From the time God called Abraham to go to a country that He would show him, with a promised blessing when this command was obeyed, God has always required certain people to go to certain places for safety or blessing. None whom God called could reach His blessing without doing what God told him to do.

We call to memory that when God brought a flood upon the earth, He placed salvation from the flood for Noah and his family in the ark and all had to go into the ark to be saved from death. Many good people in our time would argue that God has as much power out of the ark as in the ark. They would argue that going into the ark was unnecessary, and they would have been preaching salvation out of the ark.

Coming now to the New Testament, I call to your attention that Jesus purchased His church with His blood (Acts 20:28). Being purchased by the blood of Christ, it became a divine institution in which Jesus is said to be the head and that church is His body (Eph. 1:22-23). This church is built upon a divine foundation of which Jesus is the chief corner stone (2:20-22). All people who are reconciled to God must be reconciled in this one body or church (2:16). The God of heaven has located salvation from all past sins in, not out of His church. There is no promise of any man being saved outside the church of Christ and here is where the great battle comes between Truth and error—between the human churches and the church of Christ.

1. Some people argue that there are people who are just as good in one church as in another. That is true, but God does not save us on account of our goodness, but on account of our spirituality. Jesus teaches that we must be born again (John 3:3-5).

2. Some say we are saved outside the church, then join the church because we are saved. Paul said Christ purchased the church with His own blood (Acts 20:28). So if you are saved outside of the church you are saved outside of the purchased possession and you must claim salvation apart from the blood of Christ.

3. Some argue that it is God—not the church—who saves. That is true. But where does God save? Paul says we are reconciled in one body (Eph. 2:16) and that this one body is the church (Col. 1:18- 24). Now, since God reconciles us in the church, if you were reconciled outside the church it was not God who did the reconciling.

4. Some will ask, “Won’t God save me out of the church?” Let Jesus answer. In Matthew 7, He argues that there are only two classes of builders—those who build on the rock and those who build on the sand. The structures of those who build on the sand will fall, but those on the rock will stand. When Peter confessed the Son of God, Jesus answered and said, “upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). Since the church is built upon the rock, if you are building outside it, you are building upon the sand and Jesus said your building will fall.

5. We are reconciled to God in the church or one body (Eph. 2:16). Then if you are saved outside the church, you are saved outside of reconciliation to God. No one would want that kind of salvation for that is an impossibility.

Having now learned where I am reconciled to God, the next question to settle is this: “What must I do to come into the place of reconciliation?” Jesus answers by saying we must “hear” His sayings and “do” them to be like the wise builder (Matt. 7:24). In doing the sayings of Jesus, I must “believe” that He is the Son of God (John 20:31). After believing, I must “repent” of my sins (Luke 13:5). After repenting, I must “confess” Him before men (Matt. 10:32), and in the great commission Jesus not only taught that I should believe, but that I must be baptized to reach salvation (Mark 16:16). This agrees with Paul’s statement that “as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27). So, these five commands taught at different places in the New Testament teach me what I must do to be saved. If our entrance into the city of God depends upon our doing His commandments, no one can have a hope of salvation short of complying with the same. I should be willing to not only obey for my own salvation, but for those with whom I may associate along life’s pathway. As salvation is located in the only church Christ purchased with His own blood, and the way into that church is made so plain, the only reason one can offer for not being saved is that he simply does not want to do God’s will.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize the devil is everywhere in this world. And he is trying his hardest to creep into the Lord’s Church – the one place that should be a haven from his handiwork.

We are reminded to watch out for him:

“Be sober; be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”  1 Pet. 5:8

Satan specializes in wreaking havoc on the Church.  And he’s got his sights on your congregation (Lay Lake).

Notice Some Of The Things He Loves:

APATHY.    Satan loves taking away our passion for pleasing God. One of his favorite lines is, “What’s the big deal?” Just look at all the indifference in your congregation right now.  It’s spiritual cancer.

SCANDAL.   Satan loves a gossipy story about an affair, a conflict of interest, greed, or woeful mismanagement.  If it could make one or two families leave, or even split the church, even better.

CONFLICT.   Satan loves disagreements between members, and he loves leadership meetings that get out of hand. The more trivial the subject, the better the show is for him to watch.

BURNOUT. Satan loves to dishearten or exhaust a busy church member or leader.   He tries to make them feel like they are no longer needed, appreciated, or capable.

RUMORS.  Satan loves dividing people and disrupting relationships. He looks for opportunities to plant juicy little stories – true or not – about other members and sometimes even entire congregations. Once a rumor is started, he sits back and watches it spread and grow larger in the process.

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY DESTRUCTION. Satan loves family problems, especially if it is a key leader’s family.   He offers opportunities for an affair.   He encourages prodigal children.   He festers hurt feelings. He knows if he can destroy the home, he can destroy the congregation.

ERROR.   Satan loves false doctrine (and even making the word ‘doctrine’ seem out-of-style).  And a belief or teaching doesn’t have to be entirely false for it to be wrong – it can be partially, or even mostly, true.   Truth that may only be imbalanced, or truth that has been watered down just a little bit, is still error.  Whatever it takes to disguise a wolf and lead sheep away from their Shepherd.

IGNORANCE OF GOD’S WORD.  Satan loves encouraging the pulpit to preach fluffy sermons, void of any real spiritual meat. He knows Scripture illuminates sin & error (cf. Psa. 119:105), and wants to keep things as dark as possible.

EGOS.   Satan loves pride and arrogance.  He whispers things like, “You’re too good to confess your sin,” or, “You’re too important to admit you were wrong.”  While we need to be aware of Satan’s schemes, the real danger is that we won’t recognize his attacks.  We accept these things as being “normal” for every church, and thus we lower our guard and drift away unknowingly.  We need to see the spiritual war for our souls and for our congregations for what it is (cf. Eph. 6:12) and snap back to reality. Fight the good fight of faith (1 Tim. 6:12) against the Evil One. Be encouraged, because Jesus has “overcome the world” (John 16:33).   Never forget the most encouraging news of all during this fight:

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”  1 John 4:4

Editors Note:  One thing that Satan really “hates” in the Lord’s church is a loving, Christian family.  Brothers and sisters who put each other first and enjoy spending time together, helping one another  and even being willing to die for one another;  Brotherly Love!   Read:  1 John 3:14-18