Bridge To Life "Plan of Salvation"

Let me share with you this illustration from the Bible on God's plan for our salvation.

Don't you know that we are created by God for a purpose? He created us for His own glory. He created us not to die but to live in fellowship with Him. Let us remember that Adam and Eve were able to talk to God face to face and they walk together with God in the garden of Eden. It is one proof that the original intention of God in His creations is to be with Him. Men were created according to His image as the Bible declares in the book of Genesis.

In the first illustration, we can see that there is a personal and intimate relationship between man and God. But because of SIN we have been separated from God. According to Isaiah 59:2, "But your inequities have separated you from your God and your sins have hidden His face so that He will not hear from you." It is our sin that separates us from God. The question is "Who have sinned?" Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." There are no excuse. Wether poor or rich, Jews or Gentiles, all have sinned. That means all have been separated from God and that is what we call DEATH. Not that we have only sinned. Sin has always a corresponding punishment. Romans 6:23 says. "But the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Death means separation. Physical death means separation of body and soul. Spiritual death means separation of man from God. Many people are physically alive as you,ve seen them but they are spiritually dead. They have no personal relationship with God. The Bible declares in Hebrews 9:27, "Just as man is destined to die once and after that to face judgement." Judgement is certain. We will be judge by the Heavenly Father as to where we should go. Wether in heaven for those who have repented their sins and have been forgiven or in hell for those unforgiven. The consciousness of man for God and it's desperation to be back with God leads him to find his own way for it. One of these is by doing GOOD WORKS. But Isaiah 64:6 declares, "All of us have become one who is unclean and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags. We all shrivel like a leaf and like the wind, our sins sweep us away." Also Ephesians 2:8-9 clearly emphasized this, "For by GRACE we have been save through faith. And these not from yourselves. It is a GIFT of GOD not by WORKS so that no one can boast. Some uses GOOD MORALS but Romans 3:10 declares, "As it is written, 'No one is righteous, not even one.'" Some uses education or gaining more knowledge of the scripture but we are not only taught to study and memorize it but to obey what it says. But we fail because of the deceitfulness of the heart of man. Even the 10 commandments which are only the fundamental laws of God, we fail to obey. And many religions claim that only their religion can save which truly contradicts the word of God in Acts 4:12, "Salvation is found in no one else for there is no ther name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Nothing in man can save himself. Many have asked, "Who among us will be sent to hell?" Revelations 21:8 clearly says, "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the fierry lake of burning sulfur, which is the second death." If we look on the Bible of God's standards of righteousness, we will be found guilty in all of these. We are helpless in our situation. We are worthy to be thrown into hell which was prepared by God primarily for satan and his demons (Matthew 25:41) and suffer the justice of God.

But God is love. He declares in John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eterna life." Because of His great love that He gave us a way towards Him, His son Jesus Christ. As He declares "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). Jesus alone can save us and no other. Many people asked why? It is because He is God Himself. Mark 1:1 says, "The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ the Son of God." He is the Son of God and that only means that He is a God, and He came to us as human to bring us to His Father. He is 100% man and 100% God and is called in theology as the very man and the very God. He is the perfect saviour. He did many wonders on earth. He turns water into wine. He heals the sick. But the healing of the body does not guarantee the healing of the soul. He needs to do more than that. He needs to suffer and die on our behalf. And 1Peter 3:18 says "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the spirit." No one died for our sins except Jesus. Not only that He died but He rose again to give us hope and to show us that He is able to give us a new life in Him. 1Corinthians 15:3-4 says, "For what I recieved I passed on to you as of first importance. That Christ died for sins according to the scripture, that He was buried, and on the third day He rose again according to the scripture." Nobody have fulfilled all these except Jesus Christ alone. 

It has been done. We are already saved. But not all are saved. Why? The Bible declares in Ephesians 2:8-9, "For it is gy GRACE we have been saved through faith. And these not from yourselves. it is a GIFT of God, not by works so that no one can boast. He is a gift that needs to be recieved. But how? John 5:24 says, "I tell you the truth, 'Whoever HEARS my word and BELIEVES Him who sent me 1. has eternal life, 2. he will not be condemned, 3. he has crossed over from death to life. You only have to HEAR and BELIEVE in your heart that He alone can save you and no one else, that He died and have resurrected for you. Believe and thrust in Him. Salvation means falling upon Christ. All we have to do is fall upon Him. Embrace the reality that we cannot save ourselves but through Christ alone who has been able to please His Father. He has always been waiting for us to come to Him.

Will you come to Him? The Heavenly Father is waiting with readiness to embrace and welcome you into His Kingdom. Today is the day. Make a decision to follow Christ. If you are ready, say this prayer with all your heart:

Dear Heavenly Father, forgive me for I have sinned against You. I  acknowledge that I can do nothing to save myself. Thank You for Your great love that You've sent You Son Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for my sins. Dear Jesus, I invite you to come into my heart and be my Lord and Saviour. Help me and teach me to live in accordance with Your purposes and will. Amen...

If you had accepted Jesus Christ as the Lord and Saviour of your life:

1.Pray and read the Bible everyday so that you will know what the bible teaches.

2. Find a church where you can worship and have fellowship and be baptized.
3. Tell others about Christ

It will be a great encouragement to us to hear you had been saved. Please email at marlongumoloc@yahoo.com