God's Plan to Save You

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hen God created the heavens and the earth, His work was perfect and pure. In fact, God looked on all He had created and judged it to be “very good” (Genesis 1:31). He took great pleasure in what He had made, with the high point of His creation being the first humans—Adam and Eve. God made them capable of knowing and interacting with Him (Genesis 1:27). It was a great plan!

Despite living in a perfect environment—the Garden of Eden—Adam and Eve rebelled against God, causing a break in their close relationship with Him (Genesis 3). The guilt that resulted caused them to hide from God and to attempt to cover their personal shame.

Adam deliberately chose a path of self-will and rebellion, which brought sin and death— both physical and spiritual—into the world.

“Sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). The whole human race is affected by Adam’s sin, and our actions confirm it.

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Establishing a new plan To cover the shame and nakedness of Adam and Eve, the Lord made coats from an animal’s skin for them (Genesis 3:21), the first sacrifice.

God also promised a future redeemer—someone who would pay the ultimate penalty for sin. God pronounced these words of judgment upon the serpent, or Satan: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her Redemption—the process offspring; he shall bruise your of paying a price to set head, and you shall bruise someone free his heel” (Genesis 3:15). This prophecy refers to Jesus Christ and His death on the cross thousands of years later.

So the story of redemption and sacrifice begins, and it is repeated throughout the Bible, reaching its climax in the coming of Jesus Christ and His sacrificial death on our behalf. We discover through the Bible that a personal relationship with God is not dependent on good works that we do, or on church membership, or even on living a highly moral life. Rather, God’s amazing love is 3

the source through which redemption flows to us so that we can be made right with God. Separated from God by sin and guilt, we all face two primary spiritual needs. First, we need to find forgiveness from God. Because we are guilty before God, we must face the problem of our sin, and there is no answer to this need within ourselves.

The only answer is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Second, we need power to change our lives.

Our sin reveals the spiritual bankruptcy of our heart—the selfishness, lust, greed, pride, and anger that are so destructive. “The heart,” says God, “is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick” (Jeremiah 17:9). If we are going to be changed, something must be done in our hearts to turn our lives around. Jesus taught that “unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Only Jesus can take away the guilt of our sin, and only the Holy Spirit can come into our hearts and make us new people.

Redemption often involves the concept of purchasing something back that has been lost, by the payment

of a ransom, an appropriate price. It can mean deliverance from some sort of confinement like the freeing of the nation of Israel from their slavery in Egypt (Exodus 14:29-30; 15:2).

There are many Bible verses in the New Testament that represent Christ’s suffering and death as a price paid or a ransom, and the result is a purchase or redemption “Jesus paid the penalty secured. “Knowing that you for our sins, and in so were ransomed from the doing He redeemed us.” futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19; see also Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 2:14; Hebrews 9:12; Revelation 5:9). The idea running through all these verses is that of a payment made for our redemption—Jesus paid the penalty for our sin, and in doing so He redeemed us.

The penalty for our sin and rebellion is spiritual death—eternal separation from God. Jesus stepped in and laid down His life and took the penalty we

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Paying the required price

deserve—He suffered the equivalent of eternal punishment for all mankind. The debt against us is not viewed as simply cancelled but as fully paid.

Christ’s blood or life, which He surrendered for us, is the “ransom” by which we are freed from sin’s eternal consequences: “Christ Jesus…gave himself as a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:5-6).

“Blood” is mentioned 460 times in the Bible.

Fourteen times in the New Testament, Jesus spoke of His own blood. Why? Because by the loss of His very lifeblood on the cross—by substituting Himself for all mankind—He made salvation available to all who believe.

Bringing us good news The Gospel of John tells the redemptive story of what Jesus Christ did in our behalf. Summarizing the Gospel, John says, “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (20:31). Read on as we examine what the apostle John has to say in his Gospel about the eternal life we receive through Jesus Christ.

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Brought by the God-Man Jesus Christ John wants to show us who Jesus really is: “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” (John 1:1, 14).

Jesus, during His life on earth, was God in human form! And just in case John’s introduction isn’t clear enough, a few sentences later he quotes John the Baptist, who says, “I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God” (John 1:34).

Throughout the book, John gives evidences of Jesus’ deity—that Jesus performed many miracles (John 2:1-11; 4:46-54; 5:1-17; 6:1-13, 16-21; 9:1-7; 11:38-44), and that He fulfilled prophecies written about Him centuries before (John 2:13-22; 3:14; 5:46; 12:14-16).

Motivated by divine love But why would Jesus, God’s Son, leave heaven to live on earth as a human? Jesus Himself tells us why: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be 7

saved through him” (John 3:16-17). God saw us as we were, spiritually dead in our sinful condition.

That’s why Jesus came. God is a forgiving God whose love and patience encourage all to believe in what Christ has done for them.

Necessary for all sinners So why do we need to be saved? Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin” (John 8:34). If we are honest with ourselves, we cannot deny that from our earliest memories we have done wrong things—things that make us guilty before God and deserving of His judgment. The Bible calls these wrong things sin, and sin separates us from God. Because we are separated from God, we face the awful prospect of “the wrath of God” (John 3:36), which is eternal separation from God in hell.

save us: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.

