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God’s Plan for Saving Us from Death

There is one God. (Deuteronomy 6:4). He has revealed Himself to use in nature and in the Bible. (Psalm 19:1;2 Timothy 3:16-17) revealing His plan for us.

God Created the World

There is one God. (Deuteronomy 6:4). He has revealed Himself to use in nature and in the Bible. (Psalm 19:1;2 Timothy 3:16-17)

God created the world and everything i it in six days. He is the Provider of life and all good things. (Genesis 1; Exodus 20:11; Acts 17:24)

God created Adam and Eve in His own image. He gives us an eternal soul and allows us the freedom to choose. (Genesis 1:17; Ecclesiastes 12:7; Deuteronomy 30:19) “God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was good.” (Genesis 1:31)

Sin in the World

Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden. God gave them one command, saying that if they broke this law the penalty would be death. (Genesis 2:15,17.) After being tempted by Satan (the devil), Adam and Eve sinned (disobeyed God). (Genesis 3:5-6; John 2:15-17.) Because they chose to sin, they immediately died spiritually and were expelled from the presence of God. Their bodies began to deteriorate, leading to death. (Genesis 3:23,5:5.)

Man, fell from God’s grace when death entered the world through sin. God’s punishment did not mean He withdrew His love for us. Before time began God had plans that would allow us to inherit eternal life. (Romans 5:22; Titus 1:2.)

By the days of Noah, “the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on earth, and that every thought of his heart was only evil continually.” God sent the Flood to destroy all people, saving only Noah and his family. (Genesis 6:5; Hebrews 11:7; 2 Peter 2:5)

Because Abraham obeyed God, he was chosen to become the patriarch of Israel. Laws, including the Ten Commandments, were given to his descendants. (Hebrews 11:8-10; Genesis 12:2-3; Deuteronomy 5:1-22.) Though laws change, the punishment for sin remains the same – death. (Romans 6:23.)

The Old Testament has many lessons about people who failed to keep God’s commandments. Because of God’s mercy and love, He repeatedly promised through the Old Testament’s prophets that a Savior would come from the descendants of Abraham to provide forgiveness for man’s sins and allow man to return to fellowship with God. (Romans 15:4; Isaiah 53; Genesis 22:18; Acts 2:30.)

God Sends Jesus

When the fullness of time had come during the days of the Roman empire, God sent forth His only son, born of a virgin, to save those who were lost, that we might receive the adoption as children of God. (Luke 2:11; Galatians 4:4; 1 John 3:1.) Because God loved us, He sent Jesus Christ, that we might live through Him. (John 3:16; 1 John 4:9.) Jesus did not come to condemn the world, but to be the Savior of the world. He came to save sinners. (Matthew 1:21; John 3:17; 1 Timothy 1:15.)

Jesus and His Message

Before Jesus, God spoke to men in various ways. Today He speaks to us only through His Son. (John 14:24; Hebrews 1: 1-2; Galatians 1:9-12.) The message of Jesus can free us from sin and lead us back to God.

Jesus claims to be: (John 8:12, 10:9, 14:6.)
  • the LIGHT of the world,
  • the DOOR to salvation,
  • the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE.

Jesus says, “The truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32.) Jesus promises eternal life to those who believe in Him, love Him, and obey His word. (John 11:25-26, 14:15, 8:51.) Jesus tells us the most important commandments are to LOVE GOD and LOVE others: (Matthew 22: 36-40)

Jesus preached FAITH (John 3:16; 6:47.), REPENTANCE (Mark 1:15, Luke 13:5.), CONFESSION (Luke 12:8.), BAPTISM (Matthew 28: 19-20; Mark 16:16.)
 
Heaven awaits those who serve Him. (Matthew 25:31-40.)
Hell awaits those who fail to serve Him. (Matthew 25: 41-46.)

Christ Died for Us

Our sins require death as punishment! Because of mercy, Jesus offered His sinless life as a substitute for ours. God demonstrated His love for us, in that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Matthew 20:28; 1 John 4:10; 1 Peter 2:24; Romans 5:8.)

The shedding of blood was required for us to have forgiveness of sins. He became our Savior by dying on the cross. He washed away our sins away by His own blood. (Hebrews 9:22; John 15:13,19:17-18; Revelation 1:5.) His death for your sins satisfied God’s requirement for your punishment. (1 Corinthians 15:22.)

The Good News of the Gospel is that on the third day after His burial, Jesus Christ rose from the dead! (1 Corinthians 15:3-4.) This was witnessed by many people. (1 Corinthians 15:5-8.) After 40 days, He ascended back to Heaven. (Acts 1:3;9-11.)

