By Michael Moser

There are some men who say that there is no one saving plan that can be found in the bible. Others say that there is no clear pattern of obedience that can be found in its pages. Many pick and choose only those parts of God’s marvelous plan that they believe are important or that they approve of. However, the one God is the author of the one faith found in the Bible. And He has much to say about His plan for us all. God would that all men everywhere be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). The entire Bible is about God's patience, love, and grace in saving us from our sins. From Adam to Revelation and everywhere in between, there has always been one call in principle; listen to God’s word, believe the Word with all your heart and all your soul, then from the heart respond to Him in trusting, loving obedience. God then put us into a relationship with Him, wherein we possess the benefits of His great love and grace.. All of God’s dealing with man revolves around His scheme of redemption for man. In fact that scheme can be summed up in two words: Christ Jesus. In Genesis, we see God's plan for a savior immediately upon Adam and Eve's first sin.

Genesis 3:14-15

So the Lord God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life. And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel."

In the book of Revelation, Jesus, who has fulfilled the promise of Genesis 3:15 by defeating Satan in Revelation 20:10, states that all who keep His commandments as they are found in His book shall enjoy life everlasting with God.

Revelation 22:11-19

He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still. "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last." Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star." And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Time and time again, we see throughout the Bible that God is calling to all of His creation to answer His invitation to eternal paradise with a simple acceptance of His commandments.

Isaiah 41:4

Who has performed and done it, Calling the generations from the beginning? 'I, the Lord, am the first; And with the last I am He.'"

 

1 Corinthians 7:17-24

But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches. Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters. Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord's freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ's slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called.

Ephesians 1:17-19

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power

Ephesians 4:1-6

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

2 Timothy 1:7-10

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel

Hebrews 3:1-6

Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.

John 3:16-17

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14

But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, we see that God has indeed been calling us to return to Him since the beginning of mankind. As Wayne Jackson wrote in The Christian Courier, "Every divinely designed institution of human history was intended, ultimately, for the implementation of Heaven’s plan for human salvation." In order to participate in that salvation, we must respond to God's offer of grace and mercy. How could it be otherwise? In order to answer someone, we need to respond to them. If as a child you were to receive an invitation to a birthday party and did not respond, could you still go? Perhaps you might show up at the door, even have a gift, but there is no guarantee they would let you in. You did not respond so how could they know you wanted to come? The same holds true for God's salvation (Matthew 7:21-23, Acts 2:21). We must actively answer God's invitation. The first thing we must do is believe in God and in Christ Jesus through hearing his gospel:

Romans 10:12-17

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!" But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?" So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Matthew 28:19-20

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

Hebrews 11:6

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.

James 2:20-24

But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

Therefore, hearing of God and His wonderful grace proclaimed is the first step. One must then believe that message that He is the one true God and that God made salvation possible through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.. We must then repent and change our ways towards God. We must stop doing that which is wrong and start doing that which is right. This must be done in every area of our lives. We must change our minds and our hearts and do all we do in the name of the Lord (Colossians 3:17).

Luke 13:1-5

There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."

Acts 17:30-31

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."

Once we have repented of our sinful ways, we must confess the name of Christ before men. We must publicly declare that Jesus Christ was the on begotten Son of God. If we believe this to be so, how can we help but declare it to the world?

Matthew 10:32

Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.

Romans 10:8-11

But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if 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 unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."

God then commands us to be baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins. Why baptism? Why be immersed under the water? The answer is simple if you believe in Him in all good conscience. You must follow what He says to do, in the manner He says to do it and for the reason that He said to do it. Anything else is not obedience to His will, nor is it trusting in Him. Picking and choosing what we want to do is nothing more than the substitution of the human will for the divine. We may not understand His reasons in making something a part of the plan. But who are we to question our Creator?

Mark 16:15-16

And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

Acts 2:37-38

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 3:26-29

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

1 Peter 3:20-21

who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us--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

Once inside Christ, we must live a life of faithful and loving obedience to Christ. Obey God's commands. They are not to hard nor too overbearing (1 John 5:3). He loves us and wants us all to partake of His plan. His divine plan as outlined in His word is designed so that each and every one of us may share in everlasting life with Him in Heaven. He is inviting us all to share in that paradise. Answer His call today.

Revelation 2:10

Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.