Based on a sermon attributed to Bobby Stafford at the church of Christ in Granby, MO and adapted for delivery by Charlton Wiggins at the Axton church of Christ in Axton, VA
Today we live in an era marked by spiritual diversity and the recognition, acceptance and celebration of many different religious beliefs, all of which coexist in our society today. Our society today view these multitude of paths to salvation as valid and demanding of mutual respect, dialogue and understanding, rather than supporting a single Bible-based faith. This has resulted in hundreds if not thousands of different religions today. Even in the churches of Christ there are erring brethren who hold to beliefs that are not found in the Bible. In those moments when someone asks me about the church of Christ and why it is we do the things we do or don’t do the things they do, my response is “if it ain’t there, then it ain’t here.” Meaning, if it isn’t in God’s word – the Bible – then we don’t do it in the church of Christ. That’s simple and not hard to understand. For instance, take instrumental music in the worship service. You only find singing in worship mentioned in the New Testament, not musical instruments with the exception being the angels in Revelation playing harps – but we are not angels. So we don’t use instruments in worship. As a side note I often tell people who ask about the lack of instruments in worship in the church that even the secular historians of the time the New Testament was written describe the Christians “the people of the Way,” church of Christ as those people who worship their God making music with just their voice. The importance of the church, that is the church as it was established by Jesus Christ over 2000 years ago remains a vital truth for believers.
The New Testament reveals a divine promise that emphasizes unity and the permanence of His church—not a church of human design and invention, but a church which is a spiritual body, a church purchased by the very blood of the Messiah’s own sacrifice. This church, this divine institution is the exclusive source of hope, salvation, and eternal life, and importantly, it is inseparable from the kingdom of God. To enter the church, and we’re not talking about a building here, as many in the denominational world would have you believe, we’re talking about entering the church is not merely an affiliation; it’s not a loose conglomeration of different religions. It is entry into the very kingdom of heaven itself, and this entrance is contingent upon obedience to Jehovah's will.
The foundation of this understanding begins with Jesus’ declaration in Matthew 16:18
“18 and I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Matthew 16:18
“On this rock” – on this principle, this testament, this foundation Jesus built his church. Here, Jesus promises to establish a singular, resilient church—a church that is a community which stands firmly against spiritual opposition – ALL spiritual opposition. This promise which Jesus gives underlines His divine authority behind the church’s existence while also emphasizing that it is a spiritual entity, not an earthly organization. As Jesus affirms in the very next verse,
“19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven…”
Matthew 16:9
This tells us that this church, this church which He established, has divine authority and spiritual significance. According to Acts 20:28, Christ purchased His church with His own blood, and in doing so elevated its significance and emphasized that salvation and hope are inseparably linked to this divine body. The scripture reads
“28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God which He obtained with His own blood.”
Acts 20:28
The profound value of the church is rooted in the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on the cross. His brutal scourging and ultimately His death on the cross of Calvary was not merely an act of love, which is paramount, but it was also a divine purchase—an incomprehensible and extraordinary act of redemption which not only provides us with hope, salvation and eternal life – it secures these precious gifts for everyone who walks on the face of this earth with the provision that they obey Him, as emphasized in Hebrews 5:9 -
“9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him…”
Hebrews 5:9
According to Acts 20:28, the church has been “purchased with His own blood…” This underscores that Christ’s sacrifice was personal, costly, and decisive. This sacrifice, this blood sacrifice elevates the church as the exclusive vessel through which divine grace, forgiveness, and salvation are all offered. It is through Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross that the church receives its spiritual authority and its divine purpose thereby giving the church (as it is found in the New Testament) the authority to serve as the living sanctuary and avenue through which mankind can receive God’s mercy and grace. In other words, the church, as described in the New Testament, is the one and only true church of our Lord and Savior.
The sacrifice Christ made not only establishes the church’s worth but also defines its role as the only chosen body through which eternal salvation is made accessible.
Furthermore, II Corinthians 5:21 highlights the depth of this sacrifice:
“21 For our sake he made him to be sin, who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
II Corinthians 5:21
This verse summarizes the heart of the Christian message: that Christ, being sinless took the place of sinful mankind. He did this so that man can stand righteously before God.
It is an incredible exchange—Christ took upon Himself the sins of humanity. Now don’t get confused with that wording. It doesn’t mean Christ became sinful. It means Christ bore the full weight and penalty of human sin himself so that we don’t have to. He took our place on that cross, a cross which we deserve as sinful beings, and he took that cross so that we might be afforded His righteousness.
The important word there is “might.” Being able to stand before God in righteousness isn’t given to all people, not even all people who believe in God or all people who go to “church.” Being clothed in righteousness is only given to those who actually follow His word in full, which includes being added to the body of believers who follow His instructions in the same manner as the Christians in the first century did.
Christ’s act of love by dying on the cross underscores that salvation is rooted in a divine act of substitution, where Christ’s purity and selfless sacrifice have paved the way for sinners to be made righteous before God.
That sacrificial act sets the church apart from all other institutions or religious endeavors. It is the living testament to God's unwavering love and His divine plan for human redemption. The church is not just a community of believers; it is a sacred, divine institution established through the blood of Christ shed in the garden, shed as he was scourged, shed as he struggled along that path to Calvary and ultimately shed from nails piercing his flesh. The sacrifice of Jesus is the very foundation of His church’s existence, its purpose, and its authority. It points directly to Jehovah's plan to reconcile humanity back to Himself and it highlights that salvation is ultimately a gift made possible solely because of Christ’s atoning sacrifice.
