Plan of Salvation

Jesus said in John 14:6


Jesus saith unto him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

This is written as imperative. The translation reads like this from the Greek

I am the only way, the only truth, and the only LIFE to eternal life and knowing my Father.

Jesus is saying I am not another way among many ways I am the only way. I am not a truth among many truths I am the only Truth.

And I am not the eternal life among another form of eternal life I am the only one who gives Eternal life.

The plan of Salvation starts with Christ and ends with Christ. There is no other plan. A relationship with Christ through the Holy Spirit is the only plan of salvation. Repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.

I. How Does One Becomes a Christian?
A. The first step in becoming a Christian is to first become a disciple. A disciple is by definition, a learner, one who is in the process of being taught the Word of God.

1. In Mark 16:16, Jesus lays down belief as a precondition for becoming a Christian. “He who believes and is baptized shall be saved.” Belief is the result of one having been instructed concerning the gospel. Once one determines to embrace the truth of the gospel message he is to be immersed. Hearing the gospel produces belief in the Word of God which then culminates in one being immersed. This produces a singular outcome – the salvation of the individual.

2. Matthew 28:19 amplifies the process of hearing the gospel a bit further. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Becoming a disciple is a process of instruction that is linked to unspecified quantities of time. The length of time needed for one to understand the gospel sufficiently to make the decision to become a Christian will certainly vary depending on the person. The learning process is intended to cultivate belief.

B. Since baptism is for the removal of sin, this would mean that the person must be of sufficient age to be held accountable for sinful behavior. Children who are not at an age sufficient to know the difference between right and wrong or to understand the consequences of sin have no need to be baptized since they are not deemed guilty of sin. “To the one who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.,” James 4:17. Thus, children are not intended candidates for immersion nor is there any evidence from scripture to suggest that this practice was ever preformed in the early Church.

C. Another prerequisite for immersion is found in Acts 8:26-39. Here, is recorded the conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch who was taught and baptized by Philip. Upon hearing he gospel proclaimed by Philip from the text of Isaiah, the Eunuch says, “See, here is water. What does hinder me from being baptized?” 37. Philip then said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” What I want to emphasize he is not just the fact that he believed but what he believed. The Eunuch then confesses his belief in what he learns from the scroll of Isaiah that “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.” The conversion of the Eunuch in Acts 8 shows us that belief and immersion are rooted in the truth of the confession given by the eunuch. One who desires to be baptized must understand, believe, and confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

D. Another prerequisite for baptism is found in Acts 2:38. On the day of Pentecost, Peter proclaims the message of the gospel for the first time since the crucifixion of Jesus. This message was proclaimed to thousands of Jews who were present in the temple in observance of this traditional Jewish holy day. The foundation of the gospel proclaimed by Peter on this day is summed up in verse 36 where he declares, “God has made this same Jesus whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Some of those who heard believed the gospel and asked what they must do. Peter instructs them to “repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins.” So, Peter establishes repentance as a precondition for those who are to be baptized.

II. What is Baptism?
The word baptize comes from the Greek word βαπτίζω – bap-tid'-zo. This is a verb meaning to dip, plunge, or immerse. The following definition is taken from the Thayer's Greek Lexicon, 1981 edition. “To cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water.” When the word baptize is used in conjunction with the directional preposition εἰς - meaning into, it stresses the direction into which the immersion takes us. For example: In Matthew 28:19, Jesus charged the apostles to baptize disciples 'into' the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Thus, baptism places one 'into' the possession of God. In Galatians 3:27, Paul tells the Christians at Galatia that having been baptized 'into' Jesus they are thereby clothed with Christ. Baptism then serves as a connecting agent that unites us with Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 12:13, Paul says that we were baptized 'into' one body. Baptism then is what supplies one entrance into the Church – the body of Christ being the Church. In Acts 2: 38, Peter says that baptism is 'into' the remission of sin. Immersion into Jesus Christ then, is a transference of one into the removal of sin.

III. Baptism is a Revealed Symbol
The idea of revealed symbols is a subject that we will discuss in another study but, for now, I think it is important we understand the function of baptism as a revealed symbol. Symbols always represent something beyond themselves. A revealed symbol is an image or a representation that is provided to man by God to help him understand the significance of an action, a behavior, or an object and serves to connect the symbol to the unseen reality that is represented by the symbol. As an act, the symbol of baptism is simply the complete immersion of an individual in water. As a representation however, baptism creates a picture of something that is much greater than the physical act itself.

