Real Salvation
God's Eternal Plan of Salvation The scriptures plainly teach that God is not man, not an evolved man, and does not think as man (Gen. 1: 1ff.; Job 38: 4ff.; Isa. 55: 8, 9). I say this to point out that the only way in which man may anticipate the future is by the past. However, God has no such limitation. Of God it is said: "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure" (Isa. 46: 9, 10). God's plan for saving man in Christ is not an after thought, but forethought. Some have the faulty idea of God that he planned matters pertaining to man's salvation as He went along. Not so. God's plan of salvation for man is eternal, if you will, in its inception and conception. Paul wrote to the Ephesians of the "dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you ward" (Eph. 3: 2). The particular grace to which Paul alludes is the matter of the acceptance of the Gentiles (vs. 4, 5). Paul explained, "That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel" (vs. 6). In this vein, Paul is speaking of salvation. All men would be saved in Christ by the gospel (Eph. 3: 1-10). How and when was this plan conceived? Hear the answer: "According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord" (vs. 11). This "eternal purpose" (prothesin ton aionon, purpose of the ages) was in God's man from the beginning. Hence, man's salvation is a plan in every sense of the word. The prophets of old knew of this salvation and that it was associated with Christ of whom they prophesied (I Pet. 1: 10-12). Hence, the matter of salvation in Christ preceded Jesus' actual coming, death, and resurrection. Paul wrote again to the Ephesians in the frame of reference of salvation and stated thus: "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love" (Eph. 1: 4, cp. 3). Some have tried in various ways to weaken the expression "before the foundation of the world" (pro kataboles kosmou). I understand that "world" (kosmos) can mean different things, including simply order or arrangement. However, the obvious meaning of kosmos in Ephesians 1: 4 is world or the earth itself. (cp. Jn. 21: 25). Paul said to the Greek philosophers who were familiar with kosmos (world) that "God that made the world and all things therein…" (Acts 17: 24). Ultimate salvation will be in the upper and everlasting Kingdom of heaven. Regarding such salvation, Jesus will say to the faithful on the Judgment Day: "…Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matt. 25: 34). It is of no surprise, then, that the very first prophecy pertained to salvation, salvation in Christ (Gen. 3: 15). Hence, Genesis 3: 15 prophesied a temporary triumph of Satan (Jesus' death), but a devastating victory on the part of Jesus (Jesus' resurrection). All of this involved the "determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2: 23, see also Gal. 4: 4). We now raise the question of what does this eternal salvation consists and exactly what is it? The primary Greek noun translated salvation is soteria (found 45 times in the Greek New Testament). Soteria means, "denotes deliverance, preservation, salvation" (Vine, Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words). Thayer only contributes the "added" thought of "safety" (Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon, pg. 612). The concept and state of salvation is viewed in the past, present, and future tenses in the scriptures (Rom. 8: 24, I Cor. 15: 2, Rom. 13: 11). The salvation that God eternally conceived is associated with Jesus Christ. "And she shall bring forth a son," the angel told Joseph, "and<
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God's Eternal Plan of Salvation The scriptures plainly teach that God is not man, not an evolved man, and does not think as man (Gen. 1: 1ff.; Job 38: 4ff.; Isa. 55: 8, 9). I say this to point out that the only way in which man may anticipate the future is by the past. However, God has no such limitation. Of God it is said: "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure" (Isa. 46: 9, 10). God's plan for saving man in Christ is not an after thought, but forethought. Some have the faulty idea of God that he planned matters pertaining to man's salvation as He went along. Not so. God's plan of salvation for man is eternal, if you will, in its inception and conception. Paul wrote to the Ephesians of the "dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you ward" (Eph. 3: 2). The particular grace to which Paul alludes is the matter of the acceptance of the Gentiles (vs. 4, 5). Paul explained, "That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel" (vs. 6). In this vein, Paul is speaking of salvation. All men would be saved in Christ by the gospel (Eph. 3: 1-10). How and when was this plan conceived? Hear the answer: "According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord" (vs. 11). This "eternal purpose" (prothesin ton aionon, purpose of the ages) was in God's man from the beginning. Hence, man's salvation is a plan in every sense of the word. The prophets of old knew of this salvation and that it was associated with Christ of whom they prophesied (I Pet. 1: 10-12). Hence, the matter of salvation in Christ preceded Jesus' actual coming, death, and resurrection. Paul wrote again to the Ephesians in the frame of reference of salvation and stated thus: "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love" (Eph. 1: 4, cp. 3). Some have tried in various ways to weaken the expression "before the foundation of the world" (pro kataboles kosmou). I understand that "world" (kosmos) can mean different things, including simply order or arrangement. However, the obvious meaning of kosmos in Ephesians 1: 4 is world or the earth itself. (cp. Jn. 21: 25). Paul said to the Greek philosophers who were familiar with kosmos (world) that "God that made the world and all things therein…" (Acts 17: 24). Ultimate salvation will be in the upper and everlasting Kingdom of heaven. Regarding such salvation, Jesus will say to the faithful on the Judgment Day: "…Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matt. 25: 34). It is of no surprise, then, that the very first prophecy pertained to salvation, salvation in Christ (Gen. 3: 15). Hence, Genesis 3: 15 prophesied a temporary triumph of Satan (Jesus' death), but a devastating victory on the part of Jesus (Jesus' resurrection). All of this involved the "determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2: 23, see also Gal. 4: 4). We now raise the question of what does this eternal salvation consists and exactly what is it? The primary Greek noun translated salvation is soteria (found 45 times in the Greek New Testament). Soteria means, "denotes deliverance, preservation, salvation" (Vine, Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words). Thayer only contributes the "added" thought of "safety" (Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon, pg. 612). The concept and state of salvation is viewed in the past, present, and future tenses in the scriptures (Rom. 8: 24, I Cor. 15: 2, Rom. 13: 11). The salvation that God eternally conceived is associated with Jesus Christ. "And she shall bring forth a son," the angel told Joseph, "and<
Isaac Sandifer Jr.
Cleophas Reaves Jr.
