GODS PLAN OF SALVATION

JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY

Introduction to Salvation

You might be thinking to yourself, “why do I need to be saved?” or “what am I being saved from?” or I don’t need to be saved, “I’m a good person.” Well, let’s look at some facts revealed in the Holy Scriptures. 

1. You are born into this world under a curse called “Original Sin.”
2. God requires you to be perfect. If you sin one time, God sees you as a “Sinner.”
3. You are not only born in sin, but you are a slave to sin, separated from God,
   • physically alive but spiritually dead,
   • walking in the darkness,
   • identifying with the devil,
   • blinded, and
   • guilty without a way to save yourself from the wages of sin, death.
     
4. Satan is the God of this fallen world. Therefore,
   • guilty he lies to you,
   • he accuses you,
   • he deceives you, and
   • he only wants to kill, steal, and destroy you,

Therefore, every human being on planet earth has a significant problem, and you can’t save yourself! Also, no religion, no government, no world system, no nation, no ideology, no amount of wealth, no sum of power, no hight of position, or person, no matter how great they appear, can save you. Only God in His infinite love can save you! So, what does it mean to be saved and, more importantly, how? Does God have a plan?

What Does It Mean To Be Saved?

There are three questions every human must answer. One, why do I need to be saved? Two, what does it mean for me to be saved? Three, how am I saved?  You have two significant problems. You are born with the sin nature of Adam—you are a sinner. You are born spiritually dead—you are separated from God. If you die a sinner spiritually dead, then you will be separated from God for eternity. Therefore, two things must happen for you to be saved. The cause of death must be eradicated or cured, and the spiritually dead man must be brought back to spiritual life. It is precisely what Jesus did. At the cross of Christ, the cause for death, which is sin, was forgiven. At the resurrection of Jesus, the spiritually dead were restored to spiritual life—the eternal life of Jesus. There is nothing you can do to save yourself. You are totally dependent on and in desperate need of a Savior. That Savior is Jesus Christ.

Only the God that created you can save you from this state of eternal sin and death. Salvation from sin takes place in the “forgiveness of sins.” Salvation from eternal death takes place in the “resurrection of the dead.” Only Jesus was the incarnation of God; God became man and dwelt among us.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth—grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ” (Jn 1:1,14,17).

In the Beginning

In the beginning, Adam and Eve were created in the image of God, according to His likeness (Gen 1:26). Human beings, you and I, are meant to bear the image of God, to be His representatives. Adam and Eve had only to believe God and not eat of “The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil,” they were free to eat of “The Tree of Life.” The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil represents your way of meeting your need for love, security, and worth; by your own resources, independent of God. A self-sufficient person is capable of doing good and evil, but cannot produce life or the fruit of the Spirit—love. Self-sufficiency leads to a separation from God and ends in destruction (Rom 6:23).

“For apart from Me (Jesus), you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5b).

Independence leads to performance and works; man reasons, if I can do enough good things, then eventually I’ll be good, and God will accept me.

The Tree of Life represents God Himself; you are living dependent on God’s resources, producing eternal life in Christ. “Abide in Me (Jesus), and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me . . .” (Jn 15:5a).

Whether Adam would live dependent on God or independent of God was determined by what he believed. After Adam’s sin, all humanity is born in the image and likeness of Adam (Gen 5:1, 3). You are born with a sin nature (Rom 5:12) and are spiritually dead (Eph 2:1). You are also confronted with believing the truth of God or the lie of the devil. Believing is to accept Jesus (The Tree of Life), and unbelief is to reject Him.

If you don’t believe God’s “Plan of Salvation” in Jesus Christ, you will remain a slave to your sin nature and spend eternity spiritually dead separated from God. Your fleshly nature is to sin, just like Satan’s nature is to lie. You will live in his domain and by his rules. He cannot tell the truth because it is his very nature to lie.

“You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44).

