The Plan of Salvation
The Plan of Salvation
Since we are spirits who will outlive our present bodies, our spiritual state should be our primary and ultimate concern. Just as a cord is lifeless without a power source in which to plug in, we human beings are spiritually lost and lifeless in the world without relationship with the God who created it and made us to live in it. Due to sin – disobedience of God’s laws for living – we experience separation from God. Even though we literally cannot breathe without Him, we are spiritually separated from Him. He is holy, we are unholy. He is righteous, we are unrighteous. He is perfect, we are far from it. Thus, our sinful nature, will not allow us to relate to Him on our own – He would first have to choose to relate to us.
Thankfully, because God made us for fellowship with Him, He implemented His plan to save us from everlasting damnation through the earthly life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Jesus Christ God offers NEW, ABUNDANT and ETERNAL life for all who believe. That is hope for here, now, and beyond! You experience this life saving, life-giving, life-transforming reality by simply sticking to the plan. The plan can be broken into two parts- God’s part and ours.
GOD’S PART – Death and Resurrection
*Words in red were spoken by Jesus, our Savior and Lord Himself.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” – (John 3:16-17).
Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” – John 10:7-10
“For the Son of Man came to seek and save that which is lost.” – Luke 19:10
Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”- John 6:29
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.” – John 6:47
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us…” – Romans 5:6-8
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”- 2 Corinthians 5:17
“The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[c]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” – John 10:25-30
OUR PART – Repent and Believe
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” – Mark 1:15
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” – John 3:16-18
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”– Matthew 11:28-30
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? -Matthew 16:24-26
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame. For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” – Romans 10:9-13
