I recently heard someone say “We used to teach everyone a five step plan of salvation. I’m glad we’ve stopped that plan of salvation stuff. We just need to get people to know Jesus.” That statement and many others with the same general attitude of distain toward the plan of salvation have bothered me a great deal. I would like to ask which step they would leave out.

Step 1 – HEAR: “Faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17. Would you like to explain how we can eliminate this part of God’s plan for our salvation? “How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher (teacher) Romans 10:14.

Step 2 – BELIEVE: As we just read, “How shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed?” The Ethiopian of Acts 8 asked to be baptized but was told he must first believe. Would anyone suggest a person can be saved without Faith!

Step 3 – REPENT: In Acts 2 Peter tells those who wanted to know what they could do about their sin; to repent. This part of God’s plan can’t be emphasized enough. A deep and lasting change should take place in the lives of those who would be partakers of God’s salvation through the blood of Jesus. Do you believe one could leave out repentance and God would accept them only on their belief?

Step 4 – CONFESSION: What a wonderful statement was made in Acts 8:37 when the eunuch said “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Romans 10:9 tell us to “confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord.”

Step 5 – BAPTISM: Someone asked me if I really believed God would not take those who loved Him but were not baptized to Heaven. All I could say was what our Lord said “If you love me you will keep my commandments.” It was the Lord who spoke in Mark 16:15 “He who believed and has been baptized shall be saved.”

We must remember that the plan for our salvation did not start with man. It started with God the Father, made possible because of Jesus our Savior and was told to us through the Word delivered by the Holy Spirit.

Brother Dave