You will continue to sin because you are a sinner. So, you believe his lies and slide down the dark path of from sin, to debauchery, and finally death. A death that separates you from God forever! Likewise, Jesus cannot lie because the truth is His very nature.

“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one can come to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6).

When you believe in Jesus, you receive a new divine nature, your sins are forgiven, and you now have eternal life in God’s presence.

True Biblical Christianity

True Biblical Christianity is not a religion; Christianity is a relationship with God through the finished work of Jesus Christ and Him alone. This relationship is eternal and is not accomplished by human achievement, moral behaviors, or religious rituals, but by divine accomplishment––the work of Christ. You are saved forever by the grace of God through faith alone in Jesus alone. It is what true belief is. It is in the failure to believe and understand the finished work of Jesus Christ, the cross and resurrection, that religion repeatedly misses the reality of God’s presence and Salvation.

All religious systems inevitably teach that Salvation will ultimately be obtained by human merit and good deeds. Thus, if you believe in God (whomever that God maybe) and sincerely try to do your best (follow the prescribed religious doctrines), your chances of obtaining an after-life are good (heaven, nirvana, reincarnation) but never, I emphasize never, guaranteed. And this does not preclude many of America’s denominations. It is true whether it be the religion of:

• Buddhism (following the seven-fold path);
  
• Hinduism (bathing in the Ganges River to wash away sins);
  
• Islam (praying five times a day, making a pilgrimage to Mecca, and ridding the world of all who do not believe in Allah);
  
• Roman Catholicism (observing the sacraments, saying last rites, living by Church tradition);
  
• Legalistic Protestantism (keeping the 10 Commandments, continual confession of sins for forgiveness, works to stay saved);
  
• Faith Movement Protestantism (believing that if you have enough faith, God is obligated to give you what you desire: money, success, influence, etc.);
  
• Mormonism (the ultimate works-oriented religion that’s promised that one day if you keep the rules, you will be a God and rule your own plant);
  
• Seventh-Day Adventist (you are only to worship God on Saturday if you don’t your not a true Christian);
  
• Jehovah Witnesses (don’t believe in Trinity—God as Father, Son Jesus, and Holy Spirit; based on one man’s biblical interpretations, only 144,000 people will go to heaven)
  
• New Age Ideology (humans are good, moving into a new age of enlightenment, and harmony);
  
• Secularism (human knowledge, enlightenment and, science are ultimate truths);
  
• Atheism (there is no God, yes, it’s a religion);
  
• Agnosticism (skepticism, maybe there’s a God, but it can’t be proved, so I don’t know)
  
• Idolatry (worshiping anything before God—political parties, addictions, strategies, materialism, wealth, comfort, world isms—communism, marxism, socialism, totalitarianism; music, media, creation, sexuality, etc.) and
  
• Self-absorbed Focus (worshiping, focusing, obsessing, loving, etc. with self).

These merit approaches to eternal Salvation run contrary to the Gospel of grace and say in effect that Christ’s work on the cross is insufficient to save you from sin, keep you saved, and nullify your death sentence.

Apostle Paul says, “I do not nullify (frustrate—KJV) the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law (or any other works), then Christ died needlessly (then Christ is dead in vain—KJV)” (Galatians 2:21).

It is a question that we all must resolve for God to truly heal, restore, and redeem us from sin and spiritual death. If the truth is that Jesus did not die in vain but died to forgive your sins and give you who believe in Him eternal life, then Salvation is available to you.

Why Jesus?

Why is Jesus Christ the only way to be saved? Why can’t other religious leaders like Confucius, Mohammed, Buddha, Krishna, Allah, etc. save us? Isn’t it shallow thinking or dogmatic to say Jesus is the only way to God? Some will say this is a narrow approach and that all roads lead to God. Is that true? Are there many truths leading to your Salvation? These are good questions and need to be answered. The answer is straightforward. Jesus is the only way (path, road, access) to God the Father because Jesus is God the Son. Jesus is God! Jesus said,

I Am (I Am the name of God He gave to Moses at the burning bush) the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me” (John 14:6).

