All of us are mistaken about some things. I'm sure I must be mistaken about some things; I just don't know what they are. You can be mistaken about some things and not suffer greatly. However, other mistakes are deadly: (Prov.14:12) You can be mistaken: and marry the wrong person, but still go to heaven join the wrong church, but still go to heaven take the wrong job, but still go to heaven go to the wrong restaurant, but still go to heaven But you cannot be mistaken about SALVATION and still go to heaven!

    I am afraid that THE GREAT MAJORITY of people who attend church are mistaken about salvation! That means that MOST people who go to church are going to die and go to hell!

BE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND:

I. SALVATION IS NOT IN A CHURCH; IT IS IN CHRIST! (IICort.5:17-21)
    1. In church, but not in Christ?

      A. That mistake will send you to the place called hell.

    2. If salvation is not in the church then why go to church? (Heb.10:23-27)

    3. But still

       A. Some who are on the pews are not pardoned

       B. Some who serve in church are not even saved

       C. Some who sing the songs are not sincere

       D. Some who raise their hands are not real

       E. Some who have joined have not been justified

    1. It is being washed in the blood of Christ.(Rev.1:5)

    2. Salvation precedes baptism

    3. Salvation is a prerequisite for baptism

    4. Salvation is pictured in baptism

    5. Baptized in water, but not washed in blood? That mistake send you to

         hell.

III. SALVATION IS NOT IN RECITING A PRAYER; IT IS IN RESTING JESUS (Acts 16:25-33)

    1. No sinner after Calvary was born again by asking God for mercy

    2. No soul-winner in the New Testament told a lost person to pray any kind

        of prayer

    3. No soul is saved today by praying, but through faith in the finished work

        of the Lord

    4. If you are depending on a prayer, that is a mistake that will send you to

        hell.

IV. SALVATION IS NOT IN GOOD WORKS; IT IS IN THE

GOSPEL (Titus 3:5) (Rom.3:20-25)

    1. Good works are the anchor for lost people
       A. They are trusting in their good deeds, Church membership, Baptism,

    2. The gospel is what saves people
       A. Christ's sacrificial death for our sins
       B. His burial
      C. His resurrection the third day

    3. The gift is received by FAITH (Eph.2:8)

    4. Good works follow and are the FRUIT of salvation

    5. Are you depending upon your good works to save you? THAT mistake

        will send you to hell!

CONCLUSION

A United Press release in a midwestern city told of a hospital where officials discovered that the firefighting equipment had never been connected. For 35 years it had been relied upon for the safety of the patients in case of emergency. But it had never been attached to the city's water main. The pipe that led from the building extended 4 feet underground -- and there it stopped! The medical staff and the patients had felt complete confidence in the system. They thought that if a blaze broke out, they could depend on a nearby hose to extinguish it. But theirs was a false security. Although the costly equipment with its polished valves and well-placed outlets was adequate for the building, it lacked the most important thing -- water!