"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him" (I Corinthians 2:9)

Man could never have imagined the wonderful plan which God set in motion to save  him. Only through God's Spirit could such a plan be revealed to man.  The first century apostles and prophets had that Spirit and were able to speak "the wisdom of God, which God ordained before the world" (I Corinthians 2:7).  The plan to save man through Christ originated "before the foundation of the world" (Ephesians 1:4). It was fool-proof, unchangeable, "after the counsel of His own will" (Ephesians 1:11)!

"Your iniquities have separated between you and your God" (Isaiah 59: 2).

Sin is the reason for God's plan.  Having created man with the capacity to make moral decisions, God supplied man with choices to obey His Creator or not.  God also gave a clear description of the consequences.

"Wherefore, as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin:  and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Romans 5:12).

Adam and Eve opened the door allowing sin into the world.  Sin is a "transgression ("to go aside, to go beyond") of law (I John 3:4).  Only when there is law can there be sin (Romans 7:8).  God's laws were holy and good for man (Romans 7:12), but man failed and death came into our world.  "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).  Only those who can understand God's law and make a moral choice are capable of sin.  The very young and mentally impaired can not be answerable to God's laws and therefore can not sin (Isaiah 7:16; Matthew 18:2-4; and Romans 7:9).

"Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).

For the justice of God to be satisfied, Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, had to be the only suitable sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Jesus came to earth to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).  

Without the shedding of blood, there would be no remission of sin (Hebrews 9:22).  God's indescribable, unequaled Love provided His Son for our sins (John 3:16).  Christ willingly offered Himself for our sins (John 10:18).  He came into the world "to seek and save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).

Our Savior lived a sinless life upon this earth (Hebrews 4:15).  He was tempted, yet He did not yield to temptation. By His total obedience to the Father, He became the perfect author of eternal salvation unto all that obey Him (Hebrews 5:8-9). Truly, He "was wounded for our transgressions…and with His stripes we are healed" for God "hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:5-6).

 "I am the way, the truth, and the life:  No man cometh unto the Father, but by Me" (John 14:6).

God commended (demonstrated) His love for us in the giving of His Son to die for our sins (Romans 5:8).  Christ endured the shameful, despised death of the cross for us (Hebrews 12:2). In doing so He purchased our souls from sin (I Corinthians 6:20), redeemed us from all iniquity (Titus 2:14), and "blessed us with all spiritual blessings" (Ephesians 1:3).  As Christ so simply stated:  "No man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).  Let there be no misunderstanding, there is no other way but His way.

Salvation is not found in any other name under heaven (Acts 4: 11-12). Only by obedience to Christ can man hope to have eternal life (Hebrews 5:9).  His words will judge us in the last day (John 12:48). All authority hath been given Him in heaven and in earth, and every soul must be taught to observe all that He has instructed us in His word.  Every soul must also be baptized by His authority for the remission of sins (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:38).  Only in this way can all men be saved by God's divine plan!  

"God…will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (I Timothy 2:4).

Life is short

Death is sure

Sin the cause

Christ the cure

Larry Albritton