ARTICLES FROM THE PERSUADER
VOLUME VII (2008-2012)
God's Plan Of Salvation
“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you. I Peter 1:18-20
We are living in a day when you hear a lot about “The Plan of Salvation.” Some will tell you it is “The Roman Road,” while others say it is “The Four Spiritual Laws,” and others say it is “Praying the Sinner’s prayer.” On and on we could go about different plans of salvation that men have devised. But what does the Bible say “The Plan of Salvation” is? No where in the Bible does it say this is “The Plan of Salvation.” Yet, there are Bible principles that reveal to us “God’s Plan of Salvation.” We could say it is of:
Sovereign Design
“Sovereign” simply means chief, supreme, and above all others. This refers to God, for there is no other God (Mark 12:32: “. . .there is one God; and there is none other but he.” I Cor. 8:6: “. . .we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.”) God had many types and pictures in the OT but all these pictured the Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son. Noah’s ark had only one door and that pictures Jesus, who is the door--the only way to safety. (John 10:9: “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”) The OT sacrifices could not take away sin (Heb. 10:1: “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.”), but they pointed to the Lord Jesus Christ, whom John the Baptist said “would take away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) We are chosen in Him before the foundation of the world as our text and Eph. 1:4 brings out. (Eph. 1:4: “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.”) Therefore, Jesus is no afterthought as some say. This involves the foreknowledge of God which we cannot fully understand. (Isa. 55:9: “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”) Jesus’ shed blood has always been the only way men are redeemed and will be redeemed (our text bears this out). There is no other way. “God’s Plan of Salvation” is of Sovereign design and of the:
Saviour’s Doing
Our Lord, the sinless Son of God, gave Himself for our sins on Calvary’s cross. (Gal. 1:4: “Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.” Isa. 50:6: “I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.”) He lay down His life for sinners because He loved us. (Rom. 5:8: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” John 10:17-18: “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.”) He endured the cross for the joy set before Him--seeing sinners saved because of His supreme sacrifice. (Heb 12:2: “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Isa. 53:5-6: “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”) “God’s Plan of Salvation” is of the Saviour’s doing and also of the:
Spirit’s Delivery
Our Lord said that He would send the Holy Spirit and that He would reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. (John 16:8: “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.”) “Reprove” means to lay blame on with the purpose of correction. This is what we refer to as Holy Ghost conviction which is necessary for one to be saved. The work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of a sinner is also called the “sanctification of the Spirit.” (II Thess. 2:13: “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.) This is the setting apart work of the Holy Spirit which brings a sinner to the point he can obey the gospel. To obey is to repent and believe the truth. This can only occur when the Holy Spirit grants repentance and saving faith. Anything short of His completed work will produce a false profession--a tare. “God’s plan of Salvation” is of the Spirit’s delivery and the:
Sinner’s Doom
Every person who had reached the knowledge of accountability is a child of wrath (Eph. 2:3: “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”) and that wrath abides on him. (John 3:36: “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”) That wrath is God’s judgment, hell, and the lake of fire and will fall on every person who rejects the light (truth) God so graciously sends his way. Thus, the sinner who does not come God’s way in salvation will be doomed in the lake of fire when he stands before the Great White Throne of Judgment. (Rev. 20:15: “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”) “God’s Plan of Salvation,” if rejected, is the sinner’s doom but it is the:
Seeker’s Delight
Some say no man seeks God and that is true of the natural man. (Rom. 3:11: “There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.”) But when sinners are awakened, they are told to seek and they will. (Mat. 6:33: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”) When they do seek, they will be rewarded for doing so. (Heb. 11:6: “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”) The Holy Spirit will teach sinners as they travel the narrow way to the strait gate. (Psa. 25:8: “Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.”) And our Lord is good to those who do so. (Rom. 2:4: “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”) Seeker’s can delight in the promises of God. (I Thess. 5:24: “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” Phil 1:6: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” John 8:31-32: “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”) “God’s Plan of Salvation” is the seekers delight and also the:
Saint’s Delight
Our Lord promised He would come back for all those who are His--those saved. (John 14:1-3: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” I Thess. 4:16-17: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”) He also said “with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.” (Isa. 12:3) That is the saints delight!
“God’s Plan of Salvation” is the only plan that will produce genuine converts. So I believe I’ll just stay with Him and His plan of salvation.
This is just a skeletal outline of some series of messages preached at New Hope Baptist Church. If you would like the CD’s of these series, please feel free to contact us. All our material is free of charge. (Pro. 23:23) If I can be of help in any way, please feel free to contact me. I care for your soul. ELP
THE PERSUADER - Jan.-June, 2011