The New Testament Church of Christ and its Relationship to Redemption
If there is any one thing clearly revealed in the New Testament Scripture, it is the essential relationship between the New Testament Church and the salvation of souls. Jesus Christ our Sovereign Lord would not have made such a supreme sacrifice for His Church and pay such a tremendous price for His Church if it is not essential to redemption. The Bible teaches us that “Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word…” (Ephesians 5:25-27 – NASB). When Jesus redeemed humanity from the penalty and power of sin through His indemnification at Calvary, God the Father made it possible for mankind to be delivered from the dominion of darkness and then positioned into the kingdom of Christ. This occurs after one hears the gospel, believes the gospel, repents of their sins, confesses Christ as Lord, and submits to water baptism for the remission of sins (Matthew 10:32; Acts 2:38; 10:47, 48; 15:7; 16:30-33; 17:30). As blood bought born again children of the Almighty God, we have been saved by His unmerited grace because we have received His unlimited mercy. For this reason, we must understand the “Worship of the Church,” the “Work of the Church” and the “Witness of the Church.”
