Church Membership is not Salvation

 

A person could be faithful in his commitment to attending church every Sunday, even performing good works of service in church but that is not salvation. Church membership does not necessarily mean that a person is saved.

There are people who have not received Christ as their Saviour attending church; they are unsaved members.

Some have not made a true commitment to be a follower of Christ – they are lukewarm (Revelation 3:15-16 TLB).

I know you well—you are neither hot nor cold; I wish you were one or the other! But since you are merely lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth!

Some have not grasped the message of the Gospel though faithfully present at every service (Hebrews 4:2 GNT).

For we have heard the Good News, just as they did. They heard the message, but it did them no good, because when they heard it, they did not accept it with faith.

Others are deluded in their belief that going to church and performing “good works” holds the same meaning as being a Christian (Matthew 7:21-23 MSG).

Knowing the correct password—saying ‘Master, Master,’ for instance—isn’t going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience—doing what my Father wills. I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, ‘Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our super-spiritual projects had everyone talking.’ And do you know what I am going to say? ‘You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don’t impress me one bit. You’re out of here.’

Oftentimes aspects of church are confused with salvation.

Making a public statement of cognitive belief in Christ is not a means of salvation.

Making a public symbolic statement of immersion is not a means of salvation.

Conducting ministry and evangelism is not a means of salvation.

Beloved, know that “God our Savior, wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3,4 NIV).

Salvation is not about one’s works in the church. It’s not about organizing tea parties, playing the drums or being in the choir.

Salvation is about sincere repentance of one’s sins, placing faith in Christ and His finished work at Calvary, acknowledging and confessing Him to be Lord and believing in one’s heart that God raised Him from death (Romans 10:9-10 NRSVUE).

But what does it say?

“The word is near you,
    in your mouth and in your heart”

(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim), because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart, leading to righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, leading to salvation.

And then the journey begins...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shelley Johnson “Church Membership is not Salvation” ©2013 revisited December 5, 2025