All men need to realize that God has a plan for mankind.
The only place to find out what the plan God has is in His Word the Bible. Each person needs to take the time to open that word and study it for themselves.
Some say that only preachers can understand the Bible but that is far from truth. God wants all men to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4).
The gospel plan of salvation given by God shows the beauty of God’s design and plan for His creation. When man was created and placed in the Garden of Eden, God’s beautiful plan of creation was completed. Man giving in to Satan turned this beautiful scene into a wicked and ugly one. Sin caused God’s crowning accomplishment; man, to go from a childlike innocence to that of guilt-ridden fearful beings. When God came looking for them, they hid themselves. God could have killed man then and there and would have been just in doing so, but His love and compassion for man showed forth. He chose to send the Redeemer to earth for all of mankind. Joseph was told that Mary was with child of the Holy Ghost, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). When one studies how people in the first century obeyed the gospel, the beauty of God’s plan concerning man’s salvation is seen. In the book of Acts there are several accounts of how people became Christians.
They were not all at the same place in their spiritual development as they were taught what to do. Some already believed Jesus was the Son of God yet had not turned from their old ways to follow Him. Such were those on the day of Pentecost, as when they asked Peter what they had to do to be saved, they already believe Jesus was the Christ from listening to Peter’s sermon. Therefore, he told them to “repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins”.
Others such as the Ethiopian noble man (Acts 8) had to be taught about Jesus.
The first step in the plan of salvation is that of developing faith. Jesus came to earth and after He began His ministry did many signs and wonders that are recorded in the accounts of the gospel. John tells us why these things were done. “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:30,31). Some try to stop at this point in their study of God’s word and fail to see the entire picture of God’s plan. Paul wrote, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17).
After studying about Jesus and the things He did faith develops in Him. One can know as did those that were present when he taught and preformed miracles, He was sent from God. He promised salvation to all who would obey Him, and faith in Him leads one to know His words are true. He was crucified for all the sins of mankind, and God raised Him triumphantly from the grave. Faith leads a person to continue studying which leads them to realize they must make a change in their lives to be pleasing to God. Repentance is the next logical step. The Ethiopian nobleman had to turn from the religion he knew and follow Christ, which he was eager to do (Acts 8:36). Those whom the apostles taught were in sin but had turned from their wickedness to follow Christ. “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness” (Rom. 6:16-18). The progression and beauty of God’s plan continues. As we will see in the coming weeks, there is more than faith in God’s plan of salvation.
Jesus during his earthly ministry taught about man needing to be willing to confess that He was the Christ. “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 10:32). Paul wrote to the Roman brethren, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10:10). Confessing before others that Jesus is the Son of God, letting all know their faith is placed in Christ and His promises should not be something a true believer would have trouble doing. When the Ethiopian asked Philip about being baptized, he was eager to proclaim his belief in Jesus as God’s Son (Acts 8:37).
The beauty of God’s plan leads one to desire to be baptized, knowing that it is during baptism that sins are washed away. Some believe that sins are forgiven before baptism, but the Bible shows that is simply not the case. Peter wrote, “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21). If sins are forgiven before one is baptized why did Peter write that baptism saves, for it is the blood of Christ that cleanses one of their sins, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:7). The beauty of God’s plan is seen when one looks at the plan itself. Studying of God’s word and learning about Jesus, allows faith to develop so that one is ready to repent of sins, and are eager to tell others that Jesus is the Son of God and that it is His blood that cleanses them from their sins.
Just as God provided all things for man when He placed him in the Garden of Eden, He has provided all man needs for salvation. In the garden man had a choice to make as to whether he would obey God. Genesis chapter three records that man made a bad decision. Today we also have a choice to make as to whether we will obey God. Our hope and prayers are that all will make the right choice and follow God.