All others were mere men. Were they religious men, probably; wise men, possibly; men sent from God in heaven, no? Only Jesus is God.

• He was not just a good man though He was.
  
• He was not just a prophet though He was.
  
• He was not just a great teacher or Jewish Rabbi though He was.

He was God before He came to earth. He was fully God and fully man while He walked on this earth. He is God right now in heaven. Jesus says,

I Am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’…And He laid His right hand upon me (Apostle John) saying, ‘Do not be afraid; I Am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead and, behold, I Am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades (Hell)’” (Rev 1:8,17,18).

Lunatic or God?

It is why C.S. Lewis wrote the following, in his book Mere Christianity,

A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic, on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg, or else he would be the devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool (as the Romans did), or you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon (as the Jews did), or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God (as all Christians do). But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great moral teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”

AGAIN Jesus is God!

Only Jesus

Only Jesus came from Heaven. Only Jesus lived a perfect life without sin. Only Jesus took all the sins of the world upon Himself. Only Jesus died on a cross for all sins, past—present —future. Only Jesus ascended back into heaven. Only Jesus sits at the right hand of God the Father. At the cross of Christ, all man’s sins were forgiven. At the resurrection of Christ, all humanity was restored to eternal life—reconciled to God. God is calling you to Himself.

Today, if you hear God’s voice, do not harden your hearts…” (Heb 4:7).

Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling (to the Jews) and a rock of offense (to the Gentiles), and he who believes in Jesus will not be disappointed” (Rom 9:33).

But as many as received Him, to them, He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (Jn 1:12).

The appropriate response to the calling of God is to believe by faith in Jesus Christ.

Do You Believe It?

Two Kinds of People

The following quote is taken from Bob George’s book Classic Christianity.

From God’s point of view, there are only two kinds of people in the world. Their identities are represented in the Bible by those with whom they are identified: ‘For as in Adam all die, so in Christ, all will be made alive’ (1 Cor 15:22). They are described as being ‘in Adam’ or ‘in Christ.’ To be ‘in’ someone means that he is our family’s head. As such, he has left us his name, his nature, an inheritance, and destiny. Consequently, ‘just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the disobedience of the one man (Adam), the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man (Christ) the many will be made righteous’ (Rom 5:18,19).

So, the most important issue facing you and me is with whom are we identified—with Adam or with Christ? And seeing that we are born identified with Adam and must be identified with Christ to be saved, how can our identity be changed? The subject of baptism provides the answer.

The key meaning behind baptism is total identification. We are born into this world in Adam, spiritually dead and sinners by nature. Then we hear of the good news of Jesus Christ and trust in Him as our Savior and Lord. At that instant, the Holy Spirit of God baptizes us into Christ! ‘For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—and we were all given one Spirit to drink’ (1 Cor 12:13). This is something that happens instantaneously to every Christian at the moment of spiritual birth: you are totally identified with Jesus Christ. If this has happened to you, you are no longer in Adam, you are in Christ! He is now your family head and no longer is death your inheritance: ‘In Christ, all will be made alive’ (1 Cor 15:22). Now you have become a ‘partaker of the divine nature’ (2 Pet 1:4). Now heaven is your eternal destiny. Why do you have all these things, because, you are now living ‘in’ Christ Jesus?”

When you stepped out of Adam into Christ, Jesus stepped out of heaven into you and made you into a new creature! ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!’ (2 Cor 5:17 NIV) Being made into a new creation does not refer to your behavior; it refers to your identity. We were in Adam, without God’s Spirit, spiritually dead, a guilty sinner. This person is dead and gone; he will never exist again.

