God’s Simple Plan of SalvationMy Friend: I am asking you the most
important question of life. Your joy or your sorrow for all eternity
depends upon your answer. The question is: Are you saved? It is not a
question of how good you are, nor if you are a church member, but are
you saved? Are you sure you will go to Heaven when you die? God says
in order to go to Heaven, you must be born again. In John 3:7, Jesus
said to Nicodemus, “Ye must be born again.” In the Bible God gives us
the plan of how to be born again which means to be saved. His plan is
simple! You can be saved today. How? First, my friend, you must
realize you are a sinner. “For all have sinned, and come short of the
glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Because you are a sinner, you are
condemned to death. “For the wages [payment] of sin is death” (Romans
6:23). This includes eternal separation from God in Hell. " . . . it
is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the
judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). But God loved you so much He gave His only
begotten Son, Jesus, to bear your sin and die in your place. " . . .
He hath made Him [Jesus, Who knew no sin] to be sin for us . . . that
we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians
5:21). Jesus had to shed His blood and die. “For the life of the flesh
is in the blood” (Lev. 17:11). " . . . without shedding of blood is no
remission [pardon]" (Hebrews 9:22). " . . . God commendeth His love
toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for
us" (Romans 5:8). Although we cannot understand how, God said my sins
and your sins were laid upon Jesus and He died in our place. He became
our substitute. It is true. God cannot lie. My friend, “God . . .
commandeth all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). This repentance
is a change of mind that agrees with God that one is a sinner, and
also agrees with what Jesus did for us on the Cross. In Acts 16:30-31,
the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas: " . . . ‘Sirs, what must I
do to be saved?’ And they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and
thou shalt be saved . . . .’ " Simply believe on Him as the one who
bore your sin, died in your place, was buried, and whom God
resurrected. His resurrection powerfully assures that the believer can
claim everlasting life when Jesus is received as 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). “For whosoever shall
call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13).
Whosoever includes you. Shall be saved means not maybe, nor can, but
shall be saved. Surely, you realize you are a sinner. Right now,
wherever you are, repenting, lift your heart to God in prayer. In Luke
18:13, the sinner prayed: “God be merciful to me a sinner.” Just pray:
“Oh God, I know I am a sinner. I believe Jesus was my substitute when
He died on the Cross. I believe His shed blood, death, burial, and
resurrection were for me. I now receive Him as my Savior. I thank You
for the forgiveness of my sins, the gift of salvation and everlasting
life, because of Your merciful grace. Amen.” Just take God at His word
and claim His salvation by faith. Believe, and you will be saved. No
church, no lodge, no good works can save you. Remember, God does the
saving. All of it! God’s simple plan of salvation is: You are a
sinner. Therefore, unless you believe on Jesus Who died in your place,
you will spend eternity in Hell. If you believe on Him as your
crucified, buried, and risen Savior, you receive forgiveness for all
of your sins and His gift of eternal salvation by faith. You say,
“Surely, it cannot be that simple.” Yes, that simple! It is
scriptural. It is God’s plan. My friend, believe on Jesus and receive
Him as Savior today. If His plan is not perfectly clear, read this
tract over and over, without laying it down, until you understand it.
Your soul is worth more than all the world. “For what shall it profit
a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” (Mark
8:36). Be sure you are saved. If you lose your soul, you miss Heaven
and lose all. Please! Let God save you this very moment. God’s power
will save you, keep you saved, and enable you to live a victorious
Christian life. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is
common to man: but God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be
tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make
a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians
10:13). Do not trust your feelings. They change. Stand on God’s
promises. They never change. After you are saved, there are three
things to practice daily for spiritual growth:· Pray – you talk to
God. · Read your Bible – God talks to you. · Witness – you talk for
God. You should be baptized in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ as a
public testimony of your salvation, and then unite with a Bible-
believing church without delay. “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the
testimony of our Lord . . . .” (2 Timothy 1:8) “Whosoever therefore
shall confess [testify of] Me before men, him will I confess also
before My Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32).
Copyright: Robert Ford Porter, 1991