By Riley Nelson
We began this series of articles talking about the beauty of God’s plan for man’s salvation. Last week we saw that faith and repentance area a part of God’s plan. Today let us see what else God includes in His plan.
Jesus during his earthly ministry taught about man needing to be willing to confess that He was the Christ. “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 10:32). Paul wrote to the Roman brethren, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10:10). Confessing before others that Jesus is the Son of God, letting all know that our faith is placed in Him and His promises should not be something a true believer would have trouble doing. When the Ethiopian asked Philip about being baptized, he was eager to proclaim his belief in Jesus as God’s Son (Acts 8:37).
The beauty of God’s plan leads one to desire to be baptized, knowing that it is during baptism that our sins are washed away. Some believe that sins are forgiven before baptism, but the Bible shows us that is simply not the case. Peter wrote, “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth 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 3:21). If sins are forgiven before one is baptized why did Peter write that baptism saves us, for it is the blood of Christ that cleanses us of our sins, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:7). The beauty of God’s plan is seen when one looks at the plan itself. Study God’s word and lean about Jesus, this allows our faith to develop so that we are ready to repent of our sins, and are eager to tell others that Jesus is the Son of God and that it is His blood that cleanses us from our sins.
Just as God provided all things for man when He placed him in the Garden of Eden, He has provided all man needs for salvation. In the garden man had a choice to make as to whether or not he would obey God. Genesis chapter three records that man made a bad decision. Today we also have a choice to make as to whether or not we will obey God. Our hope and prayer is that all will make the right choice and follow God.