preacherman

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Plan of Salvation

1) We must hear. Hear what? "In beginning God created the heavens and the earth" Gen 1:1. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 "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
2) We must believe. In God. His Son Jesus. His Word. That we are sinners in need of Salvation. John 3:18 Says, "Whoever believes in him is not comdemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of GOd's one and only Son." Hebrews 11:1,6 "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
3) We must repent. We must expereince sorrow for and seek to change our sinful behavior. "In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent." Acts 17:30 "Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins." Acts 2:38 "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promises, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, no wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9
4)We must confess. We must confess our believe in Jesus Christ that he is the Son of God. "That if you confess 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 are saved." Romans 10:9-10
5)We must be baptized (greek baptismo which means immerse with water) See Acts 2:38 mentioned above. Mark 16:16 "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." Matthew 28:19-20 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everthing I have commaned you." Romans 6:3-4 says "Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? we were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ Jesus was raised from the dad through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."
6)We must be faithful unto death. We must be obedient to Jesus. Jesus tells us in John 14:15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command." Also see James 2:14-26. Revelation 2:10b "Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life."
(All scripture used above is from the New International Version)

Yes we are saved by the grace of God. It is a gift. Ephesians 2:8 tells us "For it is by grace you have been saved, though faith - and this not from yourselvs, it is the gift of God."
These are the things that we must do in order to take hold (recieve) of the gift and open it.
What good is a gift left un opened?
What good is a gift we don't recieve?
We must take the entire word of God into account.
Remember salvation is not multiples choice.
If you haven't taken hold of (recieve) the gift and opened it, my prayer is that you will.
Let us not cheapen the grace of God but always be thankful for the salvation that we have through Jesus Christ.