The plan of salvation refers to God’s redemptive plan for humanity, from the fall of man to the final restoration of all things under Christ. It encompasses key doctrines related to sin, salvation, atonement, and eternal life. At its core, the plan involves God reconciling the world to Himself through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.
According to the Bible, humanity was created good and for communion with God (Genesis 1-2). However, through Adam’s disobedience, sin entered the world resulting in a broken relationship between God and man (Genesis 3; Romans 5:12). Left in this state, man is helpless, lost, and destined for death and eternal separation from God (Ephesians 2:1-3).
Yet in His great love, God initiated a plan to save and restore humanity from the devastating effects of sin (John 3:16). This began with the promise of a coming redeemer (Genesis 3:15). Down through the ages, God established covenants with His people, gave His law, and sent prophets – all pointing forward to Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah (Galatians 3:24-25; Hebrews 1:1-2).
In the fullness of time, Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on a cross for the sins of the world, and rose again three days later (Matthew 1:18-25; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4). His perfect life and sacrifice provides atonement for sins, satisfies God’s justice, and reconciles man to God (Romans 3:25; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Colossians 1:19-20).
After His resurrection, Jesus commissioned His followers to preach the gospel – the good news of salvation through faith in Him (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8). He then ascended into heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to empower believers to live holy lives and be His witnesses (Acts 1:9; 2:1-4).
All who repent of their sins and believe in Christ are forgiven, reconciled to God, adopted into His family, and receive the gift of eternal life (John 1:12; Acts 3:19; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 1:5). Believers are called to follow Christ wholeheartedly, obey God’s commands, love others, make disciples, and await Christ’s return (Mark 8:34; John 14:15; Matthew 28:19-20; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
When Jesus comes again, there will be a final resurrection and judgment (John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:11-15). Believers will enjoy eternal life with God, while unbelievers will be condemned to eternal separation from Him (Matthew 25:46; Revelation 21:1-8). Creation itself will be liberated from the effects of sin and there will be a new heaven and new earth where righteousness dwells and God will be all in all (Romans 8:18-25; 2 Peter 3:13; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28).
The grand narrative of Scripture reveals God’s magnificent plan to defeat sin, undo its damaging effects, and bring mankind into an eternal loving relationship with Himself. This plan unfolded through God’s covenants, prophecies, and ultimately His Son – Jesus Christ – who died for sin, rose victorious over death, ascended into heaven, and will one day return to fully restore all things. The salvation offered in Christ and received by faith is the central message of the Bible and the glorious hope for all who believe.
Key elements of the plan include:
- Humanity created good but fallen into sin (Genesis 1-3)
- Promise of a redeemer (Genesis 3:15)
- God’s covenants and law (Exodus 19-24; Jeremiah 31:31-34)
- Prophecies about the coming Messiah (Isaiah 53; Daniel 9:24-27)
- Jesus Christ – His incarnation, life, death for sins, resurrection (Matthew-John)
- Salvation by grace through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9)
- New life and adoption into God’s family for believers (2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 8:15-17)
- Empowering of the Spirit for holy living (Galatians 5:16-26)
- Commission to make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20)
- Christ’s second coming and final restoration (Revelation 21-22)
This plan displays the wisdom of God in bringing redemption through Christ (1 Corinthians 1:18-31). It magnifies His grace, love, mercy, holiness, justice, sovereignty, power, and glory. There is salvation in no other name (Acts 4:12). Those who place their faith in Jesus Christ receive eternal life and the endless blessings of an intimate relationship with God. This gospel of undeserved favor is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe (Romans 1:16-17). The plan of salvation reveals the boundless love God has for humanity and His commitment to rescue people from sin and restore them to fellowship with Himself.