A. In Romans 6: 3- 6, Paul reveals to us the representations connected to the act of immersion. Immersion is a picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

“Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore, we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;” When one submits to the act of immersion, one is personally engaging in the death burial and resurrection of Jesus. In baptism one is:

1. United with the death of Christ. “All of us who have been baptized into Christ have been baptized into his death.”

2. United with the burial of Christ. “We are therefore buried with him by baptism into death.”

3. United in the resurrection of Christ. “We are also raised in the likeness of his resurrection.”

This is very striking imagery. By going down into the water, one is participating in the death of Christ. As one is immersed under the water, one is participating in the burial of Christ. As one is raised out of the water, one is participating in the resurrection of Christ. Immersion then is a symbol that connects us to the cross as we are crucified with Christ. It is the blood of Jesus that saves men from sin and Paul explains that immersion is the symbol that connects us to the cross. This is the only place one may come into contact with the blood. It is here that “our old self is crucified with him that our body of sin might be done away with.” It is also important to understand that baptism is a symbol of obligation on the part of the individual for Paul goes on to say in verse six, “that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” We are obligated to leave behind us the sinful behaviors of our past and to no longer engage in those things because we are now dead to sin. Our obligation now is to walk a new life. In verse 13, Paul charges us not to “go on presenting the members of our bodies to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness.” As such, we are now to consider ourselves “slaves of righteousness,” verse 18.

B. In Colossians 2:11-13, Paul links the idea of circumcision (which is also a revealed symbol) to the symbol of baptism.

“In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self-ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. When you were dead in your transgressions and the circumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions.” Just as fleshly circumcision is the removal of the foreskin from the flesh, immersion represents the removal of sin from the individual. God accomplished this in the act of baptism as an act of “faith in the working of God who raised him from the dead.” Before one is baptized, one is dead in sin. Immersion represents a change in one's spiritual status. “He made you alive together with him having forgiven all your transgressions.” There is much more to learn regarding baptism as a revealed symbol but for now it is only important that I introduce the basics of the idea.

IV. What Does God Accomplish for Us in the Act of Baptism?
A. God takes away our sin, Acts 2:28; 22:16, Romans 6:3, and Colossians 2:11. God removes that which prevents us from being reunited with God.

B. God brings us into Christ, Romans 6:3-6. This makes us his possession.

C. God clothes us with Christ, Galatians 3:27. We are now able to share in his righteousness.

D. God adds us to the body of Christ, 1Corinthians 12:13. He makes us part of a body of fellowship that God has called his people.

E. God makes us a new creature in Christ, Romans 6:3-21, Colossians 2:11-13. He has given us new life by destroying the old man of sin and recreating us in the image of God.

F. God frees us from the bondage of sin, Romans 6:3-21. He are now privileged to be servants of righteous and of the Most High God. We no longer have to be held in bondage to the sin that once enslaved us.

G. God saves us and gives us a clean conscience, 1 Peter 3:18-21. We no longer have to be tormented in our minds because God has saved us from the sin that plagued our hearts.

amen wonderful statement !!

“Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.”
‭‭John‬ ‭18:37‬ ‭KJV‬‬

VII. What is it That Saves a Person?
There is a variety of elements the Bible speaks of as being part of the salvation process. These include:

A. Faith, “For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” Ephesians 2:8.

B. Belief, “And they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved, and your house.’” Acts 16:31.

C. Confession, “For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:10.

D. Baptism, “The like figure unto which even baptism does also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:” 1 Peter 3:2.

E. Hope, “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man sees, why does he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” Romans 8:24-25.

F. Grace, “For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” Ephesians 2:8.

G. The gospel, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have received, and in which you stand; By which also you are saved, if you keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:1-2.

H. And even fear, “and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” Jude 23. It is not intended that anyone should choose one of these elements and disregard the others. One cannot for instance, choose to only believe without any regard for confessing Jesus as Lord and Christ and declare himself saved. One cannot simply choose to be baptized and disregard faith and declare himself saved. Jesus said, “man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4. Faith, belief, confession, baptism, hope, grace, and fear all have their divinely appointed function within the framework of ones' salvation. To disregard or to marginalize the importance of any one these elements represents a disregard for what God tells us in scripture. Any of these alone will save no one. The exercise of all of them will save anyone. God has ordained all of these things to work together so man can “...be reconciled to God. For he has made him, who knew no sin, to be sin for us; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21-22. We must remember that God offers salvation to man on HIS terms and not ours. If we choose to deviate from the terms and conditions which God has provided, we cannot hope to receive the benefits that are connected to them.

Amen but we do have to believe the gospel though correct ?

“And he said unto them, 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 ‭KJV‬‬

Of course, that is how the process begins.

and Jesus preached the gospel first correct ?

