Blueprints For Salvation
The weapons of carnal warfare have advanced to highly destructive missiles capable of crossing oceans. Our enemies have such weapons. In defense our government has initiated a "plan of salvation" for our physical bodies. Industry has been contracted to build an anti-missile missile which will destroy the enemy warhead at a safe distance.
Each missile is composed of several thousand complicated parts made by thousands of people employed by many companies in different states. One mistake and the missile will fail. Lives will be lost. The workers must do their job right.
But how can so many people working independently of one another build such intricate parts that will assemble and function together in one purpose? It's simple. They follow the blueprint.
This is an indication of our concern for physical safety which at best is only temporary. How much more important should be our concern for eternal spiritual salvation from the lake which burns with fire and brimstone (Matt, 10:28). God has initiated a plan of salvation for our spiritual bodies and has provided us with a blueprint--the Bible (James 1:21).
Would there be any hope of salvation from the enemy missile if the different groups of workers decided to ignore the set of plans provided by the designer and formulate blueprints of their own to follow? Of course not. How many parts would fit? Few would miss seeing the foolishness of such action and yet when we turn to religion we find people completely ignoring the blueprint God provided and formulating doctrines, creeds, disciplines, confessions of faith, and manuals of their own. "But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men," said Jesus in Matthew 15:9.
After the worker has accepted the approved blueprint as the standard for his work he must then read the instructions. Everybody knows that one cannot follow instructions without knowing what they are. However, many claim to accept the Bible as their religious standard, but instead of reading the instructions, seek to please God by pleasing themselves. "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." (Proverbs 16: 25). We should search the scriptures daily as did the noble Bereans (Acts 17:11) and study to show ourselves approved unto God (2 Timothy 2:15).
The worker must also understand the blueprint. A sky full of man-made satellites is proof that man can understand instructions that are highly scientific and technical. Are God's instructions more difficult? Does man have the ability to communicate better than God? Many scriptures tell us that God gave us instructions we can understand. Ephesians 3:4 is one of them.
And finally, if the worker reads and understands the instructions but does not build the missile, can he have hope for physical salvation?
We cannot expect to be saved by the gospel if we do not follow the instructions provided by the Master Designer any more than the missile worker can expect to be saved by the missile if he does not follow the instructions provided by its designer. God has provided us with a plan for eternal salvation, but only those who obey completely His instructions will be saved. Let us follow God's blueprint.
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