The Plan of Salvation
The Problem: Sin
“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
The first step in coming to salvation is to admit that you are a sinner. Every human being is born a sinner. Being sinners simply means that we have broken God’s law. The Bible clearly teaches us that “all have sinned” which means no one is exempt from this judgment.
The Penalty: Death
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Romans 6:23
Because of our sin, God’s Word tells us that our punishment for that sin is death. Ultimately our punishment is Hell. Every man and woman is born on their way destined to the Lake of Fire. This is what each of us deserves fully, as sinners. God is holy and will not allow any sin in Heaven.
If we stopped there this would be a tragic situation, but the Bible does not stop there. Notice the word ‘but’ in the above verse. “But the gift of God” is life eternal in Heaven, ‘through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The Plan: Grace
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9
Grace has been described as “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.” Grace is God’s favor and kindness directed towards us, unworthy sinners. We are invited to salvation from the wrath of God only by God’s grace. Ephesians 2 perfectly encapsulated as a “gift.” We do not earn gifts; gifts come with no strings attached. Our salvation is the same way. It is a gift. We do not work our way to salvation or keep ourselves saved by our works. Undoubtedly, good works will naturally result from a true conversion but we must make the distinction that our works do not aid in salvation. If we could work our way to salvation or “help God” in this way then Christ died in vain. If there was any other way to be saved then Jesus would not have had to come to earth, be born of a virgin, live a perfect life, face rejection from men, die in our place, and raise again on the third day. Salvation is simply by faith alone and by Christ alone.
The Provision: Jesus
Maybe you’re asking yourself, “How do I accept this gift of salvation?”
“But as many as received Him(Jesus), to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” John 1:12
“For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13
Right where you are, call out to God in prayer and simply admit you are a sinner in need of saving, confess that you believe that Christ is the Son of God who died in your place, for your sins, and believe it in your heart.
The Gospel Film
Please watch this clip below if you’d like to watch a short video that explains the way of salvation in further detail.
What Saves You
It is by faith and repentance that you are saved. You must repent of your own sin and fully believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sin. It is that simple. You can pray where you are right now and accept this gift of salvation and ask Christ to save you. It is with a heart of faith that a person accepts the gift of salvation. Mere words cannot save anyone. Reciting a prayer does not save you. We are saved by the grace of God and through the means of faith (Eph. 2:8-9). There is nothing we can do to earn this gift, that’s why it’s called a gift. A true gift is a token that you have done nothing for. All you have to do is accept this gift in faith.
If God has spoken to you in regard to your need of salvation, would you bow in prayer and call out to God where you are and pray a simple prayer of faith? Acknowledge that you are indeed a sinner in need of saving, and trust that Christ has paid for your sin on the cross. It is the finished work of the cross that saves you, you can pray right where you are and accept this free gift. This is not something you have to do continually. Just as Christ was offered once for the sins of the world so we are only born once into his family. We have the assurance that once we are saved we are eternally secure in His hand.
If you respond to God’s offer of Salvation today we would love to hear from you. The next step is to grow in His grace. This isn’t the end of the road; it’s just the beginning. The Bible teaches that you need to be involved in a local church and learning how to study the Bible. With finding a good local church, you will discover the joy of having other Christians help you along the journey. From that, comes an encouragement and accountability that is so important for each of us.
If you made this decision to accept the gift of salvation today, we would love to hear about it. Please contact us if you have any questions about this or if you made this important decision.