“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭1:1, 14-15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24:14‬ ‭

“And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭28:30-31‬ ‭KJV‬‬

What your saying here--we are to walk after Christ ---it is not that simple as you make it -------it doesn't tell one how you stay out of sin ---all you do is give reams --and reams of Scripture and expect all to get it --if you can't explain the scriptures you post then your again like clashing cymbals ----which is just presenting a bunch of noise -----

Satan is still the here putting temptation in front of all believers -------it is our job to keep Satan at bay ----so you just posting ---posting and posting ----scripture means nothing to explaining how Saved people keep Satan from putting tempting thoughts in their mind ------Jesus did his job we have to do our job -------

You like to post scripture ---with no explanation -----which is like one speaking in tongues with no one there to interpret what is being said -----

Jesus Chastised the Pharisees for their Hypocrisy -----and we have to be very careful that we stay away from telling others how they should act ---when we don't follow the example ourselves ------

You are great at talking the talk ----but do you actually walk that talk -------you are no different than any other Born Again person who Sins and who doesn't always walk the straight path you are suppose to --


You like posting reams of Scripture ---well here are some that we need to take heed to-------



Bible Verses about Hypocrisy

https://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/bible-verses-about-hypocrisy/

The Bible tells us that a hypocrite is someone who puts on a mask and pretends to be something he is not. Hypocrisy is to claim to know and follow certain beliefs but to behave in a way that counteracts those beliefs.
While we should have the wisdom to discern words and actions that do not match, we also need to remember that God is the ultimate judge of character.

1 John 4:20
ChapterParallelCompare
20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.

Galatians 6:3
Chapter Parallel Compare
3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.

I say-------- this is a good one ---to take note of -----

Mark 7:6
Chapter Parallel Compare
6 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

Matthew 6:1
Chapter Parallel Compare
1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

Titus 1:16
Chapter Parallel Compare
16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.


I say ---another good one to take note of ----

Matthew 23:27-28
Chapter Parallel Compare
27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.
28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

may God bless you in abundance friend !!

And you as well ------

These people think they are Saved ...they are not ...and you are egging them on.

I say ----Well for me Salvation is a Free Gift -----there is no good plan that comes from us ------God put His Plan into action and we are either to accept it or reject it ----

His plan for Salvation starts with ----the need of the Right Faith ----so we need to hear the Word of God that births the right kind of Saving Faith in us ---


Hebrews 11:6 AMP
6 But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him.

Strong's Concordance
pistis: faith, faithfulness

The Lord continuously births faith in the yielded believer so they can know what He prefers, i.e. the persuasion of His will (1 Jn 5:4).


Romans 10:17 AMP
17 So faith comes from hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the [preaching of the] message concerning Christ.


I say ---without the right Faith ---you cannot attain Salvation ------so hearing the word of God is the first step -----One has to believe in an unseen God to start --------



Repentance is then the next step -----many do not fully understand what repentance entails -----

this is from Got Questions ----

https://www.gotquestions.org/repentance.html

Many understand the term repentance to mean “a turning from sin.” Regretting sin and turning from it is related to repentance, but it is not the precise meaning of the word.

In the Bible, the word repent means “to change one’s mind.” The Bible also tells us that true repentance will result in a change of actions (Luke 3:8–14; Acts 3:19).

In summarizing his ministry, Paul declares, “I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds” (Acts 26:20). The full biblical definition of repentance is a change of mind that results in a change of action.

I say -------So God's Salvation plan is to first get the right Faith from His word -----and then as you read the word you see the right way one should start to think ----and then you can start to Repent ---you see your thinking was wrong and you can start to change the way you thought in the world to God's way of thinking -----but this is very --very hard as Satan is in the mix here wanting to take your Faith in God;s word ---so this is your Spiritual battle beginning ------

Once you confess that you cannot win the battle of true Repentance on your own ----that you actually need a Saviour to Help you stay the course you will want to Receive Jesus who is able to help you win the Battle in your mind by calling on He who is Grace --Jesus ----and believe He is our strength in our weakness when Satan tries to make us fall off the Repentance wagon which is our Right thinking and Right Actions to God's will ------


Thoughts --. Actions | Spiritual warfare, Spiritual attack

This is the rest of my post ---

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 AMP ---Paul's battle in his mind ----and God's answer

A Thorn in the Flesh

7 Because of the surpassing greatness and extraordinary nature of the revelations [which I received from God], for this reason, to keep me from thinking of myself as important, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan, to torment and harass me—to keep me from exalting myself!

8 Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me;

9 but He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you [My loving kindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness.”
Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me.

