“Will Only Those In The
Church Of Christ Be In Heaven?”

Speaker: Dennis Gruening
Date: October 14, 2001, Sunday Morning Worship Service
Main Scripture Reference: Various

I’d like to as you a question: How many of us have heard the following statement: “Oh, you church of Christ people think that you are the only ones who are going to heaven”?

I can think of few words which can cause members of the church of Christ more pain and confusion. I’ve heard this statement many times myself, and I’ve had members of other congregations come to me in mental anguish, because these words have been uttered to them.

In our love for the souls of all mankind, we diligently try to teach the plan of salvation to everyone. It’s our desire that all might become obedient to the Lord so that they might be saved, so that they might obtain heavenly eternal reward. But we are often hit with this statement, or a question that’s related to it: “Will only those in the church of Christ be in heaven?”

That’s a serious question, and one which deserves, I think, very careful thought. But it seems as though this question often times scares us to death. Now, why should that be? Perhaps, it’s because many, many members of the church feel that there is really no concrete answer that they can give to this question, while still being able to leave the lines of communication open—that there’s no safe answer to this question which will allow us to continue to teach the person who asked. It’s sometimes true that a member of the church feels that by answering this question, he or she will alienate the one who’s being taught so that they will lose whatever opportunity that they had to bring that person to Christ.

If we look at this specific question, “Will only those in the church of Christ be in heaven,” it should be clear to us that sometimes this is a dishonest question asked by those individuals who know what it is that we teach from God’s Word on the subject of “who will be saved.” Fortunately, we are in good company, in terms of these kinds of questions.

In Luke, chapter 10, verse 25, we see where Christ was asked a question with the purpose of tempting, or testing, Him: “And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and made trial of Him [tested Him], saying, Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” This was not an honest question. The lawyer was attempting to trick up Jesus with that question.

When we read the story of Jesus in the Gospels, we will see many other incidents where people were trying to ensnare Jesus with subtly dishonest questions. In Matthew 19, and verse 3, the Pharisees came to Him with the purpose of trying Him, asking Him if “it was lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause.”

We can read in Matthew 22, verses 15 through 22, where they desired to ensnare, or trap, Jesus by His Own Words, asking whether it was “lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not.”

We read in Mark 12, verse 13, that “they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, that they might catch Him in talk [to catch Him in His words].”

Well, we read of the same kind of deceitful questions in many other places in the Scriptures—Mark 11:27 through 33, for one, and then again also in Mark, chapter 12, verses 18 through 27.

From these passages of Scripture, and many others, it should be clear to us that there will be those who ask questions of us which have this same purpose—a desire to ensnare, or entrap, us. I believe that most times when a person says something along these lines, that “You think you are the only ones going to heaven,” that person is often doing so with the purpose of trying to trip us up, either in our belief or in our trying to teach the Gospel plan of salvation. We need to understand, though, that we must give that person a clear and concise answer based upon what the Bible teaches on the subject. It is a mistake for a member of the church of Christ to make the following statement in response to that kind of a question: “Well, it’s not up to me to judge who will be in heaven.”

Please understand this: When we say something like that, we are just avoiding the question. When someone asks that question, when someone says, “Will only those in the church of Christ be in heaven?”— we…must…give them an honest “Yes” or “No” answer. Telling them that “It’s not up to me to judge” is no answer at all. If you give that kind of an answer, I guarantee you that your opportunity to teach that person the Truth of the Gospel has just gone out the window.

So, what’s the best way to answer someone who asks, “Will only those in the church of Christ be in heaven?” We would do well to emulate the example of Jesus in response to this question. As He did in so many cases, we might answer a question, first, by asking a question ourselves. I would ask this: “Do you believe that there is One God?” Well, if you answer “yes” or “no,” I would ask you this: “Where did you get your answer?” There’s only one place where anyone could get the answer to this question—the Bible.

First, we read in Deuteronomy, chapter 4, verse 35, “Unto thee it was showed, that thou mightest know that Jehovah He is God; there is none else besides Him.” Deuteronomy, chapter 6, verse 4 says, “Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is One Jehovah…” We can read in Mark, chapter 12, verses 28 and 29: “And one of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together, and knowing that He had answered them well, asked Him, What commandment is the first of all? Jesus answered, The first is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is One…” We can also read 1 Corinthians 8, verses 5 and 6, the following words that teach that there is only One God. Paul wrote: “For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth; as there are gods many, and lords many; 6 yet to us there is One God, the Father, of Whom are all things, and we unto Him…” There are many passages of Scripture which teach that there is One God, and only One God.