Mt. Hebron Baptist Church

God's Plan of Salvation

The Building Blocks of Faith

 

1. Holy God

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After seeing the power and salvation of God when crossing the Red Sea, Moses asked the question; “Who is like You among the gods, O Lord? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders?" (Ex. 15:11). The psalmist, in a time of depression and despair, asked a very similar question; "Your way, O God, is holy; what god is great like our God?" (Ps. 77:13).

 

The answer to both questions is obvious, no one is like our God because there are no other gods. Yahweh is the one true God, all other gods are man-made idols (1 Chron. 17:20; Ps. 86:10). He is perfect and holy in all His ways (Isa. 6:3; Rev. 4:8).

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In light of this information, one can see that Yahweh is God, He is holy in all He is and does. When we see God for who He is, we realize who we are.

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2. Helpless Sinner

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Paul says; "as it is written, 'There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one' . . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:10-12, 23; cf. Ps. 14, 53).

 

In light of the holiness of God, we realize what a great sinner we really are. Our condition is hopeless and helpless. We have no power or strength on our own to stand in the presence of God Almighty.

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Paul goes on to say; "For while we were still helpless . . ." (Rom. 5:6a). Helpless from what, our condition caused by our sin. What do we deserve because of our sin? Paul makes it clear; "The wages of sin is death . . . (Rom. 6:23a). What we deserve for our sin, our rebellion against God is spiritual death, separation from the One who created us in His image (Gen. 1:26-27).

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In light of the holiness of God and our helpless condition, we must realize our need for help from the One who created us because we cannot save ourselves from our helpless situation.

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3. All-Sufficient Sacrifice

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In Romans 5:6, Paul goes on to say what God did for us in our helpless and hopeless condition; "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly."

 

When Israel was in the wilderness, God instituted the sacrificial system that was to be carried out by the priest from the tribe of Levi. In this system, sacrifices were offered all day long for different types of sins. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:29-34), the high priest would offer a sacrifice for the sins of Israel. However, this sacrifice had to be repeated every year. It was not sufficient to cover the sins of all people for all times.

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However, it pointed to the One who would come to be the sacrifice for all sin for all times. This One is Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah, ". . . the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). No work or sacrifice of man could every do the work of God. Only God knows the design and purpose behind his creation. Only God knows how to fix the problems we created because of sin. Only God knows what is sufficient to save us from our helpless and hopeless condition.

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Therefore, the Son came into this world (John 1:1; 1:14) to make it possible for all to stand in the presence of God. Jesus Christ is the sufficient sacrifice for all people.

 

"By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He (Christ), having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God" (Heb. 10:10-12).

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"For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust . . ." (1 Pet. 3:18a). Why did Christ offer Himself as the all-sufficient sacrifice? ". . . so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit" (1 Pet. 3:18b).

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Now, all that is wonderful news. It is the Gospel, God's rescue plan for a broken world. He is a Holy God. Because of who He is, we can see who we are; a Hopeless and Helpless Sinner. In our condition, God loves us so much that He sent His Son to be the All-Sufficient Sacrifice so that we could be eternally in the presence of God (John 3:16).

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However, there is one more thing. Without this, there is no salvation for any individual.

 

This information God has revealed in Scripture requires a response!

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4. Personal Faith

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God does not ask for more sacrifices. He does not require us to get our act together before coming to Him. He does not require any work from you to deem you worthy of salvation.

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What is required from you is a response. Jesus said to Martha; "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die" (John 11:25-26a). Jesus goes on to ask Martha; "Do you believe this?" (John 11:26b).

 

Martha, at that moment, had a decision to make. Does she or does she not believe? Martha responds; "Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God . . ." (John 11:27). Throughout the New Testament, Jesus Christ reveals who He is (the Holy God), who we are (Hopeless and Helpless Sinners), and informs us of His purpose "to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45) as the All-Sufficient Sacrifice.

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At this moment, you are being asked the same question. Do you believe?

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Paul said; "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Rom. 10:9).

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Salvation is a result of the work of God alone. The work of God requires a response from you. This is a Personal Faith in Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior that results in a personal relationship with God through Christ.

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When Christ died on the cross, the sins of all the world were placed upon Him. The death we deserve because of our sin was placed upon Christ.

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When we believe on who Christ is and the work He completed on the cross, Jesus Christ gives us His righteousness. It was His life for ours. The Just died for the unjust.

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"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

-Romans 5:8

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If you need more information or would like to talk to someone, please contact us or a local church close to you. We are ready to answer and help you with any questions you may have.