By Weldon E. Warnock
It is impossible to be saved: Without Christ . . . Without the gospel . . . Outside of the church . . . Without the blood of Christ . . . Without human
We shall focus our attention on impossible things relative to salvation from sin. If any one of these, or all are lacking, salvation is impossible. It is impossible to be saved:
1. Without Christ. Paul wrote that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1 Tim. 1:15). He is able to save to the uttermost (Heb. 7:25). Peter said: “Neither is there salvation in none other: For there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). However, Jesus saves conditionally, on his terms. He is the author of eternal salvation unto all them who obey him (Heb. 5:8-9).
2. Without the gospel. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16). Paul wrote to the Corinthians that he preached the gospel unto them by which they are saved (1 Cor. 15:2). This is true for you and me. This is why Jesus said to go preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:16). Those who do not obey the gospel will be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord (2 Thess. 1:7-9).
The gospel is described as the gospel of God (Rom. 1:11), of Christ (Rom. 1:16), of grace (Acts 20:24), of peace (Eph. 6:16), of salvation (Eph. 1:13), of truth (Gal. 2:5), and of hope (Col. 1:23). Indeed, it is a glorious gospel (2 Cor. 4:4).
3. Outside of the church. All the saved are in the church. The Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved (Acts 2:47). The Bible teaches that Jesus is the savior of the body. Paul wrote, “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” (Eph. 5:23). The body is the church (Col. 1:16). There are no saved people outside the Lord’s church, because only the church has been purchased with the blood of Christ (Acts 20:28), and only the church is built upon the rock (Matt. 16:18).
4. Without the blood of Christ. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission (Heb. 9:22). It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin (Heb. 10:4). It takes the blood of Christ to remove sin. Jesus stated, “For this is the blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matt. 26:28). Paul wrote that in Christ we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins (Col. 1:14). Of course, to reach the blood, aliens must be baptized into the death of Jesus (Rom. 6:3-4) wherein they receive the benefits of his blood. Then, they are raised to walk in newness of life (v. 4).
5. Without human activity. Some say there is nothing an alien sinner must do, or can do, to save himself, that God does it all for him. But the Jews on Pentecost said, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). Peter then told them what to do. He said, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” In verse 40 Peter told them “save yourselves from this untoward generation.” Though man cannot provide salvation, he must appropriate it. He is to believe (John 8:24), repent (Luke 13:3), confess (Acts 8:37), and be baptized (Mark 16:16).