“Plan of Salvation?”! God had a plan to save mankind from the consequences of sin? Yes, He did. The religious world is as much divided on God’s plan of salvation as it is on any religious question. Such being the case, it would behoove anyone to make inquiry into the word of God relative to this important subject.

            It is the writer’s belief that religious division is the result of man’s tampering with the divine. Believing that the Bible, a collection of books containing the writings of the prophets, is the inerrant word of God, it follows that what it reveals is true. And, what the Bible reveals is that “Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness. That the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Bible affirms that it is “the” source in furnishing “completely” the man of God. Therefore, in determining God’s plan to save man, it must have a scriptural basis in order to be “good.” So, what does the Bible have to say about God’s plan of salvation?

            A general principle in life is to investigate the success of any given action, based upon the success “stories” of those involved. The same principle can be utilized in determining God’s plan to save mankind. In order to find out what that plan consisted of, we simply need only to look at how individuals in the beginning of the gospel were added to the kingdom of God. One such success story involved the Romans. The apostle Paul wrote to the Romans and related to them how the “gospel” of Christ is God’s power to save (Romans 1:16-17), indicating that it was and is through the gospel message that the lost can be reconciled to the Father through the sacrifice of Christ. What this gospel message contained is revealed in the Roman letter. The Roman letter tells us five basic principles of the gospel: 1) That faith, (believing that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him, Hebrews 11:1,6) comes from the hearing of the word of God, (Romans 10:17). Thus, no one can come to God without the hearing of the gospel message. 2) That those who hear the message must believe what they hear. The scriptures say, “if thou shalt…believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9). Jesus also affirmed the necessity of belief, when he said, “for except ye believe that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24). One of the basic necessities of salvation is the ability to hear a message and believe it. 3) Those who believe the message must respond to it. It is possible for someone to hear the message, believe it, and yet not respond appropriately to it, i.e., “Nevertheless even of the rulers many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue” (John 12:42). A belief in anything that is lacking an appropriate response is vain. This is not only self-evident, but was also stated by the apostle Paul, when he said, “because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord…thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9). 4) Salvation also requires repentance. Repentance is a turning away from one thing, and turning to another. Paul stated the importance of repentance, when he said, “knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance” (Romans 2:4). The repentance of the Romans was expressed by the apostle Paul, when he said, “But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered; and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness” (Romans 6:17-18). 5) Paul also identified that all of the Romans (who had fulfilled the first four requirements) “were baptized into Christ Jesus”; they were “baptized into his death” (Romans 6:3). Paul further says, those who “become united with him in the likeness of his death…shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection” (Romans 6:5). Paul affirmed that when an individual is baptized into Christ they “put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27). This “putting on” Christ makes them “sons of God, through faith” (Galatians 3:26). Every conversion in the book of Acts involved these necessary elements. In each case you will find these elements either alluded to or specifically mentioned (in every case you will find the statement or necessary inference that baptism came before salvation was granted).

            Following man’s revised plan of (God’s) salvation will not provide what God has promised, because man’s revised plan is different from what those in the first century did to receive the blessings and promises of God. Today, man will say, “receive Jesus as your personal saviour and say the sinner’s prayer, and you will be saved.” One of the problems with man’s plan is that you will not find that plan expressed anywhere in the Bible: there is no “sinner’s prayer” in all of the scriptures.

            Where will you place your faith? Is your faith in God’s plan, or in man’s distortion of God’s plan. Paul said, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema” (Galatians 1:8).