No man comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). He did not say that He simply knew the way to heaven; Jesus said He is the only way to heaven. No human effort can give us eternal life.

Christ, and Christ alone, is “Christ, and Christ the one and only Redeemer. alone, is the one and In fact, the only “work” only Redeemer.” that can save us is the “work” of believing in what Jesus has done to accomplish our salvation: “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” (John 6:29).

And to those who so believe, the promise of God stands firm: “. . . to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

Available only through Jesus Can anyone save us from God’s wrath and assure us of heaven? Some people believe they can get to heaven by doing good works, or by following the teachings of a religion, or even by giving money to churches or charities or people in need. But Jesus clearly said that none of these things would

Accomplished by “the great exchange”!

John the Baptist calls Jesus “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

Jesus came into this world knowing what it would cost Him, and He explains that salvation comes through His death on the cross as the sacrificial lamb of God for our sins (John 3:14-15). He bore in His sinless person the totality of all our sins,

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so that God can forgive sinners and give them eternal life. And the price of Christ’s bearing those sins was death. Chapters 18-19 describe Jesus’ death, and then chapter 20 describes His glorious triumph over death as He rose from the dead. Jesus’ resurrection means that He overcame our greatest enemy—death—and can make good on his promise of eternal life to all who believe in Him. “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:25-26). The gates of salvation and Heaven are open wide to all who accept Christ’s invitation to enter by belief in what He has done for them.

Dependent on belief That last verse (John 11:26) actually ends with Jesus asking, “Do you believe this?” It is a question that every person must answer: Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? Is Jesus the object of your faith? Not faith in rituals, not faith in church membership or baptism, not faith in morals, not faith in yourself.

Do you believe that Jesus died on the cross to 10

free you from guilt and judgment of sin? Do you believe that He rose from the grave, breaking the power of death and making a way for you to have eternal life in heaven? If so, you may express your faith in Him by praying a prayer like this in your own words: Heavenly Father, I believe that Jesus Christ is Your Son, and that He died on the cross to save me from my sin. I believe that He rose again to life, and that He invites me to live forever with Him in heaven as part of Your family. Because of what Jesus has done for me, I ask You to forgive me of my sin and give me eternal life. I now put my trust in Jesus to be my Savior. Help me to live in a way that pleases and honors You. Amen.

Providing for your growth Once you have received the gift of eternal life, God makes you a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). You will want to grow in your knowledge of Jesus and learn more about His plan for your life.

Jesus’ teaching about how to live for God can be summed up in these simple instructions: 11

Commit The author of several New Testament books, the Apostle Paul, encourages those who have received the gift of eternal life to “no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised” (2 Corinthians 5:15) and “to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God” (Romans 12:1). God gives every true believer the inner presence of the Holy Spirit, to enable him or her to do what he or she could never do before salvation—obey and please God by how he or she lives. Jesus promised before He returned to heaven, “when the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13).

(Psalm 119:11,105). Read and study it regularly to learn how to live a life that honors God and gives evidence to others that Jesus has made a difference in your life.

Learn One way to show your love for God is to read the Bible and to live out your new life on the basis of its teachings. The Bible is God’s instruction book for believers. Another writer in the Bible said it well, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you….Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path”

Meet Find a church that believes that God’s Word is still true for today. Meeting regularly with fellow Christians allows you to follow Jesus’ example of love and to fulfill His command to “love one another: just as I have loved you” (John 13:34).

There you will find joy and encouragement in the fellowship of God’s people.

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Pray Communication with God through prayer keeps your focus on God’s plan for you. If you are truly following Jesus, you will want to stay in touch with God every day. In fact, the Bible says “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God…will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

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Assuring your salvation If you have trusted Jesus as your Savior, you may be wondering, “What happens if I sin after I’m saved?” All Christians sin from time to time. But the good news is that Jesus’ death paid for all your sins, both past and future. Humbly admit your sins to God. The Bible says that “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9; see also 1 John 2:1). Pray for God’s help to keep you from sinning.

You might also wonder, “What happens when I don’t feel close to God? Am I still saved?” When a person has accepted the gift of salvation, Jesus promises that “whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (John 6:37). And He later added this assurance about those who believe, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28).

Your salvation is assured because Christ’s sacrifice of Himself on the cross is greater than all your sins. Salvation is not based on your feelings but on the fact that God has welcomed you into 14

His family through faith in Jesus. Nothing on earth or in heaven can break that bond—nothing.

If you feel far away from God, examine your life to see if there is unconfessed sin standing between you and God. Continue to read the Bible and pray regularly, filling your mind with God’s truth and goodness. Depend on God’s Spirit to guide you and enable you to resist temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). Talk with older Christians, and learn from their experiences in trusting God. You will grow closer to God as your knowledge and experience of Him grows. Rest assured in the promise that no one can separate you from His love (Romans 8:35-39).

Sharing God’s plan God has made salvation’s plan clear and available to you. If you’ve chosen to trust in God’s way to eternal life through Jesus Christ, represent your heavenly Father well in the world of relationships in which you live. Pass on the good news you’ve discovered!

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