A NEWSLETTER FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE GREENWOOD CHURCH OF CHRIST

VOLUME 1 NO. 41                                        NOVEMBER 28, 2004

“DENYING SELF”

PART IX
BY STEVE NIEMEIER

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24).  This statement also applies to us today.  The question that we must answer is this, “Am I willing to deny myself and take up my cross and follow after Jesus?”  This week let us look at the thought of us denying self and coming to the realization of who will be in heaven.  There is no telling how many times we have heard the statement made about a person that is not a member of the Lord's body that has died, “God is a just God and He will take care of them.”  While I do agree that God is a just God, one must come to the realization of whom God will take care of.

Paul tells Titus in Titus 1:2, “...in hope of eternal life which God, WHO CANNOT LIE, promised before time began,...”  The writer of Hebrews states in Hebrews 6:17-18 that it is IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD TO LIE!  Now before we go any further in this discussion we must come to the agreement that we believe these passages of scripture.  Do you believe that God WILL NOT LIE?  If so, then we must move on to other passages that no doubt will be troubling to us.  Why?  Because if God cannot lie then we are not denying self when it comes to those that He will save if we think those outside of the body of Christ will be saved in heaven!

Ephesians 1:22-23 states,“And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body who fills all in all.”  Ephesians 5:23 tells us, “For the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church, and He is the Savior of the body.”  The church is the body of Christ and Christ not only is the head of the church (body) but is the Savior of the body (church).  Now would we all agree that those that are going to be saved in heaven must be in the church (body) of Christ?  If not, then do we believe that the Holy Spirit who was sent to guide the apostles (John 16:13) misdirected Paul as he wrote Ephesians?  If so, then Christ must have lied when He stated in John 16:13 as He spoke about the Holy Spirit, “...He will guide you in ALL TRUTH;” and God must have lied when He spoke through the bright cloud at the transfiguration of Christ when He said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  HEAR HIM!” (Matt. 17:5).  Because if God cannot lie why would He instruct us to hear His Son if His Son was going to lie?  All of a sudden if we believe one can be saved in heaven outside the body (church) of Christ then we must take the position that God, Christ and the Holy Spirit are liars!

Jesus clearly states in Matthew 7:21-23 that not all who call on Him are going to enter the kingdom of heaven.  He clearly states that those that do the will of His Father will be the only ones to enter into that kingdom.  We have the teachings of Christ concerning repentance and baptism.  We have the teachings of the apostles inspired by the Holy Spirit concerning the work of the church and instructions from both Christ and the apostles about how we are to worship God.  Isn't it time that we deny ourselves of the lie that those outside the body (church) of Christ will be saved in heaven?  God who cannot lie has stated who will be saved.  Do I believe it or do I believe He lied?