We are aware there are those who really do not care about salvation, being good, or anything related. On the other hand, there are those who care, who want to be good, who want to know and abide by the will of God. However, many such people are mistaken as to what God has revealed and what constitutes salvation and being good.

Some feel that it really does not matter to which church one belongs. We hear the admonitions, "Join the church of your choice." Others will say "One is as good as another".  Many will even tell you there is no need to belong to any church at all in order to be saved.  People who are honest and sincere sometimes hold these very views.  But that is because they do not consider the church the way the Bible reveals it.  They think of the church in terms of denominations, either Catholic or Protestant, evidently never questioning the propriety of their concept of the church in such terms.  Have you ever considered the possibility, yes, the reality, of the church separate and apart from denominationalism?  After all, there is no Biblical teaching that presents the church in that fashion.  It is a wonderful and refreshing thought to know that one need not be Catholic nor Protestant to be Christian.  In fact, when one comes to understand the church as God has revealed it, he will find there is no room in his thinking for Catholicism or Protestantism.  There is simply nothing in the Bible that condones it.  In fact, the scriptures condemn the very division that denominationalism promotes, propagates and upon which it feeds for survival (I Cor 1:10; John 17:20,21).

It makes a difference what one believes. It makes a difference to which church one belongs.  Christ built the church (Matt 16:18), purchased it with his own blood (Acts 20:28), is the Savior of it (Eph 5:23).  To contend the church does not matter is to contend Jesus wasted his time and Himself.  Everyone really believes it matters what one believes whether they will admit it or not. 

Let us realize that being religious, good, honest, and sincere, are all well and good, as far as it goes.  But, it does not go far enough.  We are not saved by just being good.  Examples of conversion of such as the eunuch, Cornelius, Lydia, etc., prove that.  In fact, nearly every example of conversion is that of one who was morally good.  While moral goodness is necessary, it is not sufficient for salvation just like air, or water, or food is vital to life, but none of these stands sufficient alone.  We are dependent on the blood of Christ for salvation (Rom 5:9; Eph 1:7; Heb 9:12).  We must come in contact with his blood to be saved.  This we do, by the grace of God, when we obey the conditions he has given for reaching His blood.  Obedience is necessary (Heb 5:9).  We must believe (John 8:24), repent (Luke 13:3), confess our faith in Christ as God’s Son (Rom 10:9,10), and be baptized for the remission of sins to be saved (Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16).  In baptism, we are baptized into his death (Rom 6:3,4) where His blood was shed (John 19:31).  We are then enabled to rise to walk in a newness of life (Rom 6:3,4).  God adds us to His church (Acts 2:47).