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A person can claim that he knows God and thus will be saved. But if God does not know or recognize him, then all is but a claim and a false one to be exact.
ONE OF THE MOST prevalent beliefs about salvation is the so-called “faith alone” concept. It teaches that it is enough to merely recognize God and our Lord Jesus Christ in order to be saved. Although this belief may be appealing to many because of its convenience, the Bible declares otherwise:
“But now you know God. Even better, God knows you. So why are you turning back to those weak and worthless beliefs? Do you want to be slaves to them all over again?” (Gal. 4:9 New International Reader’s Version)
It is not enough that a person recognizes or knows God in order to be saved. What is more important or as the Bible teaches, “even better” is that “God knows you.”
A person can claim that he knows God and thus will be saved. But if God does not know or recognize him, then all is but a claim and a false one to be exact.
Our Lord Jesus Christ shares the same policy of mutual recognition when it comes to salvation. He made this emphatically clear in His declaration in Matthew 7:21-23:
“Not all who sound religious are really godly people. They may refer to me as ‘Lord,’ but still won’t get to heaven. For the decisive question is whether they obey my Father in heaven. At the Judgment many will tell me, ‘Lord, Lord, we told others about you and used your name to cast out demons and to do many other great miracles.’ But I will reply, ‘You have never been mine. Go away, for your deeds are evil’.” (Living Bible)
Notice that the people referred to by Christ already recognize Him as Lord. In fact, they use His name and are even able to perform great and wondrous acts in His name. However, Christ stated they “still won’t get to heaven.” They still do not have the right to salvation because Jesus declared to them, “You have never been mine.”
In order to be saved, one must first be recognized by God and by Christ. Jesus proved this again when He taught:
“I know my own and my own know me.” (John 10:14 Revised English Bible)
Clearly, one needs to be known or recognized by Christ (“I know my own”) to truly belong to the Lord. Where can we find those who are recognized by Christ as His own? In John 10:7 and 9 it states thus:
“So Jesus spoke again: ‘In very truth I tell you, I am the door of the sheepfold. I am the door; anyone who comes into the fold through me will be safe.” (REB)
Those who truly belong to Christ and are recognized by Him are in the “fold” or flock of Christ. Apostle Paul calls this flock the Church Of Christ:
“Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.” (Acts 20:28 Lamsa Translation)
The Lord Jesus Christ referred to His flock as “My Church” (Matt. 16:18 New King James Version), which is why the apostles called it Church Of Christ. Even the Gentiles in the first century who became followers of Christ or Christians were called after the name of Christ (Acts 15:11, 17-18 New American Standard Bible) because they were members of the Church Of Christ:
“The truth now revealed is that the Gentiles can be fellow heirs of God with Israel. They are eligible to be united in the same body—Christ’s Church. They can all now receive all the blessings God promises in the Great News about Christ.” (Eph. 3:6 Last Days Bible)
When it comes to salvation, the Book of Revelation records those who will be saved on the day of Judgment:
“Then I heard a voice from heaven say, ‘Write: Blessed are the dead who from this time forth die as Christians!’ ‘Yes!’ answers the Spirit, ‘Let them rest from their toil, for what they have done will go with them!’” (Rev. 14:13 Goodspeed Translation)
The Bible assures us that it is the true Christians who will be saved on the day of Judgment. But who is a true Christian? Is it someone who simply declares he is a Christian? Is it the one who merely professes that he believes and belongs to Christ? Apostle John teaches us how we can recognize the true Christian:
“Someone may say, ‘I am a Christian; I am on my way to heaven; I belong to Christ.’ But if he doesn’t do what Christ tells him to, he is a liar.” (I John 2:4 LB)
To be a true Christian means to follow the teachings and commandments of Christ—to “do what Christ tells him to.” And one of Christ’s principal commands when it comes to salvation is to enter His flock or His Church, the Church Of Christ.
People may have their own opinion, beliefs and even principles when it comes to salvation. However, all of that really do not matter because salvation is not based on man’s will and whim. God and the Lord Jesus Christ already laid down long ago the process by which man can be saved. If we would only keep an open mind, understand God’s will, and allow the teachings of God and of Christ to guide us, we will find ourselves in the one place of salvation—the Church Of Christ.
This article was originally published in the Pasugo: God’s Message magazine, April 2015 Issue.
