HPE 1 - THE MESSAGE: GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION
Reference:
Stanford, R. (1999). Handbook of Personal Evangelism.
Free Downloads of Book (Handbook of Personal Evangelism) at the following site: http://www.eph289.com/
CHAPTER 1 - THE MESSAGE: GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION
When witnessing and trying to win souls for the Lord, do not discuss anything else other than the plan of salvation.
“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (I Corinthians 2:14 KJV).
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged” (John 16:7-11 KJV).
All have sinned
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 KJV).
“For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not” (Ecclesiastes 7:20 KJV).
“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isaiah 64:6 KJV).
Sin comes from the Greek word “hamartano.” It means to “miss the mark.”
“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10 KJV).
Let people know that you are a sinner. Let the people know that the Bible says “all” have sinned. Do not tell “war stories.” Keep the issue between the sinner and the Bible.
The penalty for sin is death.
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23 KJV).
Sin is not paid for by good works, penance, church membership, water baptism, etc. Sin is paid for by death. God does not hate the sinner, but He hates sin.
God hates sin because it separates man from Himself.
“But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:2 KJV).
“ In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” (II Thessalonians 1:8-9 KJV).
Everyone is born dead spiritually.
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1 KJV).
This is why Christ said you “must be born again.”
“Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:7 KJV).
Only through a “new birth” of the Spirit can a man have eternal life.
If a person dies without having trusted in Christ as his Savior, his soul will be separated from God and he will ultimately be cast into the Lake of Fire forever which is the “second death.”
“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:14-15 KJV).
Heaven is a perfect place.
“Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (II Peter 3:13 KJV).
Only ones entering into Heaven are the ones written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
“And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life” (Revelation 21:27 KJV).
“For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee” (Psalm 5:4 KJV).
It is God’s Heaven. He created it. He lives in it. There will be no tears, sorrow, pain, or death in Heaven.
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1 KJV).
“The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men” (Psalm 11:4 KJV).
“But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased” (Psalm 115:3 KJV).
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4 KJV).
Our sin body dies (planned depreciation); however, one day, all believers in Christ alone for salvation will receive a glorified body like Jesus Christ.
“Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Philippians 3:21 KJV).
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (I John 3:2 KJV).
Man can do nothing to make a perfect sacrifice for sin.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV).
“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:5 KJV).
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified” (Galatians 2:16 KJV).
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5 KJV).
“Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Romans 3:28 KJV).
If anything is clear in the Scripture, it is that man is saved by his faith in Christ’s payment for all sin on the cross plus nothing. Man’s effort, no matter how good or well-intended (before or after salvation), has NOTHING to do with it! Salvation is by the FINISHED WORK of CHRIST and nothing can be added to it!”
Religions are man-made. Two Latin words make up our English word “religion,” “re” and “ligio.” Religion means to “bind back.” Religions are man’s effort to bind himself back to God. Man-made religions are Satan-inspired.
Satan deceives man into thinking he could somehow earn eternal life through his good works.
“And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (II Corinthians 11:14-15 KJV).
The plan of salvation is not a religion but is the message of what God has already done to bring us back to Him. The “Gospel” is NOT a religion. The Gospel is not man’s philosophy but it is God’s Word!
A person cannot save himself by his works. A person cannot help Christ save him by his works. A person cannot help keep himself saved by his works. If a person does not believe this, he is not saved.
God says a person is not saved by their works but by grace through faith.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV).
“And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work” (Romans 11:6 KJV).
Satan does not want the lost to sin. Satan wants them to be fine, well-educated, well-liked, moral, religious people. It is a better advertisement for him. He offers them a “heavenly” way to go to Hell.
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:21-23 KJV).
The people in Matthew 7:21-23 tried to “work” their way to Heaven. God called their work “iniquity” which is sin.
God wants all men to be saved, this is why He died for ALL sin.
“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (I Timothy 2:3-4 KJV).
Christ made a complete payment for all sin and offers His righteousness.
“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (II Corinthians 5:21 KJV).
Christ never sinned. Christ lived a perfect life. Yet, He took our sins upon Himself and paid for them.
Christ did this so He could give us God’s righteousness in place of our sin.
We are all sinners. We do what we want to do.
But God allowed Christ to take our sin upon Himself and pay for it ALL!
“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6 KJV).
“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit” (I Peter 3:18 KJV).
“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (I Peter 2:24 KJV).
Jesus paid for our sins by Himself. He needed no help.
We were dead spiritually because of our sin; but, He died so we could live spiritually because He would give us His righteousness. We are made whole because He took our punishment.
“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross” (Colossians 2:13-14 KJV).
You were spiritually dead; you became spiritually alive when you trust His payment for your sin. He then forgave you ALL trespasses. He can forgive us because He took all our sins and paid for them.
“Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:14 KJV).
“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:38-39 KJV).
Keeping the Law cannot save a person.
Christ paid for all sin; so, if you believe in Him, He will forgive you and justify you from all the wrong you have done.
“By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10 KJV).
“For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14 KJV).
It is God’s will that we are made pure and holy because Jesus offered Himself for our sins. His ONE payment was sufficient for ALL sins, of ALL time, for ALL people. By this ONE offering, we who believe are made perfect forever. We are pure and holy through His death.
Had Christ not fully paid for all sin, we could not receive justification.
