This series of articles has been talking about God’s plan for man’s salvation. Last week about faith and repentance being a part of God’s plan. Today the study will show the rest of “God’s Plan for Mankind.”
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). Mankind must understand this part of God’s plan. God gave the plan freely to man but man must accept God’s gift. The apostle 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 that one’s faith is placed in Jesus 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). This public proclamation of one’s faith is a beautiful sight to behold. As one studies the accounts of conversion from the book of Acts they see people in different stages of God’s plan. Some had faith in Jesus to begin with and just did not know all of God’s plan. Others had to be taught about Jesus such as the Philippian jailor (Acts 16:33, 34).
Following God’s plan leads one to desire to be baptized, knowing that it is during baptism that a person’s sins are washed away. Some believe that sins are forgiven before baptism, but the Bible shows us 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 us, for it is the blood of Christ that cleanses one’s sins, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:7). God’s plan is given to all men, but each individual must study God’s word and then obey that word.
Jesus said, “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48). Jesus love for man shown in His willingness to suffer the death of the cross should cause on to want to obey Him.
Study God’s word and learn about Jesus, this allows faith to develop so that one is ready to repent of sins and to confess Jesus as God’s Son and then to be baptized for the remission of their sins.
True Christians are eager to tell others that Jesus is the Son of God and that it is His blood that cleanses one from sin. God’s plan for mankind can change the world from one of wickedness to righteousness.
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 or not 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 or not we will obey God.
Our hope and prayer is that all will make the right choice and follow God’s plan.