2:38-41, 47; Gal. 3:27; 1 Cor. 12:13).
Dear friend, what is your reading of it? Do you listen to the Bible or men? If your preacher is willing to refute what has been presented in this series, we will gladly engage him in the discussion. Search “the scriptures daily to find out whether these things [are] so” (Acts 17:11).
Steven F. Deaton
