As I write another letter about the salvation of souls, it comes to mind just what was said by a radio preacher many years ago.

He said that as much as 70 percent of the people who “are on the church rolls” aren’t saved. At one time I didn’t believe him, however today we find that this is true and probably higher than that are “on the church rolls,” however are lost (unsaved.”)

First what is a saved person? How are you saved? What does it take to be saved? Let us take the first question, a saved person is one who has recieved the Lord Jesus as their own personal savior, you must be called by the Holy Spirit, then repent of your sins and turn from your old ways 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away, Behold all things are new.”

So many of the people who “join” church there isn’t any change in their lifestyle at all. They still do the same thing that they did before “joining” the church. So many think that just because their name is on the church rolls that they will automatically will go to heaven, well lets just look at a man who “joined the church, was baptized but was lost and never repented, nor changed his ways at all, and went on his merry way thinking he was OK.

In Acts 8: verse 9 to 24, we find such a man that “believed, was baptized, and continued with Phillip,” who was preaching Jesus Christ, this man was a person who used sorcery to bewitch the city of Samaria, giving out that he was the great power of God.

However when he witnessed the power of Phillip in healing and miracles, and of Peter who gave the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, he wanted to buy this power with money, but Peter told him thy money perish with the because you think the gift of God could be purchased by money. Peter told him to repent for his heart was not right with God.

If your heart isn ‘t right with God, then you are not right (or saved) by God for if you read in Romans 10: 9 and 10 you will find that salvations happens when you are right with God in your heart, not your head, sad to say there are so many people who think that by just joining the church you are automatically going to heaven, well that’s just what the devil wants you to believe, he still has you.

Jesus says in John 3:3 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

That takes place when the Holy Spirit convicts you of your sins and you repent and ask Jesus Christ to save your soul, no other way. This isn’t what I say, its what is said in the Bible by Jesus.

If you are a member of any church that is interested in more members, than the salvation of your soul, then get out of there and find a church that wants to see you saved, by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Homer Campbell is pastor of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church