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God’s plan is to bring all people together with Christ as head. No matter how many or how diverse, they ought to be brought together as one in Christ.
APOSTLE PAUL STATED that it is the Lord God Who desires all people to be saved by having them learn the knowledge of the truth (I Tim. 2: 3–4). In his letter to the Ephesian Christians, the apostle also taught one of the truths that people should know to be saved, thus:
“There is a deep secret truth revealed in this scripture, which I understand as applying to Christ and the church.
“For a husband has authority over his wife just as Christ has authority over the church; and Christ is himself the Savior of the church, his body.” (Eph. 5:32, 23 Good News Bible)
Thus, for man to be saved, he needs to be part, not just of any church, but of the Church which is Christ’s body (Col. 1:18).
Others may think that the problem is that there are so many people today, from different cultures and races, who are affiliated with different religions and have different views about faith. They would have to give up all these and follow God’s will or plan. Why?
How will God’s desire that all people be saved through Christ be fulfilled? Apostle Paul further clarifies that:
“God did what he had purposed, and made known to us the secret plan he had already decided to complete by means of Christ. This plan, which God will complete when the time is right, is to bring all creation together, everything in heaven and on earth, with Christ as head.”
(Eph. 1:9–10 gnb)
God’s plan is to bring all people together with Christ as head. So, no matter how many or how diverse, they ought to be brought together as one in Christ. This can be done if people—whatever their culture, race, nationality, or stature in life—become members of Christ’s body:
“For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” (Rom. 12:4–5 New King James Version)
Therefore, it is God’s will that all people become members of Christ’s body or Church. This is the fulfillment of His desire that everyone be brought together in Christ. This is the only way for God’s plan to be fulfilled for people to receive salvation.
How can people become members of Christ’s body, which is the Church? The Holy Scriptures teach that they need to receive the true baptism, as testified by Apostle Paul:
“For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.”
(I Cor. 12:12–13 nkjv)
Some who are already members of a religion claiming to be Christian or “of Christ” may think that all churches are essentially the same, even if they differ in beliefs and practices. They might also believe that it is enough to do acts of kindness, repent for their sins, and worship Christ to receive salvation. However, it cannot be that the one Church is composed of all Christian-professing churches or groups—because the one Church, as one body, has one faith (Eph. 4:4–6).
Apostle Paul clearly taught that Christ’s body—the Church—is only one. It is the members that are many. This one Church is the true Church that people should be members of. The same apostle revealed the name of this one true Church in Acts 20:28, thus:
“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.” (Lamsa Translation)
Therefore, for those who want to be saved, there is a need to be baptized in the Church Of Christ and become its members.
