The Plan of Salvation: The Gospel of Jesus Christ

Are you searching for the truth about God and salvation? We live in a world full of questions, but none is more important than this: How can a person be at peace with God? The answer is not found in personal opinions or cultural trends but in what God Himself has revealed in His Word. If you have come this far, it is because God has placed in your heart a desire to know the truth.

The gospel is not merely a set of rules or moral advice but the good news of what God has done to save sinners. No matter your past, God offers forgiveness, eternal life, and a new relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. We invite you to read the following sections with an open and sincere heart, allowing God to speak to you through His Word.

1. God is the Creator and Sovereign Ruler of the Universe

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. As Creator, He owns and rules over everything that exists. He has the absolute right to govern the universe as He pleases and to establish His commandments.

The ultimate purpose of creation is the glory of God. Humanity does not exist for itself but to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Everything that exists should exist for His glory.

Everything on earth and in the universe—both human beings and animals—belongs to God’s creation. Humanity belongs to Him. The very concept of ownership ultimately belongs to God, which means that all human beings owe Him absolute obedience.

• "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1, NLT)
• "The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him." (Psalm 24:1, NLT)
• "For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen." (Romans 11:36, NLT)

2. God Made a Covenant with Adam as Our Representative

God does not deal with humanity as isolated individuals but through covenants established with representatives. In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve and gave them His covenant to obey and pass on to future generations.

Adam was not only the first man but also the representative of all humanity. God did not make separate covenants with each individual but with a representative. If Adam obeyed, his descendants would enjoy eternal life; but if he failed, all his descendants would suffer the consequences.

• "When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned." (Romans 5:12, NLT)

3. Adam Disobeyed God, Bringing All of Humanity into Sin

Adam’s disobedience brought sin and death into the world. As our representative, his failure affected us all:

• We are all born with a sinful nature.

• Humanity is separated from God and subject to condemnation.

• No one can save themselves by their own merits.

"For the wages of sin is death." (Romans 6:23, NLT)

4. God is Loving, but He is Also Holy and Just

God is absolutely holy and just. His justice demands that sin be punished because He cannot ignore evil or overlook the rebellion of His creation.

• "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!" (Isaiah 6:3, NLT)

5. Jesus Christ: The Second Adam, Our Only Savior and Representative Before God

Just as the first Adam brought condemnation, God sent a second Adam—Jesus Christ—to be the new representative of His people.

Christ lived a perfect, sinless life, fulfilling the law that Adam broke. He died on the cross in the place of sinners, taking upon Himself the punishment for sin, and He rose again, conquering death.

• "For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." (2 Corinthians 5:21, NLT)

6. Humanity Cannot Come to God on Its Own

A person who has not been born again in Christ is completely incapable of coming to God unless the Holy Spirit makes it possible. Even when believers think they have "made a decision for Christ," they may not realize that behind that "decision" was the Holy Spirit working in their hearts.

It is God who initiates salvation, not man. All glory belongs to God.

• "For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me." (John 6:44, NLT)
• "Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins." (Ephesians 2:1, NLT)
• "You didn’t choose me. I chose you." (John 15:16, NLT)

7. The Call to Repentance and Faith

God commands all people to repent and believe in Christ.

• "If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9, NLT)

8. Assurance of Salvation and Evidence of Genuine Faith

God sustains those who have been redeemed in Christ. Salvation is a sovereign work of God, and those who truly trust in Christ will persevere in faith because God keeps them.

However, this assurance is not a license to sin. A genuine believer will demonstrate their salvation through a desire to live in holiness for God, despite occasional failures, as they still live in a sinful body, referred to in the Bible as "the old man."

What an unregenerate person once loved (sin), now grieves them. Instead of enjoying sin as something normal, a true believer will feel sorrow when they sin, seek repentance, return to God, and continue their walk in obedience despite their imperfections.

"Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not!" (Romans 6:15, NLT)

"If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness." (1 John 1:8-9, NLT)

"Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10, NLT)

9. How Should You Respond?

• Acknowledge that God is the Creator and has the right to rule your life.

• Admit that you are a sinner with no hope apart from Christ and that you need a Savior.

• Believe in Jesus Christ as the only Savior of your life.

• Genuinely repent of your sins and trust in Him.

• Live for the glory of God, submitting to His will as revealed in Scripture.

10. My Commitment to Christ

If you are aware of your inescapable sinful condition before God and feel the need to repent, follow Jesus Christ, and commit yourself to God, we encourage you to make that commitment. This is simply a way to give personal and individual significance to your decision. We invite you to join a local church for the next steps in your Christian life.