INQUIRER: The question is - In the Bible, there is no specific name for a religion so that man will be saved? The commandment of God is to be baptized. If they obey the commandment of God but not including baptism, will they be saved?
BRO. ELI F. SORIANO (EFS): First, let me answer your first question, sister. You said that there is no specific name for the religion written in the Bible. That is not the case about the Bible. The Bible is not like that. Otherwise, the Bible will be incomplete. The Bible, regarding salvation and the teaching of righteousness, is complete. Complete. Let us read from II Timothy 3:15-17 –
SIS. LUZ CRUZ (LC): "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."
EFS: It says - "That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." Please read verse 17 in Tagalog -
MM: "That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."
EFS: So, the teaching is complete. It says that the Bible teaches "all good works." Everything you need is in the Bible. It will be taught to you. The getting of names is written in the Bible. If obtaining names is included in the doctrine of the Bible... It is because you... Who among you gave the name "Judas Iscariot" to your son? Do you have a son whom you named "Judas Iscariot"? So, they won't give that name to their sons. You know, choosing a name is a commandment of God in the Bible. Proverbs 22:1 -
MM: " A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches,"
EFS: For God, a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches. Isn't it? When it comes to names, you know, there is a good name. Now, the religion in the Bible has a name. Do not believe that it has no name. Let us read Isaiah 43:7. Brother Mel.
MM: " Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
EFS: What God has made, what He owns, His own glory, is being called by His name. So, what He owns should be called in the name of God. That is a simple logic. The wife of Peter... The name of Peter is attached to her. Thus, "the wife of Peter," Isn't it? "Son of Peter," "house of Peter," "land of Peter," "wife of Peter." Once you call Peter's wife as John's wife, that will be big trouble. That will be a battle. For example, you call the son of Peter as the son of John, the meaning is bad. Does it mean Peter's wife had an affair that is why his son became the son of John? That is wrong. So, all things that are of Peter are called in his name. In the same way, the things that are of God are called in the name of God. It is important that what God owns be called in His name. It is improper to call what God owns in someone else's name. That is profanity against God. You change righteousness into a lie. It's like this- for example, the name of the metal is gold. Gold. Oro in Spanish, auro in Portuguese. That is a metal with rich yellow color that resembles that of the metal gold” There is white gold also. But what is common is yellow gold. If you call gold as bronze, that is wrong. But once you call bronze as gold, that is cheating. You're a swindler! Because you call bronze as gold. That is why the religion that is of God has a name. That is called in His name. The true congregation of God is being called in the name of God. It is one of the signs of being of God - called by His name. Let us read what God said in II Chronicles 7:14-
MM: "If my people, which are called by my name,
EFS: The people of God are called by His name. If they shall humble themselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from their wicked ways; "...then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." So, the people of God are called by His name. This is what I can say to you, sister, the true congregation of God, the city of God, the Church of God, is called by His name. In II Corinthians 1:1 -
MM: "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth,"
EFS: See? It is called the Church of God. Let us put that in English -
LC: "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth,” "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:"
EFS: It says - "Church of God." It is called the Church of God. In the Weymouth New Testament translation -
LC: "Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God— and our brother Timothy: To the Church of God in Corinth,"
EFS: So, the allegation is wrong, that the Church or the congregation of God, the religion which is of God, has no specific name. It has. Can God be lacking there, when His name is very important? Do you mean, the Bible has no teaching there? There is. It is the doctrine of the Bible that it is important for God's name to be put in His household and his city. Saint Paul proved that in Ephesians 3:14-15 -
MM: "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,"
EFS: The household of God in heaven is named after Him; His household on earth is named after Him. Which is the household of God here on earth? In I Timothy 3:15 -
MM: "But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."
EFS: It is clear now, that the religion of God in the Bible has a name. The name is - Church of God. It is not true that it is enough to have faith alone. You must do all things commanded by the Bible. From the name up to the doctrine. So, sister, what you ask me about religion, the religion in the Bible has a name. And faith has a discipline, it has a process. It is not enough that you believed in Christ, you underwent baptism, and you are already saved. Even if you were baptized in the name of Christ. but you do not believe in all the doctrines, you were separated from God, you still do not have salvation. In Hebrews 6:4-6
LC: "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."
EFS: See? You will not be saved; even if you received the Holy Spirit if you are separated from God, that is dangerous. Being separated from God comes from rejecting His doctrine. You must accept Jesus, and the doctrine, all the doctrines, in their entirety. Do not subtract, do not add. That is the way of the Bible. We are very much concerned about salvation. And salvation is a process. It is not just something that is very simply accepted by people as other preachers claim, that you can be saved in one minute – just accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal savior and you will be saved. That is not true. It’s a process. Actually, it is a lifetime vocation. Salvation is a lifetime vocation. From accepting Christ until the end. In Matthew 10:22 -
MM: "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved."
EFS: So, you must attain salvation by abiding in the doctrine. You will abide in the doctrine, that is where you will be saved. In I Corinthians 15:1-2 -
MM: "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain."
EFS: Salvation is in keeping the words of the gospel. We must follow the doctrines until the end. That is the process of salvation, sister. And I hope you got my point.

