Purpose
To Understand God’s Plan of Salvation
| Q: When were your sins forgiven? Baptised? Saved? Receive the Holy Spirit? – Write a personal timeline of the major spiritual events in your life. |
1 Peter 2:9-10
Only two places exist spiritually (no grey area, middle ground, no purgatory).
| Light | Darkness |
| People of God | Not a people of God |
| Received mercy | Not received mercy |
| (Forgiveness) | (No forgiveness) |
| Royal priesthood | |
| Holy nation1 |
Q: Do you believe you are in the light or darkness?
John 3:1-7
» No one can see the Kingdom of God unless they are born again – Because of our sin,
we need a new birth…a second chance.
» Born of water and the Spirit – This new birth happens with water and the Spirit.
Q: Why born of water?
Q: Where does this new birth happen?
Matthew 26:27-28
» This is my blood of the covenant – Jesus shed his blood on the cross. This sacrifice
allows us to enter a covenant relationship with God.
» Is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins – Jesus’ blood CAN forgive our sin.
Q: According to this passage, is everyone’s sin forgiven?
This would include Hitler, Stalin, Idi Amin, etc.
The important question: How do we receive the forgiveness offered by Jesus’ blood?
Romans 6:1-7
» We were buried with him through baptism into death – We bury our old life in the
waters of baptism.
» Just as Christ was raised from the dead we too may live a new life – We resurrect to
a new life just as Jesus was raised from the dead.
Colossians 2:11-14 » Raised through your faith – This has to be our personal decision. (See diagram) Acts 2:36-41 » What are they told to do? – Repent – Be baptised » Why are we baptised? – Forgiveness of sin – Receive the Holy Spirit – The Greek word baptizo (baptizo) means to dip, plunge, immerse. – Let’s return to our questions from John 3.
Q: Why are we to be born of water?
Q: Where does our new birth happen?
Q: And what gift are we given as our sins are being washed away?
1 Peter 3:18-22
» This water (the flood) symbolizes baptism – God saved Noah through the flood-waters.
» Baptism now saves you also – We are saved through the waters of baptism.
» Pledge of a clear conscience toward God – When we get baptised, we are pledging
a clear conscience to God. We need to have dealt with our sin before we get baptised!
Titus 3:4-6
» He saved us because of his mercy – Our salvation is a gift from God.
» He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit – This
passage summarizes where we began…to be saved we need to be reborn through water
and the Holy Spirit.
WHEN WE GET BAPTISED
1. We are pledging a clear conscience to God.
2. Our sins are washed away (forgiven).
3. We receive the Holy Spirit.
4. Our old, sinful life is buried and we resurrect to a new life.
5. We enter the kingdom of God.
Q: If you look at your timeline and compare it to the Biblical plan for Salvation, is it the
same?
1 God’s vision for his people in Exodus 19:5-6 was for them to be a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.