GODS PLAN

The first step is HEARING THE WORD OF GOD OR THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek." (Romans 1:16) "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)

The next step is BELIEF THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD, based upon the testimony of God’s word. "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6) "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." (John 8:24) "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (Revelation 21:8)

The next step is REPENTANCE which is a change of mind involving a change of life. "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent: Because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." (Acts 17:30,31) "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (II Peter 3:9)

The next step is CONFESSION OF FAITH IN CHRIST AS LORD. "that you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved: For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation." (Romans 10:9,10)

The next step is BAPTISM INTO CHRIST. "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized in Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?" (Romans 6:3) "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Galatians 3:27) "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:16) "There is also an antitype which now saves us, namely baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." (I Peter 3:21)

Then, to be saved eternally in heaven, one must LIVE FAITHFULLY THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. "Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him: But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul" (Hebrews 10:38,39) "Pursue peace with all men, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord." (Hebrews 12:14) "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." (I Corinthians 15:58).

All Bible believing people recognize the need for salvation. All others need to recognize it. Man has sinned against God, and unless those sins are forgiven he cannot dwell eternally in heaven prepared for the redeemed. Hence, the steps that man must take need to be set forth to every accountable being on earth. The purpose of this is to set forth those steps, in the words of the Scriptures, to as many souls as possible. In so doing (1) those into whose hands this falls will have the word of God on the plan of salvation rather than the theories of men; (2) they will have a chance to know what the Lord requires of them; and (3) we, in some measure at least, will be discharging our God-given duty of sowing the seed which is the word of God. (Luke 8:11)