God's Plan Of Salvation
Many people wonder why it is that only through obedience to the gospel of Christ they can be saved. it is with that question this lesson deals. Peter said, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:1.)
Man is in need of salvation for one reason and one reason only: SIN. God made His creation perfect, but man fell into sin. Not some men, but all men have sinned. Hence, because of sin, their own sins, men stand condemned and in need of salvation. Paul said, "We have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin .... For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Rom. 3:9, 23.) Thus man stands condemned because of his own sins, not the sins of Adam or of his father but for his own.
And due to the inherent justice of God the sinner stands condemned to pay the penalty for his sins. Paul tells us that the wages of sin is death. (Rom. 6:23.) Also we are told that we shall certainly receive the consequence of our life of sin: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." (Gal. 6:7.) But someone says: Why must God punish sin? Why can't He just overlook it? Why can't He just let it go? Why can't He just say it doesn't matter and forgive men? Doesn't God want to forgive men? God cannot overlook sin because He is a just God. The penalty for sin must be paid. If God did not punish sin, He would be putting His stamp of approval upon it. There would be no standard of right and wrong. God could not punish the vile sinner. God's justice makes it necessary for Him to punish sin.
But in spite of the sins of men and their just condemnation God loved His creatures and has devised a means for their salvation. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16.) Although men stood before Him as vile, guilty and condemned sinners, God loved them and devised a means for their salvation.
By sending Christ into the world to die for the sins of the world God worked out a plan of salvation whereby at the same time the penalty for sin could be paid and the sinner who would accept the overtures of mercy thus extended could go free. Of Christ Peter says, "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." (1 Peter 2:24.) Paul said: "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." (Heb. 2:9.) This is the heart of the gospel. The key word is "substitution." Christ died in our place, he tasted of death for us, so that we might go free.
The salvation thus purchased at so great a price is free to us — we can accept it or reject it. Paul said, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. 6:23.) And again speaking of Christ he said, "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternalsalvation unto all them that obey him." (Heb. 5:8, 9.) Thus if we want this salvation which has been purchased for us we may have it through obedience to Christ, by doing the things commanded in his gospel.
Well, what are the terms upon which this great salvation is offered to the world? Let Christ tell us. In commissioning the apostles Christ said, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature, He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark 16:15, 16.) When the apostles placed the great commission into operation as recorded in Acts 2 they told men who desired to be saved to "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy 'Ghost." (Acts 2:38.) And as we follow the work of the apostles under the great commission we find them teaching that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16), that faith is produced by the hearing of the word of God (Rom. 10:17), that men must believe in Christ if they are to be saved (Rom. 10:9,10; Heb. 11:6), that men must repent of past sins in order to be forgiven (Acts 17:39; 2 Peter 3:9), that confession of faith in Christ is to be made with the mouth unto salvation (Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:37), and that men in order to get into Christ, where salvation is had by the blood of Christ, men must be baptized in water for the remission of past sins. (Rom. 6:3-7; Gal. 3:26, 27; 1 Peter 3:21.) The apostles also taught that those thus saved from their past sins must continue to live godly lives as Christians thus working out their own salvation. (Phil. 2:12; 2 Peter 1:5-11; Rom. 2:6-U.)
This is God's plan for the salvation of man, He is not willing that any should perish. (2 Peter 3:9.) But His justice demands that He take vengeance upon all who will not obey the gospel of Christ. (2 Thess. 1:7-10.) Will you accept God's plan of salvation while you have time and the opportunity is yours, for the time is coming when man can only say "too late, too late."