This is the most critical writing that you will ever read (except for the Bible) in your life because Salvation is a prerequisite to Perfection. Without perfection there is no Salvation and visa-versa.

According to the Bible, God’s Plan of Salvation is not a “one step” action on His level or on Mankind’s level. That is to say no one (1) item will save us, like belief only, confession only, baptism only, works only, grace only, etc. instead it takes a combination of actions both on man’s side and on God’s side.

Let’s look at it from this perspective: we have a lock on a door and behind this door is Jesus knocking (Rev. 3:20-21) offering us eternal life with Him if we would just unlock the lock and open the door to let Him into our life (Note: He has even given us the ‘instruction book” (Bible) of how we can do this). Yes, there is a catch to this we must use the correct key or combination of numbers to open the lock. Also note, ONLY Jesus has the correct combination or key not mankind, which is included in the Bible. (John 14:6 (KJV) ⁶  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.)

Key – a key has teeth of different sizes and heights that match exactly how the lock is set, if just one size or height is not correct the lock WILL NOT open. Right now, the key you have is a “blank key” meaning there are no teeth cut into it to open the lock and only Jesus can cut the teeth. We are the blank key which means that we are publicly, willingly, and intentionally giving our whole life to Jesus, not just part of it.

Combination – likewise the combination lock has a certain series of numbers and directions that must be used to open the lock. Miss one number or direction the lock WILL NOT open.

Let’s look at this key (or combination) as set by Jesus so we can obtain Eternal Salvation. We must accept the fact that what God has put in His Word (the Bible), concerning salvation, is “locked in stone” and cannot be changed, even by Him.

¹⁹  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
²⁰  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:19-20 (KJV)

¹²  And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
¹³  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
¹⁴  Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
¹⁸  For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
¹⁹  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. Revelation 22:12-19 (KJV)

          The whole Bible from Genesis to Revelation is about one thing; How mankind separated himself from God and since God Loved us so much (John 3:16), He gave His only Son to pay for that sin if we would only repent and turn to His saving grace.

Unfortunately, in today’s “religious” world very few people understand what all is involved in the Salvation process. All they basically have been taught is believe and be “baptized”. There is a lot more to salvation than this. (Refer to the sections on “The Doctrine of Christ” and “Chapter 7-God’s Plan of Salvation” in my book.) Salvation is accomplished through the actions of three (3) people:

HUMANS through – a lifelong commitment of Believing Faith and being Baptized into

Jesus.

JESUS through – the forgiveness of our sins, giving us the Holy Spirit to live in us and

commanding us to produce good fruits, before our physical death.

GOD through – Justification, Regeneration, Conversion, Sonship, Sanctification and

Glorification, at our Baptism into Jesus.

                                                             ACTION #1                                      

Man’s Actions

ACTION REQUIRED          ____________________                 OUR  PART                         

Hear the Word of God     __________                             ______       Acts 28:23-29

Accept fact that I am a sinner   _________                       ________  Romans 3:23

Confess my sins to Jesus          ___________      ___     ___                  1 John 1:9

Repent / Turn away from my Sins     ___________  ______                 Acts 2:38

Confess publicly that Jesus is Lord ______________________Romans 10:9

Believe that Jesus died for our sins with His blood_____________1 Cor. 15:3-4

We must believe and be baptized into Christ to receive Salvation____Mark 16:16

                                                             ACTION #2

JESUS’ PART (actual salvation granted)

Salvation________________Romans 6:1 – 6, 1 Cor. 12:13, Mark 16:14 – 16                 

                                                             ACTION #3

GOD’s PART (Approves Salvation at Jesus’ request)

Justification               ___________________      ___              Romans 4:24 – 25

Regeneration                         ___________________                _         Titus 3:5 – 7

Conversion                 _____________    _______     __            Matthew 18:2 – 4

Sonship                     ____________          _          ______        __             1 John 3:1

Sanctification         _____________                      _____       __           Jude 1:1 – 2

Glorification                     ____________ ______                      Romans 8:29 – 30

The Big Picture of Salvation

To have the ability to see the “Big Picture” a person must clear their mind of all previous indoctrination and look at all the new facts as they are and put those facts into the proper order.

Jim Wallis (REDISCOVERING VALUES, On Wall Street, Main Street, and Your Street, a Moral Compass for the New Economy) said this.

“When you start with the wrong question, no matter how good an answer you get, it won’t matter much.

The correct question is simple “What is Believing Faith? That leads to Salvation.” Let’s look at ALL these scriptures and put a “Big Picture” together.

Salvation is only through Jesus

Revelation 3:19-20

John 14:6

Total Commitment

     Luke 11:23

Obeying from the Heart

    Romans 6:14-23

Eternal Life (Salvation) is only in Jesus

    Ephesians 4:21-24

That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life and be careful to maintain good works

Titus 3:4-8

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation

Romans 10: 7-11

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:5-10

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.

Mark 16:15-16

For by grace are ye saved through faith

Ephesians 2:1-10

Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.                                                                                                                              

Acts 2:37-38

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Galatians 3:21-29

       Allow me to reiterate this fact, the above scriptures are from God NOT me or from any man-made creed or man-made doctrine. They are the “key/combination” to eternal salvation. We cannot change them, add to or take away from them!

This is God’s Plan of Salvation! If we leave out, add to or twist any meaning we will not have Salvation.

When we came up out of the water at our baptism we came up “perfect in Christ” because all our past sins had been washed away. From this point until our last breath on this earth we are expected to maintain this perfection and produce good fruits. Here is a very critical note. We will continue to sin! Please read the article “Building a Strong Christian Character”, also read the article on “Can we Lose our Salvation?”

This is where Denominational Indoctrination comes into play. Our biggest and worst problem is our ancestors, how they interpreted the Bible into what they wanted it to say which was passed on to their children and everyone around them. As time went on their interpretation got changed and twisted, which was passed down again. This process has continued for thousands of years and has now bloomed into thousands of denominations, beliefs and worst, twisted false Bibles that do not even resemble the original Bibles.  This is where Jim Wallis’ statement comes into play.

“We need to find where we made our wrong turns and how we got off track; then we need face the truth of what brought on this crisis—even if that truth is uncomfortable and, especially, if some of those answers can be found in the mirror…”

To help understand better what has been written up to this point, look at this chart and put a “big picture” together in your mind and heart so you will be able to fully understand what God’s plan of salvation is.

Here is the “Big Picture” of our new Character.

⁹  But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.

¹⁰  For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
¹¹  And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
¹²  That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Hebrews 6:9-12 (KJV)

       We must maintain this “perfection”/”character” until our death to be given eternal life with Jesus. (vs 11-12)

See other studies on “Building our Christian Character” to get a deeper and clearer picture of what God expects us to have.

I urge you to seek out a Christian Church that teaches the true Word of God

                                            and begin your new life with them.

Please request a full study guide on this subject as well as other studies that deal directly with our new Christian Character.