By Riley Nelson
Last week we began looking at God’s plan of salvation for man. Today let us look more closely at the plan, in order to see its beauty. The first step in the plan of salvation is that of developing faith. Jesus came to earth and after He began His ministry did many signs and wonders that are recorded in the accounts of the gospel. John tells us why these things were done. “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name”(John 20:30,31). Some try to stop at this point in their study of God’s word and fail to see the entire picture of God’s plan. Paul wrote, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17).
After studying about Jesus and the things He did our faith develops in Him. We know as did those that were present when he taught and preformed miracles, He must be sent from God. He promised salvation to all who would obey Him, and our faith in Him leads us to know His words are true. He was crucified for all the sins of mankind, and God raised Him triumphantly from the grave. Our faith leads us to continue studying which leads us to realize we have to make a change in our lives if we are to be pleasing to God. Repentance is the next logical step. The Ethiopian nobleman had to turn from the religion he knew and follow Christ, which he was eager to do (Acts 8:36). Those whom the apostles taught were in sin, but had turned from their wickedness to follow Christ. “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness” (Rom. 6:16-18). The progression and beauty of God’s plan continues. As we will see in the coming weeks, there is more than faith in God’s plan of salvation.