In this way, the church stands as a manifestation of God's love, His mercy, His grace and His divine purpose—a testimony to the world that salvation and hope are found exclusively in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Furthermore, the church is described in Scripture as the Body of Christ, with Jesus Himself as the Head. Not a preacher, not an elder, not a Pope. Colossians 1:18 states,
“18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”
Colossians 1:18
And also in Ephesians
“23 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.”
Ephesians 5:23
Together, these two passages confirm that spiritual salvation is only attainable through our connection with this divine body. If we are outside of this divine community then we are without hope, without salvation—this highlights the absolute necessity for those who desire to be a true Christian, to remain united with Christ’s body to inherit eternal life. This unity is not an optional aspect of faith but a divine requirement; it is through the connection to His church that believers access the fullness of salvation, divine grace, and eternal security.
The church, as the Body of Christ, is designed by God to be the channel through which His salvation is extended to the world, and membership in this divine body is the result of obedience and faithfulness.
Additionally, the biblical designations such as “the church of God”(1 Corinthians 1:2) and “the church of Christ” (Romans 16:16) reinforce this divine ownership and special purpose. These titles emphasize that the church is not a human institution or a mere social gathering; it belongs to God Himself and is central to His divine plan of redemption. Hebrews 12:23 also affirms this divine guarantee:
“23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven...”
Hebrews 12:23
This indicates that believers’ names are written in heaven, confirming that entrance into God's kingdom and salvation are reserved for those who are faithful to His divine order and obedient to His will, including being a part of the one body – the church Jesus instituted.
But Charlton, you might ask, if the Church of God is an appropriate name for the one body what is wrong with going there to worship? Well, I’ll tell you. Remember what we said earlier, the true church is made up of those who follow his will, those who don’t add to the Bible or take away from it. We are to look for the church as being the one that follows what the Bible says, a church that does not add human elements to the teaching and the worship. The name “Church of God” is an acceptable name for the church if the members who congregate there are following all of God’s will, if they are not then that is not the true body of Christ. But in today’s world we call ourselves the church of Christ instead of the church of God in order to help us in identifying that the members of one church believe a different doctrine than the other and in that identification we can know which congregation is likely to be the correct one that follows God’s word as closely as it can to what is laid out in the Bible.
This doesn’t mean all church of Christ’s are the same, because they are not. Unfortunately, some have allowed human ideas to infiltrate the church and lead it astray from what is in the word of God.
This means we have a responsibility to study God’s word in order to be able to discern what is scriptural and what is not.
Getting back to the one body – the church that Jesus explicitly teaches that entry into the kingdom of God—corresponding directly with entrance into His church—is conditional on obedience to God's commandments. In Matthew 7:21, He declares,
“21 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 7:21
This reinforces that mere verbal profession is insufficient. Genuine faith manifests through obedience; it involves living according to His commandments, living a life of repentance, baptism, and ongoing faithfulness.
The metaphor of the church as the Bride of Christ further illustrates the sacred, exclusive nature of this union. In 2 Corinthians 11:2, Paul states,
“2 For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.”
2 Corinthians 11:2
This imagery underscores the importance of fidelity. Just as a faithful wife would accept no other love, so the church must remain exclusively devoted to Christ alone. Revelation 19:7 further emphasizes this divine union:
“7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready.”
Revelation 19:7
This union is sacred and exclusive; it signifies that salvation, eternal life, and true hope are solely available to those who are wholly committed to Christ and remain faithful to His covenant.
The Bible makes it unmistakably clear that entry into the church and the kingdom of God are inseparable—one cannot come into His divine kingdom without first being obedient to His commandments. According to 1 John 2:4-5:
4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected.
1 John 2:4-5
These verses underscore the vital truth that claiming to know God while rejecting His commandments makes one a liar and demonstrates a lack of true faith. Conversely, those who genuinely love God will demonstrate their love through obedience—keeping His word and living according to His will. As Jesus states in John 14:15,
“15 If ye love me, keep my commandments,”
John 14:15
Obedience is not optional but the tangible evidence of authentic love and faith in Him. Thus, entry into His church and the kingdom of Heaven is contingent upon living and practicing a life of obedience—doing the will of the Father, reflecting genuine love, and demonstrating true faith. Without this obedience, claiming to know Christ is empty and deceptive, and entrance into His divine realm remains impossible.
In conclusion, the divine promise of Jesus Christ affirms that His church is singular, resilient, and essential to salvation. It is a divine institution, purchased at the cost of His own blood, and the only true vessel through which salvation is accessible. Entrance into this divine community, the kingdom of God, requires unwavering obedience and wholehearted commitment. The church of Christ is His bride, His body, His kingdom—a sacred, divine institution designed for the salvation and eternal fellowship of all who faithfully obey and remain loyal to Him.
But many will say it is impossible to be so dedicated, you’d have to be perfect, and no one is perfect. Well, that is true. We are all sinners, even after immersion in water or baptism (I like to say immersed in water so there is no confusion that sprinkling water on the head is okay), but we all sin. Yes, we do, but what is in our hearts? What is the demeanor or your mindset when you commit those sins? Jehovah knows we are human, after all he made us, so he knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows we are going to sin. But the thing is, Jehovah also knows where our heart is and when we sin and ask for forgiveness of our sins with a truly repentant heart He will forgive us. He wants and desires us to come to Him and talk to Him and ask Him for forgiveness. You have to remember… He WANTS us with Him. But we must do our part and truly live as he would have us to live and be a part of the body of Christ, a body that adheres to His word and follows what He has put down for us to do in life, in the church and in worship of Him.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to dedicate ourselves fully to this divine union, to uphold its unity, and to live according to God's commandments. In doing so, we secure our place within His divine kingdom and partake in the eternal hope and everlasting glory that He has promised to all who believe and obey.
And the lesson is yours.
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