HOW GOD REVEALED HIS PLAN OF SALVATION
God’s plan of salvation for mankind, who sinned against God, was known by him before he made the world, and the first man and woman (Genesis 1; Peter 1:20). However, God progressively revealed his plan to us over many years. The plan of salvation culminated in the redeeming death of his Son Jesus Christ on a cross. Now, God works through us as his obedient believers to spread the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Mark 16:15-16).
GOD REVEALED MANKIND SINNED
In Genesis 3, the inspired words of God says, the first man and woman, Adam and Eve,
were deceived into sinning by another creature. A Satanic serpent (Revelation 20:2) persuaded them to eat from a tree that God forbade them to eat from, lest they die. The day they ate from the tree they died spiritually, being separated from God (Isaiah 59:2; Ephesians 2:1-2; 1 Timothy 5:6). Physical death would follow (Hebrews 9:27).
GOD BEGAN TO REVEAL HIS PLAN OF SALVATION IN THE GARDEN
God began to reveal his plan in the Garden of Eden. By killing and shedding the blood of and animal to provide skin-covering for Adam and Eve, God showed the necessity of blood sacrifice to cover sin. In saying the offspring of the woman would crush the head of the serpent, God alluded to the sacrificial blood of the woman’s offspring defeating the serpent. Later, we learn that the offspring of the woman, Jesus Christ, “disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities [of the serpent-devil]. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.” (Colossians 2:15; Revelation 20:2).
GOD REVEALED MORE THROUGH ABRAHAM
Many generations after Adam and Eve, God revealed another aspect of his plan of salvation to one their descendants named Abraham. The Lord told Abraham that if he left his home and went to another place which God promised, God would bless him; and all nations of the world would be blessed through him. Abraham believed the Lord and set out for the land the Lord promised him, being guided by God (Genesis 12:1-15).
God tested the faith of Abraham further, in asking him to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac to God on an altar (God later sacrificed his only begotten Son for the sin of mankind). Abraham built an altar, and was about to slay Isaac on the altar, when an angel of the lord stopped him. God then told Abraham that because he was willing to do this, God would surely give him and his children the promised land of Canaan. (Genesis 15:18-28). Furthermore, the Lord affirmed that the world would be blessed through his offspring (Genesis 22:1-18).
GOD REVEALED STILL MORE THROUGH MOSES
God planned to build a nation through whom he would make his name known; and through whom he would bring the Savior of mankind into the world.
God allowed a famine in the land of Canaan, which caused Abraham’s descendants to go to Egypt, where God had stored up food. In Egypt, where they were called Hebrews they grew to be a nation of people within a nation. An Egyptian pharaoh decided to make them servants of the Egyptians. However, God raised up a leader among the Hebrews name Moses, whom God used to free Abraham’s descendants. God used Moses to miraculously lead his people out of Egyptian slavery, and back to the promised land of Canaan. In freeing the Hebrews from the mighty nation of Egypt, God made his name known among nations.
Through Moses, God established a temporary system of laws to teach his people about sin and the need for blood sacrifice as atonement for sin. God also impressed upon Moses to advise God’s people that he would raise up another prophet like Moses; and to tell them they should listen to that person (Deuteronomy 18:15; Matthew17:1-9).
GOD’S COMPLETED HIS PLAN BY REVEALING HIS SON JESUS CHRIST
The biblical Word of God reveals that God anointed John the Baptist, to recognize and proclaim Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and Messianic Savior of the world. When John saw Jesus coming toward him, he said, “Behold! the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29; Isaiah 53:5-7; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
Jesus said he filled “Everything…written about me in the law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms” (John 5:46; Luke 24:44). As added proof of his being God’s Son and promised Messianic Savior, he performed unequaled miracles, including being resurrected from the dead after being crucified (John 15:24).
At the cross, Jesus, the offspring of the woman that God spoke of in Genesis 3, bruised the head of the serpent who deceived Adam and Eve and all mankind. Our Lord triumphed over “that ancient serpent who is the Devil or Satan” (Colossians 2:14-15; Hebrews 2:14; Revelation 20:2).
Jesus said: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). “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.” (John 3:16).
With the help of the Holy Spirit given to us by our Savior and Lord (John 16:13), God planned to conform us to the likeness of his Son Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29). And God will completely save the body and soul of whoever obediently repent, believe in and are conformed to the likeness of his Son Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:25).
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ instructs us who know God’s plan of salvation: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:15-16).
God will send his Son to resurrect us from the dead; and by the power of the Holy Spirit living in obedient believers, he will take us to live forever with God in heaven (Romans 8:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