Background and Old Testament Foundation
The foundations of the plan of salvation are established early in the Old Testament. After God created the heavens, earth, and all living creatures, He made humans in His image and called all He had made “very good” (Genesis 1:1-31). Adam and Eve lived in perfect communion with God in the Garden of Eden. However, when tempted by the serpent, they disobeyed God’s command not to eat the forbidden fruit (Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7). As a result, sin entered the world and broke humanity’s relationship with their Creator. Adam and Eve were cast out of Eden and subject to hardship, pain, spiritual death, and eventual physical death (Genesis 3:16-24; Romans 5:12).
However, even amid judgment God showed mercy. He promised that Eve’s offspring would one day crush the serpent’s head – hinting at the defeat of Satan and sin (Genesis 3:15). He also covered Adam and Eve’s nakedness with animal skins, foreshadowing atonement by sacrifice (Genesis 3:21). These early messianic prophecies began to reveal God’s plan to redeem and restore humanity from the curse of sin.
Down through history, God established covenants with His people that contributed to the unfolding salvation narrative. After the flood, God covenanted with Noah and his descendants, promising to sustain the earth and never again destroy all living creatures with a flood (Genesis 8:20-9:17). He then called Abraham and entered into a covenant with Him to make his offspring into a great nation who would be blessed to be a blessing to all peoples (Genesis 12:1-3; 15:1-21; 17:1-27). God later made a conditional covenant with Moses and Israel at Mount Sinai, giving His law and temple worship system pointing to holiness and sacrifice for sins (Exodus 19-24).
The books of the prophets contain many prophecies that anticipated God’s redemption through the coming Messiah. Isaiah foretold that the Messiah would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14), would suffer for the sins of others (Isaiah 53), and would establish an eternal kingdom (Isaiah 9:6-7). Daniel predicted the precise timing of Jesus’ triumphal entry (Daniel 9:24-26), while Micah specified His birthplace (Micah 5:2). Other messianic prophecies point to the Savior’s divine nature (Isaiah 9:6), crucifixion with criminals and intercession for transgressors (Isaiah 53:12), betrayal for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12-13), and much more. These Old Testament prophecies built Messianic expectation that found fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
In summary, Genesis introduces human sin and the need for redemption. God’s covenants with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David all contribute to the progress of redemption. The prophets foretell how God will reconcile the world to Himself through the Messiah. The entire Old Testament points forward to and prepares the way for the coming Savior who would deliver humanity from sin.
Jesus Christ’s Life, Death, and Resurrection
The Gospels recount the life, ministry death, and resurrection of Jesus – the central events of the plan of salvation. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, taking on human flesh while remaining fully God (Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1, 14). His birth fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy of the Messiah’s virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:22-23). He was born in Bethlehem, as foretold by Micah (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1-6). John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus’ ministry, as prophesied by Isaiah (Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:1-3). So from His miraculous conception to the start of His ministry, Jesus’ life aligned with Old Testament prophecies about the coming Messiah.
During His three-year ministry, Jesus perfectly fulfilled God’s law (Matthew 5:17; Romans 10:4), taught with divine authority (Matthew 7:28-29), exercised power over demons (Matthew 8:28-34), healed the sick (Matthew 9:35), calmed storms (Mark 4:35-41), forgave sins (Luke 7:48-50), and displayed power over death by raising the dead (John 11:1-44). His numerous miracles validated His identity as the Son of God (John 10:25-30).
Jesus came to provide the atoning sacrifice for sin necessary for salvation. Though completely innocent of any sin or wrongdoing (Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22), He willingly suffered and died by crucifixion to pay sin’s penalty and secure redemption (Romans 3:25-26; Hebrews 9:11-15). As Isaiah prophesied, “He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities..the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:5-6). Three days after His death, Jesus rose again, conquering sin and death and proving He is the Son of God (Romans 1:4). Now believers can be forgiven and justified through faith in Christ (Romans 3:21-26).
After appearing to His disciples over a forty-day period, Jesus ascended to heaven to be seated at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19). But He promised to send the Holy Spirit to indwell believers and empower them as witnesses (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8). Jesus’ sacrificial death and powerful resurrection accomplished humanity’s redemption and opened the way for people to be reconciled to God.