Had Christ not fully paid for all sin, He would not have come back from the dead.
“Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Romans 4:25 KJV).
Since the payment for sin is death, He would still be in that grave. But Christ is risen from the dead, proving God is satisfied with the payment for sin that Christ made.
The Jews? The Romans? Pilate? Who killed Christ? Who is guilty of His death? Jesus Himself told us “no man” took His life.
“Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father” (John 10:17-18 KJV).
I am as guilty of His death as anyone else. He died for me. He died to pay the price for my sin.
Christ came to this earth to be a ransom (paid the full price) to free individuals from captivity.
“For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45 KJV).
What does a human being lack? They lack “righteousness.” God is anxiously waiting to give us His righteousness. God gives His righteousness to whoever accepts Christ’s death payment for sin.
“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (II Corinthians 5:21 KJV).
The righteousness of God is given only by faith -never by works.
“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin” (Romans 4:5-8 KJV).
“And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead” (Romans 4:22-24 KJV).
“What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone” (Romans 9:30-32 KJV).
All man must do to be saved is to BELIEVE Jesus was the Lord who paid for all sin, burial, and resurrection -RECEIVE Christ as their Savior. God gives eternal life only to those who will accept it by faith alone.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 KJV).
Notice, eternal life is not given to those who try and work or earn their eternal life; eternal life is given to those who believe in Christ alone.
Christ never told one lie, “truthfully, truthfully” he that BELIEVES on ME possesses now everlasting life.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life” (John 6:47 KJV).
Salvation is always RECEIVING. Sinner man does nothing. Man accepts what Christ has done for them. We RECEIVE Him as our Savior.
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12 KJV).
This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom hath sent. God did the work. God only asks of us that we believe on Christ.
“Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:28-29 KJV).
Notice, righteousness required to get to Heaven is found only in Christ, not in the Pope, your church, your denomination, your own philosophy.
“And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Philippians 3:9 KJV).
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV).
For by grace: by mercy from God that we do not deserve.
Are ye saved: not helped, not instructed, but “saved.”
Through faith: not through your church, through yourself, or anything else. Just through faith.
And that not of yourselves: not by what you do -regardless.
It is the gift of God: it is a gift. It is not sold for any price. The price would be too high. God could never lower the wages of sin. You cannot buy your way. You accept salvation as God’s gift or you cannot have salvation.
“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (I Peter 1:18-19 KJV).
Not of works: does not mean Jesus did a lot and you will help Him some. “Not of works” means NOT of works?
Lest any man should boast: God does not want any braggarts in Heaven, and there will not be any braggarts there. All praise will be to the Lord Jesus Christ.
“That no flesh should glory in his presence” (I Corinthians 1:29 KJV).
Everyone is a sinner, and God promises to save those who have faith and believe in Jesus.
“But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:22-26 KJV).
Since I trusted Christ, God sees me “justified” -just as if I’d never sinned. God sees Christ’s righteousness instead of my sin. Therefore, I have peace with God. Jesus reconciled God and me.
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1 KJV).
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement” (Romans 5:8-11 KJV).
Through Christ a person is justified from ALL things -past, present, and future. Jesus paid for it ALL! A person cannot be justified by keeping the law. Notice, the individuals who are justified in Acts 13:38-39 are the ones who believe.
“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:38-39 KJV).
“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20 KJV).
Do not despise God’s grace. Do not reject God’s grace. If a person could be saved by their efforts, Christ’s death would have been useless.
“I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain” (Galatians 2:21 KJV).
Most individuals that you meet will be trying or somehow “working their way” to Heaven, they are not trusting in Christ alone for salvation. They do not understand the Gospel. When witnessing to individuals, do not discuss religion and explain that the Gospel is not a religion, it is God’s Word.
The issue is always between “grace” and “works.” Until they “see” that Christ’s death completely paid for their sin, they will not be ready to rely on that payment alone naturally. Keep showing them the verses, let them see that this is what God has to say about salvation.
When a person trusts Christ as their Savior, it is always important to explain to them then that they can KNOW they have eternal life from that moment on.
Man can KNOW he has eternal life now because eternal life is ETERNAL.
Notice, the gift of God is ETERNAL LIFE -not, “life until you sin again,” nor “life until you backslide.”
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23 KJV).
How long is everlasting? Does it start and stop? NO! Everlasting Life is FOR EVER and EVER!
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 KJV).
God’s SALVATION is not PROBATION. God’s gift is eternal life, it is not TEMPORARY.
If you have everlasting life right now, you are safe forever. A person does not wait until they die to receive everlasting life. A person receives everlasting life the very instant they trust in Christ as their Savior.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life” (John 6:47 KJV).
“Jesus” comes from the Greek translation of the Hebrew words “Jehovah Yasha” and means “the eternal, self-existent God who saves and keeps.” Trust in Christ alone for salvation and you can KNOW you have eternal life.
“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (I John 5:13 KJV).
When God promises you can KNOW you have ETERNAL LIFE, you can count on it because God cannot lie.
“In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began” (Titus 1:2 KJV).
Once a person receives Christ as their Savior, there should be no difficulty for them to realize they have (presently possess) eternal life. Heaven is the tremendous inheritance of the children of God, and for a Christian to lack the full assurance of KNOWING they will go to Heaven when they die is a great tragedy.
Those who do not know they will be saved forever are usually not saved to start with.
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