THE CHURCH IS THE SAVED

BY ROY DEAVER

  In Ephesians 5:23 the divine record says "For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, being himself the saviour of the body."

Thus Paul clearly and forcefully affirms (1) That the husband is the head of the wife; (2) that Christ is the head of the church; (3) that the relationship of the Christ (as head) to the church is as the relationship of the husband (as head) to the wife; (4) that the Christ is Saviour; and (5) that that of which He is the saviour of the body.

In the present study we are especially concerned about points four and five.  Since this reading declares that the Christ is the saviour of the body, it seems to be a passage especially pertinent to the proposition that "The Church Is the Saved."

CHRIST IS THE SAVIOUR

The angel said to Joseph, ". and thou shalt call his name Jesus; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins," Matt. 1:21.  John the baptizer said "Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29).  The Samaritans said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of thy speaking: for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world," (John 1:42).  "For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost," Luke 19:10.

 The word "Jesus" means "saviour".  The Lord came to save.  He came to save men from sin.  He came to deal with the problem of human sins-completely, effectively, thoroughly.  He gave himself for our sins ".that he might deliver us out of this present evil world.," Gal. 1:4.  He gave himself for us "..that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a people for his own possession, zealous of good works," Titus 2:14.

 To save men from sin the Lord has to save men from all the component parts of (or aspects of) sin.  If there are three basic aspects of sin, and if the Lord failed to deliver men from either of these-then the salvation would not be complete.

 In the light of the Bible's teaching on the subject of sin, we suggest that there are three basic aspects:  (1) the guilt of sin, (2) the practice of sin, and (3) the "other" tragic consequences of sin-condemnation, death, and hopelessness.  The Lord delivers from the guilt of sin by shedding of His blood, Heb. 9:22; Heb. 10:10.  He delivers from the practice of sin (1) by the marvelous example which He set for us; (2) by the divine rule book which he gave to us; and (3) by the Holy Spirit whom He gives to those who obey Him.  He delivers from the "other" tragic consequences of sin: condemnation, death, and hopelessness.  He delivers from condemnation (Rom 8:1) by making it possible for us to have the continued approval of the heavenly Father (II Tim. 2:15; I John 1:7).  He delivers us from death and the related fears by giving us assurance that on one day ".all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall come forth.," (John 5:28,29).  He delivers us from hopelessness by giving us wonderful hope, blessed hope.  We are saved by hope (Rom. 8:24) and which hope we have ".as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast and entering into that which is within the veil.," (Heb 6:19).

SALVATION IS IN HIM

 The Bible plainly teaches that salvation is located in Jesus Christ.  In II Tim. 2:10 Paul says, "Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory."  According to Eph 1:3, spiritual blessings are to be experienced "in Christ".  Paul says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." In verse 6 of Eph. 1, Paul refers to Christ as "the Beloved," and then says:  "in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace." Clearly, it is in Christ that we have our redemption.  We should note also that verse 7 shows that it is in Christ that one has forgiveness of sins: "in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses."

In this connection, in John 3:14 we have a most remarkable statement.  The Lord said, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so much the Son of man lifted up; that whosoever believeth may in him have eternal life."  In the statement the Lord (1) made reference to an Old Testament illustration, (2) showed clearly the application of that illustration, and (3) set forth some definite information about eternal life.  With regard to "eternal life" we have three specific points:  (1) the fact of it, (2) the condition of it, and (3) the locations of it.  We have quoted from the American Standard Version, which correctly follows the Greek text.  Verse 15 does not say "that whosoever believeth in him." Rather, it says "that whosoever believeth-may in him-have eternal life."  "In him" is the preposition "en" used with the locative case, the case of location.  "Eternal life" is located "in him."

If salvation is in him, and if redemption is in him, and if eternal life is in him-then we must be concerned about how to get into him.  There are two New Testament passages which deal simply and specifically with this point:  Rom. 6:3,4 and Gal. 3:26,27.  Each of these states in language too plain to be misunderstood that one is "baptized into Christ."

Those in Christ are those who have salvation, redemption, forgiveness, eternal life.  Those in Christ and the saved; the saved are those in Christ.

THE SAVED ARE IN THE BODY

 The church of our Lord, in the aggregate sense, is called the "body" of Christ.  The local congregation is never called the "body" but the universal church of the Lord is his spiritual body.  God "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 his that filleth all in all," (Eph 1:22,23) In Col. 1:18, Paul says "And he is the head of the body, the church." According to Eph. 5:30, christians and "members of his body."  Each individual christian is obligated to function for the benefit of the whole body, Eph. 4:16.  The body is one and "hath many members," (I Cor. 12:12).

 The saved are "in Christ."  To be in Christ is to be in his spiritual body.  Thus, the saved are in the body.

THE SAVED ARE IN THE CHURCH

 As noted already, the body is the church, and the church is the body.  If the saved are "In Christ," and if to be in Christ is to be in his body, and if his body is the church-then the saved are in the church.

 In connection with one's coming to be a part of the Lord's church the New Testament in several instances uses the word "added."  In Acts 2:41, we have:  "They then that received his word were baptized: and there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls."  In Acts 2:47 we have:  "And the Lord added to them day by day those that were saved."  Literally, this verse should read: "And the Lord kept on adding to them the people who were being saved."  In Acts 5:14, the record says, ".and believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women." This verse also involves continuous action.  Acts 11:24 says, ".and much people were added unto the Lord."

 The word "added is the translation of the original word "prosithimi".  "Pros" means "to" and "tithimi" means, "to set"; hence, the meaning is "to set to."   The idea is that one thing is "set to" another, or that certain things are "set to" each other.

 These verses make it clear that those who are being saved (Acts 2:47) are added to the church, and that only those who are being saved are added to the church.  When the adding is completed, the being saved is completed (Acts 2:47 ERV).  There are no saved persons outside the Lord's church.

 Those who are in the church constitute the saved; those who are saved constitute the church.  But, how can it be said that the saved are in the body that the saved are the body?  that the saved are in the church and that the saved are the church?  Answer:  in the same way that it can be said that the members of a family are in the family and that they are that family.

CONCLUSION

 Jesus Christ is the Savior of mankind.  Salvation is specifically located in him, and it is necessary-therefore-that one be in him in order to experience salvation.  But, to be in him is to be in his spiritual body, which is the church of our Lord.  The saved-all the saved, and only the saved-(in the sense explained above)-are added by the Lord to the church.  There is no saved person outside the church.  What it takes to save a person, it takes to put him in the church.  The church or our Lord is the "family" of God, I Tim. 3:15.  Those in the family are the family; those in the church are the church.  The saved are the church and the church is the saved.