God's Plan for Salvation  

God loves us and desires fellowship with us. Our problem is that we've all sinned; sin leads us to death, judgement and eternal separation from God. We can't overcome this separation from God, but God has a plan to bring us back to Him. He sent Jesus who died to pay for our sins. We must accept God's gift, admit our sins and turn from them. We must believe Jesus is God's Son who died for our sins. We must believe that God raised Him from the dead and He can do the same for us. Then we must find a place to learn more about God, and share encouragement with others.

Who is God? That would require books to answer. But an answer in part comes from Exodus 34:6-7, "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished..."

God created us (Psalm 100:3, Psalm 119:73) and loves each of us (John 3:16). He desires fellowship with us (Micah 6:8, Leviticus 26:12, Psalm 132:13-14). God wants a full life for us (John 10:10), followed with an eternal life with Him (John 3:16).

The problem is that we have all sinned (Romans 3:23, Isaiah 53:6, 1 John 1:8), separating us from God (Romans 6:23). Sin leads us to death, judgment and eternal separation from God (Hebrews 9:27). We cannot overcome this separation ourselves by anything we can do (Romans 3:20, Ephesians2:8-9, Titus 3:5), but God has a plan to bring us back to Him. He sent Jesus who died to pay the price for our sins (1 Peter 3:18, Romans 5:8).

We must accept God's gift of redemption (Acts 16:31) , admit we have done wrong, be sorry for our sins and stop doing them. Each of us must believe that Jesus is God's son who came to earth and died to pay for our sins (Romans 10:9-10, John 5:24). We must believe that God has raised Jesus from the dead and that He can do the same for each of us. Believing these things saves us from punishment for our sins and gives us eternal life in the presence of God.

We need to speak to God in prayer something along these lines:

"Heavenly Father,
I know that I am a sinner. I am sorry for the things I have done wrong. With Your help, I am going to turn from these things.

I believe that Jesus is your Son, that He came to earth as a man and that He died on the cross to pay the price for my sins. I believe He rose again and now lives forever in Your presence. I believe You will give me eternal life in heaven with You and I thank You for this gift of forgiveness and eternal life.
Amen"

This is just a starting point. Find a church where you can learn more about God by reading His word and can share your faith to encourage others and others can encourage you with theirs (Hebrews 10:24-25) . Believing takes one moment, keeping faith takes a lifetime.

  God's Plan for Salvation  
Reference Bible Verses

Psalm 100:3

Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Psalm 119:73

Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Micah 6:8

he has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Leviticus 26:12

I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.

Psalm 132:13-14

For the Lord has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling; "This is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it"

John 10:10

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Romans 3:22-24

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 53:6

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

1 John 1:8

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Hebrews 9:27

...man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment...

Romans 3:20

Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

Ephesians 2:8-9

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.

Titus 3:5

he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

1 Peter 3:18

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. he was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit.

Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Acts 16:30-31

He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved..."

Romans 10:9-10

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

John 5:24

"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life..."

Hebrews 10:24-25

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching.