God’s Plan to Save Man
Michael E. Grooms
Introduction:
A. All are in need of salvation Rom. 3:23
B. God will destroy the ungodly but wants all to be saved 2 Peter 3:3-9
C. If you wish to be saved, there is something you must do!
D. You are not saved by merit of your works, but by God’s grace Eph. 2:8, 9 “For by grace are ye saved….”
E. This does not preclude nor exclude obedience 2 Thess. 1:7-10
I. God’s Simple Plan
A. Hear the Word Rom. 10:14
B. Believe the Word John 8:24
C. Repent Acts
D. Confess Rom. 10:9, 10; Acts 8:35-38
E. Be Baptized (let’s look at this further)
II. Is Baptism Necessary?
A. Jesus said it is John 3:5 “Except a man be born of water and of the spirit”
B. Peter tells how to be born of water and of the spirit in Acts 2:37, 38
C. Jesus commanded it in order to be saved
1. Matt. 28:18-20
2. Mark 16:15, 16
D. It was required of Saul Acts 9, 22, 26 (Acts 22:16)
III. What does Baptism do?
A. It remits our sins (Acts 2:38)
B. It puts us “into” Christ Rom. 6:3, Gal. 3:27
C. It saves us 1 Peter 3:21
IV. Why Baptism?
A. It reenacts the d/b/r of Jesus Rom. 6:3-6; Col. 2:12
B. Without baptism, we have no part of Christ’s d/b/r
V. What Kind of Baptism?
A. Eph. 4:5, there is only one recognized by God
B. Acts 2:38 For the remission of sins, none other will do
2 Pet. 3:3 through 2 Pet. 3:9 (KJV) 3Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 5For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Eph. 2:8 through Eph. 2:9 (KJV) 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.
2 Thess. 1:7 through 2 Thess. 1:10 (KJV) 7And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
Rom. 10:14 (KJV) 14How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
John 8:24 (KJV) 24I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
Acts 17:30 (KJV) 30And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Rom. 10:9 through Rom. 10:10 (KJV) 9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom. 6:3 (KJV) 3Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Gal. 3:27 (KJV) 27For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Rom. 6:3 through Rom. 6:6 (KJV) 3Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Col. 2:12 (KJV) 12Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.