God’s Plan of Salvation

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” - John 3:16-17 (ESV)

You may have heard this verse at least once in your life, if not dozens of times. John 3:16 is one of the most popular verses in the Bible, and for good reason! It captures the heart of who Jesus is and why he came to Earth over 2,000 years ago. This verse demonstrates that Jesus came to save us because God loves each and every one of us (that means you, too!). But what did Jesus save us from, and why do we need to be saved in the first place?

When God created the world, he created it to be perfect in every way, just as God himself is holy and perfect. But when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they introduced sin into the world (see Genesis 1-3). “Sin” is an act of disobedience that defies God and his standards, no matter how big or small. Adam and Eve’s act of sin not only damaged their relationship with God but also tarnished the perfect world that God had created. We learn from Adam and Eve that sin has consequences! Because God is pure and holy, his perfect justice requires that sin be punished. In our own lives today, we can be sure that sin will produce negative consequences. God created us to be with him, but when we sin we separate ourselves from him. We have all been born into a sinful world, and because we are human, we cannot possibly live up to God’s perfect standard. Even worse, the Bible tells us that sin leads to death and eternal separation from God. Sin is a grievous offense against God, and the due penalty for sin is death. Without Jesus, we would be in serious trouble!

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 6:23 (ESV)

Because of God’s love for you and me, he sent his Son Jesus to save us from our sins! Jesus lived a perfect life and became the perfect sacrifice, dying on the cross so that we would not have to. Jesus proved his incredible love for us by paying the penalty for our sins. He then proved that he is the Son of God when God raised him from the dead on the third day.

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly…but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” - Romans 5:6, 8 (ESV)

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,” - 1 Peter 3:18 (ESV)

Thanks to Jesus, we can now be free from the penalty of sin! The Bible tells us that there is “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1) With that in mind, how can we take advantage of what Jesus did for us, and what does it mean to be “in Christ Jesus?” The Bible is clear that accepting the gift of salvation is a choice and requires action on our part. God has given us the free will to either choose Jesus for ourselves or to live life without him. Living a life “in Christ Jesus” requires turning away from our sin and making Jesus Lord of our lives. Thankfully, starting your journey with Jesus is simple! Check out the following verses:

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” - Romans 10:9 (ESV)

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to purify us from all unrighteousness.” - 1 John 1:9 (NIV)

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” - John 14:6 (ESV)

After Jesus paid the price for our sin, he opened the door for us to have a deep and personal relationship with him. Remember that God loves you and created you to be with him! We don’t have to wait until heaven comes to have a relationship with God: we can come to him at any place or time. If you want to have a relationship with the God that created you, all you have to do is talk to him! Acknowledge your need for a Savior and ask Jesus to be Lord of your life. You can speak to God with the confidence that he hears you, he loves you, and he wants you to be with him. The Bible assures us of these things:

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” - Joel 2:32, Romans 10:13

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)

“[God] desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” - ‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭2:4‬ ‭(ESV‬‬)

John 3:16-17 tells us that even though we were guilty of sin, God did not send Jesus into the world to condemn us. Rather, Jesus came to save us from the penalty of our sin, taking our place on the cross. That proves God’s love and desire for us! God created us to be in a close relationship with him, but he does not force us - we have to choose him.

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” - Hebrews‬ ‭4:16‬ ‭(NIV‬‬)