The plan of salvation is something which was devised in the mind of God before the world began. It is called his eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:1 0-1 1). God's plan called for the giving of a holy law to his people. He gave them this law to show them their own sinfulness (Romans 3:20; 7:7-9">

The Plan of Salvation The plan of salvation is something which was devised in the mind of God before the world began. It is called his eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:1 0-1 1). God's plan called for the giving of a holy law to his people. He gave them this law to show them their own sinfulness (Romans 3:20; 7:7-9,12-14). Knowing that they were violators of God's law and deserving of death, the people were forced to depend upon God's mercy. Though God allowed them to offer yearly sacrifices for sin, the blood of animals could never really atone for human sin (Hebrews 10:1-4). God always planned to send his son as the final sacrifice to replace all of those other inferior sacrifices (Hebrews 10:5-14). The plan of salvation involved the incarnation of Christ, his humble sinless life as a human being, and his cruel death on the cross (Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34; Philippians 2:5-1 1). When he was raised victorious from the grave, he instructed his disciples to proclaim the forgiveness of sins through his death. This they did, beginning on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. The plan of salvation necessitated the death of the sinless Christ, his resurrection, and the proclamation of the saving message (Luke 24:44-47). It is this proclamation and the human response to it which we read about in the book of Acts. What Must We Do? Most of the plan of salvation involves the work of God. God has done all of the difficult, major things. He does, however, have some things which he requires of man. First, man must hear the gospel of Christ (Romans 10:13-15). The gospel is the power of God to save people, therefore one must be confronted with the gospel before one can be saved (Romans 1: 1 6; Mark 16:15-16). Each person must hear the saving message in order to have an opportunity to respond to it (Acts 11:14). Next, every individual must believe in Jesus (John 1:12-13; 3:36; 8:24). This involves at least two things. First, believing involves an acceptance of the facts about Jesus. One must accept the fact that he is the Christ, the Son of God, our risen Lord (John 11:25-27; 20:30-31). Next, believing also involves putting one's trust in Jesus to the point that one is willing to submit to him in obedience. Even the demons have the first aspect of faith (James 2:19), but they lack the second. Both aspects are necessary to have saving faith in Christ. Repentance is also part of God's salvation plan. Jesus always preached the message of repentance (Matt. 4:17). When he gave the great commission, he told the disciples that "repentance and forgiveness of sins must be preached    ...... (Luke 24:47). Peter, as he preached the gospel to people in Acts, called them to repent and turn their lives over to God (Acts 2:38; 3:19, etc). Repentance is a change of mind to the point that one commits to doing the will of God. This involves a commitment to abstain from sinful things as well as a commitment to do the positive commands of God. Another part of God's will in the salvation of a soul is what Paul called "The good confession," (1 Timothy 6:12). In this confession, however it is worded, a person must acknowledge the true identity of Jesus and must pledge his/her allegiance to Jesus as Lord and king (Romans 10-9-1 0; 1 John 4:15; 1 Timothy 6:15; Philippians 2:1 0-1 1). The ancient converts of the first century confessed Jesus as Lord or Christ or Son of God prior to being baptized into him. Another of man's responsibilities in the plan of salvation is baptism. Baptism is immersion. It takes much water (John 3:23). It takes going down into the water (Acts 8:36-38). It is a burial and a resurrection in water, in imitation of Christ's death and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12-13; Romans 6:17-18). The word in the original language of the New Testament, Baptizo, means immersion. Jesus commanded baptism when he gave the marching orders for the great commission (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:47). When the disciples began preaching the gospel in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost after Jesus' resurrection, they preached it (Acts 2:38-4 1). Baptism is for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). Baptism is the point at which we are united with the death of Christ (Romans 6.3-5). Baptism is the point at which one comes into Christ (Galatians 3:27). It is not what Paul would call a "work", because we earn nothing by it. It is simply the vehicle by which we receive the grace of God according to God's plan. In Scripture, baptism was never for infants, but was for those who had heard the message, were ready to put their faith in Jesus, and were penitent of sin and committed to do the will of God. Of all the acts of man involved in the plan of salvation, only baptism is a one time action. We hear the gospel as often as possible. We continually have to trust in Jesus and believe in him. We are called upon to repent whenever we stumble and sin. We go on confessing Jesus as Lord and Son of God for the rest of our lives. But baptism is an act which is a special, one time thing. When done properly, it doesn't have to be redone.  It is the point at which one is no longer lost, but saved. It is the point at which one is no longer outside of Christ, but in Christ. It is the point at which one is no longer outside the church, but in the church. After baptism, the penitent believer must continue to try each day to walk with God according to the commands of Jesus.  Like those in the early church, we "continue steadfastly in the apostles' teaching, and in fellowship, and in the breaking of bread, and in prayer," (Acts 2:42). As we do this to the best of our ability, the grace of God surrounds us and blood of Christ continually cleanses us from all sin. Remember, God does most of the work in his great plan of salvation. He sent his Son. Christ lived a sinless life and suffered on the cross.      Jesus rose from the dead.    God provided the salvation message. We proclaim it to others. Each one receives God's grace by believing in Jesus, repenting before God, confessing Christ, and being baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of sins. This is God's great plan of salvation as we read about it in Scripture. Where do you stand in relation to God's salvation plan?