10 So I am well pleased with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, and with difficulties, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak [in human strength], then I am strong [truly able, truly powerful, truly drawing from God’s strength].
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I say ----So our Fight to stay in that true Repentance is a life long Battle---- Folks ------our Spirit is changed--our Spirit is Holy and we are Heaven Bound but we Fight to stay out of acting on sinful thoughts that Satan has the OK by God to put there ------we have to call on Grace in our weak moments -
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Romans 12:2 AMP
2 And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs],

but be [a]transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes],

so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].

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I say ------------This is God's Salvation Plan for us --------God did his part and we have to as God says =---


Philippians 2:12 AMP
12 So then, my dear ones, just as you have always obeyed [my instructions with enthusiasm], not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ].

-The Greek word for fear and trembling in this scripture is ------

Strong's Concordance

fear and trembling, used to describe the anxiety of one who distrusts his ability completely to meet all requirements, but religiously does his utmost to fulfil his duty, Philippians 2:12
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say --so we see that when we Receive Jesus as our Lord and saviour ----we are Saved and Heaven Bound ---but our Soul -----is not Changed -----The Soul still lives in your old life ---and has to be changed by us by keeping our minds on the things of God ---not of this world ---that is our job ------

The Soul (Greek, "psyche")
Genesis 2:7 states that Man was created as a "living soul." The soul consists of the mind (which includes the conscience), the will and the emotions.


I say ---the Salvation process is not fully attained until we have reached ---the Spiritual man state -----and that will not happen in our life times as it means totally relying on God for all our needs no doubting ----no wavering in our Faith ---and total reliance on the Holy Spirit to guide every aspect of our lives ---and NO ONE will ever be able to attain that in their life time -- -----humans do not have the time or Stamina to stay the course -----Many Christians are double minded -----they have one foot in the world and one foot in God's world ----and that makes them unsteady in all there ways -----you eventually need to choose a side -----and be stable ---grounded and rooted in your stance ---so you are stable and secure -----

https://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/don_stewart/don_stewart_565.cfm

Spiritual Man

In contrast to the natural man is the spiritual man.


The spiritual man is one who is characterized by the leading of the Holy Spirit. The Bible encourages believers to let the Spirit lead them.


The spiritual man produces the fruit of the Spirit.


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God says -----James 4:7-----
Verse (Click for Chapter)
New International Version
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.


I say -----well what does this mean ----

Context
Drawing Near to God
6But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

8Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.…
Berean Study Bible


I say ---So we see God's plan for Salvation is not just a one step Plan ---it is an on going plan of fighting our Enemy and his tactics ---to keep not just our Spirit Holy but to strive to keep our Soul Holy ---

If we think right we will act right ------and that is the battle we fight to complete the Salvation process to its complete Holiness -----Body --Mind and Spirit --aligned with God ------- Never given in ---never give up --fight the good fight of faith ------

And that is what the PoS is about, beginning the process. Preaching the word.

Your posts were informative, and some like the short treatise on "eis," "into" I have talked about to more seasoned believers. But don't you think all that you wrote is a bit much for a PoS?

I might include the info in your posts in a teaching to the persons giving the plan to others. Not so they can overwhelm the prospective convert with information, but so that if asked they'd have a good grounding to answer questions.

Some good info. Thanks. But not sure I'd include it in a plan to convince a non-believer to believe.

well thanks for explaining

to me, I would take Christian to mean what you say above. it becomes confusing otherwise and those are the choices we have

I'll go and change it. I may get crucified by some-- "That's not Christian!!!"-- but then I suppose I'll be in good company then.

Student,
Is your sepulchre clean and white on the outside and yet full of dead men's bones?
I see you here in the forums,liking to call people hypocrites in YOUR judgments!
What makes YOU think that you are above ANY other believer?

We are all free in the TRUTH,and that is Jesus.
We ALL have an advocate when in need of help overcoming,again Jesus.
WE MUST PRAY AND TAKE IT TO HIM WHEN WE SIN,ITS THAT SIMPLE!

I have NEVER seen @Pilgrimshope post anything that is false doctrine or heresy, yet you've zoned in on him and his postings to debunk his testimony.
WHY?

What " I SAY " is meaningless held to the LIGHT of the word!

Your attitude is snooty and arrogant and your attacks are uncalled for against any.
Pilgrim rarely gives his opionon but let's the word speak for itself.

As a matter of fact,I like very few of your post but I don't target you,except once reporting you and telling others NOT to listen to you.


You who are strong in the Lord,support the brotherhood,stand guard FOR THEM,against the enemy.

Now if you want to come at me and tear me down too........come on,or back off your targeting of others......" I SAY"!