Salvation by Grace through Faith
The plan of salvation centers on redemption from sin through Jesus Christ. Apart from Christ, humanity is dead in transgressions, bound by sin, and destined for judgment (Ephesians 2:1, 5). People cannot save themselves by good works or religious rituals (Titus 3:5). Salvation is entirely a work of God’s grace, received by faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). This saving faith involves trusting in who Jesus is and what He accomplished through His perfect life, atoning death, and resurrection victory over sin.
When a person repents of sin and believes the gospel, the results are justification, redemption, reconciliation, regeneration, and adoption into God’s family (Romans 3:21-26; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Galatians 4:4-7). Believers are saved by grace, forgiven of all their sins – past, present, and future. They are clothed in Christ’s righteousness, granted eternal life, and empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit to obey God and bear fruit for His kingdom. Works have no part in earning salvation but are the natural outflow of new life in Christ.
The salvation offered in Jesus is available to all people from all nations. The Messianic promise to Abraham that “all the families of the earth shall be blessed” is fulfilled under the new covenant (Genesis 12:3; Galatians 3:8). People of every tribe, language, and nation are invited to repent, believe, and receive eternal life in Christ (Revelation 5:9; 7:9). This incredible salvation, by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, glorifies God and displays the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1:3-14).
Living the Christian Life
Those who have been saved by God’s grace through faith now live a new life in Christ. Believers are called to grow in holiness by studying God’s word, praying, worshipping with other Christians, fleeing from sin, making Christ the top priority in all things, and bearing spiritual fruit such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and self-control (2 Peter 3:18; Colossians 3:12-17; Galatians 5:22-23). Empowered by the Holy Spirit, God’s people seek to increasingly become like Jesus in thought, word, and action (Romans 8:29).
An important part of the Christian life is making disciples who will go on to make more disciples. Before ascending to heaven, Jesus commanded His followers to make disciples of all nations by going, baptizing, and teaching people to obey Christ’s commands (Matthew 28:19-20). Christians are to reproduce – sharing the gospel with others, discipling new believers, training faithful people to teach others (2 Timothy 2:2). By making disciples and spreading the message of salvation, the church brings glory to God and advances His kingdom purposes.
As believers live on mission and develop Christlike maturity, they joyfully await the full realization of their salvation. At Christ’s second coming, there will be a resurrection of the dead followed by final judgment when every knee will bow and every tongue confess Jesus as Lord (Philippians 2:10-11; Revelation 20:11-15). Those in Christ will be welcomed into the new creation to enjoy life with God forever, while those rejecting Christ will be condemned (Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 21:1-8). God’s original purpose of intimate fellowship between God and mankind will be perfectly restored.
Conclusion
The grand narrative of Scripture tells the story of God’s magnificent plan to rescue people from sin and restore them to eternal loving relationship with Himself. This salvation unfolds progressively through the Old Testament covenants and prophecies that anticipate the coming Messiah. At the perfect time, Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, took on human flesh. He lived a sinless life, died to pay sin’s penalty, and rose victorious over death. Salvation comes through repenting and believing in who Christ is and what He accomplished for us on the cross.
Those who receive God’s gift of salvation experience forgiveness of sins, new spiritual life, adoption into God’s family, and the indwelling Holy Spirit empowering them to obey God. Believers are called to grow in Christlikeness, make disciples, and live on mission until Christ’s second coming. Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead. Those who trusted in Christ will be resurrected to eternal life with God in the new creation, while those rejecting Christ face eternal separation from Him.
The plan of salvation displays the incredible wisdom, love, grace, justice, holiness, sovereignty, power, and glory of our great God. He has provided the only way of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. Those who humbly repent and place their faith in Christ receive the endless blessings of knowing and experiencing an intimate relationship with their Creator for all eternity.