Who are we today? “We are in Christ, a person who possesses the Holy Spirit within, spiritually alive, and forgiven for all our sins. Becoming a new creation refers to ‘Who I am in Christ,’ our true identity. It is why Paul could write, ‘I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and delivered Himself up for me’ (Gal 2:20). ‘This is the salvation that God the Father offers to everyone who believes in His Son Jesus Christ’ (Acts 2:21).” i  

The Biblical Jesus

To continue our discussion on “who is Jesus?” and why He is the only way to the Father in heaven we will now consult the Bible, the Holy Scriptures, the Word of God. God’s Word is clear about the essence, character, and purpose of Jesus Christ, the promised and foretold Jewish Messiah. Why do we go to the Bible? The Bible is God-breathed and given by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16). Therefore, what does the Bible say about Jesus Christ?

This is not an exhaustive list, just enough to give you a hint of His majesty. Jesus was God in heaven (in unity with the Trinity) who created the world. Not only did He create but He holds all things together. He is the light that dissipates the darkness. Jesus became flesh and lived among His creation (Emmanuel-God with us). He brought grace (love and mercy) and truth to a dying world. Jesus explained the radiance of God the Father and is the exact representation of His nature. He literally is the image of God. He has all authority in heaven and on earth. Jesus is mankind’s salvation and eternal life. Is it any wonder that all believers live, and move, and exist in Him?

Jesus Is God In Heaven

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him ^[not even one thing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind. And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it” (John 1: 1-5).

Jesus Is God Made Flesh

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about Him and called out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who is coming after me has proved to be my superior, because He existed before me.’” For of His fullness ^[we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; God the only Son, who is in the arms of the Father, He has explained Him” (John 1:14-18).

Jesus Is God’s Authority

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).

Jesus Is Creator of ALL Things

“For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation: for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:13-17).

Jesus Is Our Faith

But the Scripture has confined everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the Law, being confined for the faith that was destined to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our guardian to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. For you are all sons and daughters of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:22-26).

Jesus Is Grace

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the boundless riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2: 4-7).

Jesus Is Our Life

for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His descendants.’ (Acts 17:28).

Jesus Is the Glory of God the Father

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:1-4).

Jesus Is Salvation

and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:30-31).

Jesus Is Eternal Life

And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:20).

God’s Plan of Salvation

God Love’s You

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

You Are a Sinner

“For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

You Are Separated from God Spiritually Dead

“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins (spiritual death),in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:1,2).

Jesus Christ Died for You

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners (un-forgiven and spiritually dead), Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Confess with Your Mouth and Believe in Your Heart

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord, that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus (forgiveness of all sins at the cross) and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead (spiritual life from the resurrection), you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

RESPOND TO GOD’S CALLING

All that is necessary is for you to believe is to have faith in Jesus who is the savior of the world. God is calling you to pray and be thankful.

PRAYER

Prayer of Salvation

Dear Heavenly Father, I now see that I am a sinner, that I cannot save myself, and I need a Savior. I repent of all my sins. I am also spiritually dead separated from God under His wrath. I believe that Jesus Christ of Nazareth was God in heaven. He came to earth to identify with His creation as “Emmanuel,” God with us.

Jesus was born of a virgin making Him fully human. He was conceived by God the Holy Spirit, making Him fully God. Jesus lived a perfect life, tempted in every way, yet without sin. He died on a cross as a substitute for my sins, giving me complete and total forgiveness (past, present, future). He rose from the grave, defeating death and giving me eternal life. Jesus now sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for me. And He will come again to judge the world of unbelief.

I believe by faith that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. Thank you, Jesus. In Jesus’ glorious and saving name, I pray amen.

Prayer of THANKS

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for your “great love” and that you’re “rich in mercy” (Eph 2:4) to me and all who love you. “Because of Your great love (loving-kindness, mercies), I am not consumed, for Your compassion will never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness” Lord unto me (Lam 3:22, 23). Father God, it is of great comfort to me that Your plans for me are “plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me hope and a future” (Jer 29:11). When I am faithless, You remain faithful (2 Tim 2:11), I thank you, Holy God, that nothing can separate me from Your love (Rom. 8:39).

