THE DIVINE PLAN FOR HUMAN SALVATION
THE DIVINE PLAN FOR MAN’S SALVATION
Obeten Okoi Oka, PhD
“For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life” – John 3:16
“When they heard these words, they were pricked in their hearts, and so asked, ‘Men and Brethren: What must we do to be saved?’” – Acts 2:37
Without equivocation, God loves you. He loves you, so much so that He sent Jesus Christ, His Only Begotten Son, to die for you on Calvary’s Cross. God’s love is predicated on the fact that He does not want you to suffer the eternal consequences of your sinful activities.
Jesus suffered the punishment which we should have received for our sins. Isaiah 53:4-6, 10 – 11 tells us:
“Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 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 everyone to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all…. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin,… He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”
Jesus did not die for His own sins because He had none (II Corinthians 5:21). For you to enjoy the forgiveness of your sins and the salvation that Jesus has made available as well as the eternal life that comes with it, there are things that God wants you to do. This is because Heaven is a prepared place for prepared people:
WHAT MUST BE DONE TO BE SAVED
God has laid down the steps that a person must follow to guarantee the salvation of his or her soul:
Hear the Gospel
First, we must hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches that “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17). A person is not a Christian because his/her parents are. Faith cannot be inherited (Ezekiel 18:20). Each person must believe in Jesus Christ for himself/herself. Christianity is a religion of teaching (Matthew 28:19-20). Unless a person has heard the Gospel and learnt that Jesus Christ died for his/her sins, was buried, and arose from the dead, he/she cannot be saved (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Apostle Paul asked, “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14). A person must first hear the Gospel before he/she can believe it.
Believe In Jesus Christ
Second, a person must believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:16). Jesus said, “If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24). When a Philippian Jailor asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” he was told: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:30-31). Jesus also said: “He who believes and is baptised will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16).
A person comes to believe in Jesus Christ when he/she hear the Gospel taught. Faith comes only by hearing God’s Word (Romans 10:17). This is the reason it is so important that the Gospel be preached to the whole world (Mark 16:15).
Repent of Your Sins
Third, a person must repent of his/her sins to be saved (Acts 17:30-31). Jesus commanded that “Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47). Repentance is a result of being sorry for one’s sins (II Corinthians 7:10). When Jews on Pentecost Day learnt from Apostle Peter that they had Crucified the Son of God, they were “pricked to their hearts” (Acts 2:37). They wanted to be forgiven of their sins, so they asked, “What shall we do?” They were told to “Repent and let every one of you be baptised in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins” (Acts 2:38).
When a person repents, he/she turns away from (I Thessalonians 1:9). He/she shows that he has repented by doing good works (Matthew 3:8).
Confess Your Faith in Jesus Christ
Fourth, a person must confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:16). This great truth is the very foundation upon which the Church of Christ is built (Matthew 16:18; Acts 4:11-12; 1 Corinthians 3:11). Jesus said that we must be willing to confess Him before men if we want Him to confess us before His Father (Matthew 10:32-33). Romans 10:8-10 says:
“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
When Philip preached Jesus to the Ethiopian Eunuch, the Eunuch asked, “What hinders me from being baptised?” Philip told him he could be baptised if he believed. The Eunuch then confessed, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (Acts 8:35-38). We must also make this important, yet simple confession in order to be saved.
Be Baptised Into Jesus Christ
Fifth, a person must be baptised into Jesus Christ to be saved. Jesus said: “He who believes and is baptised will be saved” (Mark 16:16). Please note that baptism follows belief. A person who does not believe the Gospel cannot be truly baptised. Therefore, babies cannot be baptised because they are too young to:
1. Have sins.
2. Hear the Gospel.
3. Repent of their sins.
4. Confess that Jesus Christ is The Son of God.
Baptism also follows repentance. On Pentecost Day, Apostle Peter told those who had asked “What must we do to be saved?” to “Repent, and let every one of you be baptised” (Acts 2:38). A person cannot be truly baptised who has not truly repented.
Baptism is a burial in water (Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12). Therefore, sprinkling and pouring of water on a person in the name of baptism are not proper baptism. Baptism is administered on a person to be saved (Mark 16:16; 1Peter 3:21). A person is not saved before he/she is baptised! Baptism is “for the remission (forgiveness) of sins” (Acts 2:38).
Just as Jesus shed His Blood for the remission of sins (Matthew 26:28), so we are baptised to receive the remission of our sins. In baptism, a sinner’s sins are washed away by the Blood of Jesus (Acts 22:16).
What should a person do to be forgiven of his/her sins? He/she must:
- Hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
- Believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
- Repent of all his/her sins.
- Confess that Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten Son of God.
- Be baptised for the remission of his/her sins.
When a person does these, he/she is added by the Lord to His Church (Acts 2:41, 47). He/she is then Born Again (John 3:3-5; II Corinthians 5:17). Because of this, he/she is in Christ, where all spiritual blessings are to be found (Ephesians 1:3; Galatians 3:26-27). In short, he/she becomes a Christian (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16).
CONCLUSION
God loves you. He wants you to be saved. Salvation is not a matter to be delayed because no one knows tomorrow. “Now is the acceptable time; today is the day of salvation.” (II Corinthians 6:1-2). “Today, as you hear His Voice, do not harden your heart” (Hebrews 3:7-8).
You are invited and encouraged to worship with any Congregation of the Church of Christ near you.