Jesus proved to us that by His power we, too, can conquer death. Christ proved that He has the authority over Satan who had the power of death. Jesus offers to release those who are slaves to the fear of death. Sin and death no longer have dominion over us since God’s Son has provided us with a way of escape from the wrath of God. (Hebrews 2:14-15; Romans 6:14.)

Christ’s Church Is Established

When the apostle Peter preached the first sermon after the return of Jesus to Heaven, many were moved by the message and asked, “What shall we do?” They were told, “REPENT, and let EVERY one of you be BAPTIZED in the name of Jesus Christ for the REMISSION OF SINS; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:37-38.) Three thousand believed and were baptized. (Acts 2:41.)
 
These people were saved by the grace of God and added to the church of Christ. (Ephesians 2:8; Acts 2:47.) The church was purchased by the blood of Christ. (Matthew 16:18; Acts 20:28.) Christ, as the Head of the church, has all authority over it. (Colossians 1:8; Matthew 28.18.) He has instructed us plainly how the church is to worship God. (John 4:23-24; Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2; Acts 12:5; Ephesians 5:19.)
 
The apostles preached the exact same thing that Jesus has preached. (Galatians 1:12.) 
 
We should study carefully the New Testament examples of how people responded to the Good News converted to Christ, added to the church, received salvation from their sin, set free from the fear of death, and looked forward to an eternal kingdom in fellowship with their God. 
  • At Pentecost (Acts 2.)
  • In Samaria (Acts 8:5-13.)
  • The Ethiopian (Acts 8:27-39.)
  • Saul (Acts 9:17-18, 22:14-16.)
  • Cornelius (Acts 10.)
  • Lydia (Acts 16:13-15.)
  • The Jailer (Acts 16:30-34.)
  • At Corinth (Acts 18:8.)
Those who heard, believed, and obeyed the commands of Jesus were baptized in every case.
 
The same promise of salvation is offered to us if we obey the same commands. (Acts 2:39.) When we respond in the same way to the same message, we are saved from spiritual death, and we are added to the same church of Christ.  
 
When we repent, we put an end to the old sinful self. When we are baptized, we are buried in the water just as Christ was buried in a tomb. When we come up out of the water, we are freed form the guilt of our past sins just as Jesus was resurrected with the sins He bore on the cross. (Galatians 5:24; 1 Timothy 2:11; Colossians 2:12;Romans 6:3-8.) This is our spiritual rebirth. (John 3:5.) 
 
The old sinful self has died. We have been born again, our sins washed away, filled with the Holy Spirit, adopted sons of God, heirs to our inheritance in Heaven, holy and precious to God  through the sacrifice of His sinless, obedient Son. “Their is now no condemnation for those in Christ.” (Romans 8:1.)
 
Now after we obey the Gospel, as new self we continue to serve and obey God, live under His guidance, and enjoy fellowship with God. (John 8:31; 1 John 1:5-7.)
Jesus is Coming Again

Jesus promises that He will return! (John 14:3.)

At that time the world will be burned up. (2 Peter 3:10-13.) Then God will judge every soul individually according to his or her deeds. (Revelation 20:12-13.) Man’s opinions will not be what judges us in the end. (Matthew 15:9; Revelation 20:12.)

Eternal punishment in hell awaits those who have not obeyed Jesus. (2 Thessalonians 8:9.) Those who did not accept Christ as their substitute will have their sins punished by eternal death, forever separated from God. (James 1:15; Hebrews 10:29-31)

The never-ending joys of heaven await those who have their sins washed away by the blood of Jesus and have remined faithful to the Lord’s will. (Revelation 1:5, 2:10; Matthew 24:13, 7:21.)

God’s justice demands if you sin, you will die!
God’s love allows if you believe and obey Jesus, you can live!

God’s will be revealed in the Bible. He has allowed us to choose the road we will follow. He has given us clear warnings about following our own will and wonderful promises for following His will. (Proverbs 14:12.)

How do you measure up? Is the Creator pleased with you? Are you ready for the return of Jesus Christ? Are you ready to give account to God on how you lived your life?

God Wants You to Be Saved 

God does not want anyone to perish that is why He provided a way to escape punishment by offering to pay your sin debt through Jesus. God is just, sin must be punished, but God’s grace has offered a way of escape.

How would you like to be sent free from the burden and guilt of sin and abide in the unconditional love of God offered to you through Jesus’s sacrifice?

God offers a new beginning. Have you allowed the story of Jesus to affect your heart, to cause you to OBEY the Lord and be SAVED? (Romans 1:16.)

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