I ask right now, Father, that “You’re perfect will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10) in my new life of freedom, faith, and love. That you would open my eyes so I see the Salvation and guidance of the Holy Spirit in my daily walk. Thank You, Father, for saving me from my sins and giving me eternal life in Christ Jesus, my Lord, and Savior. Thank you for removing your wrath and giving me the fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness faithfulness, and self-control (Galatians 5: 22, 23). I pray and give thanks in Jesus’ loving and saving name, Amen.

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check out the “awakening series”

We live in a world of chaos, violence, and deception. Where do we turn for help, comfort, and strength? The “Awakening Series” are a number of blogs I have written after I had an awakening around John 3:36.

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them” (John 3:36, NIV).

It contains a number of blogs about the uncertain times we live in and how Jesus is the center of everything. He rescues you from the wrath of God, is the way to defeat temptation and sin-even sexual sin, helps us to avoid the world’s evil, reveals the end times, God’s prophesies, and the rapture of the church.

Urgent, 5 Ways Jesus Rescues You From God’s Wrath

What are the 5 Ways Jesus Rescues You From God’s Wrath? The fact that nothing rescues you from God’s wrath except Jesus is solemn, if not frightening, thought-provoking statement. It is worth considering what it means and why! God revealed His truth and plan to me recently in an unorthodox way-an awakening.

3 POWERFUL WAYS TO AVOID THE WORLD’S EVIL

Have you ever felt an evil presence lurking in the dark shadows, been frightened by the violence all around you, or had your sleep interrupted by night terrors? We all have felt uncomfortable with evil forces in the world, crime, riots, murder, abuse, and wars. So, how do we combat or defeat the evil in the world? We have found in our Christian Counseling Ministry there are “3 Powerful Ways to Avoid the World’s Evil”.

You Need to Know How 5 Powerful Steps Defeat Temptation

In this blog, you will learn the 5 powerful steps on how to defeat temptation, sin, and eventually spiritual death. These 5 steps are actually Biblical truths that lead you to walk in the fruit of the spirit. They take us out of the temptation to the foot of the cross and an encounter with Jesus Christ. According to the Scriptures, Jesus is the only way to defeat temptations. Let me show you how.

JESUS IS COMING SOON 1 – rAPTURE

If you are interested in the eternal destiny of your soul and spirit then it’s very important even critical to read on. Jesus is coming soon, very soon, for those who believe in Him. It’s called the Rapture. Afterward, the wrath of God is poured out on an unbelieving world. Are you ready?

JESUS IS COMING 2 – END TIMES

The Bible foretells many signs that will culminate in the last days or end times. Jesus told His disciples that these signs would culminate or there would be a convergence of these signs as His return drew near. As a pregnant woman, they would be more intense and more frequent. Are you ready?

JESUS IS COMING 3 – PROPHECY

Here is an overview of many, not all, of the Biblical Prophecies regarding the end times. These give us a very good indication of what will be going on throughout the whole world and even the universe before and during the seven-year tribulation. Are you ready?

WHAT IS SEXUAL SIN

If you are a Christian you will consult God’s Word for the answer to the question, “What is Sexual Sin?” Believe it or not many Christians don’t know, and some seemingly don’t want to know what sexual sin is because it might interfere with their sexual behaviors, self-pleasure, and carnal desires. I’ve heard, and vehemently I might add:

1. that it’s ok to have sex if you’re in a committed relationship,
2. that it’s ok to live with your fiancé before marriage,
3. and, one that was made popular on TV’s Bachelorette, it’s ok to have sex before marriage because God will forgive you.

You might expect these kinds of remarks from a hedonist secular society, one who has rejected God, but really, from people who claim to be Christ-followers? So, what is the truth about sexual sin?

i Bob George, Classic Christianity (Eugene: Harvest House Publishers), 72.