ACCORDING TO THE PLAN
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God.”–John 3:16–18
Even before the creation of the world and Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden, God’s plan for our redemption had already been established. Nothing in the Christmas story happened by accident or coincidence. It was all arranged and ordered ahead of time. John wrote, “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). The need for a Saviour did not take God by surprise. He was not caught off guard when man fell and death entered the world. There was no search for a solution to the problem of sin—it was already in place.
Jesus made the necessity of salvation crystal clear when He talked to Nicodemus. Every person is born under the condemnation of sin. Our destiny is not determined by our actions, thoughts or intentions, but by our nature. We start out as sinners, opposed to God. The Saviour did not come for the good, but those hopelessly lost without Him. Jesus said, “But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9:13). Our most desperate need—salvation from our sins—can only be obtained by faith in Jesus as our substitute and Saviour according to God’s plan. God’s love for us is clearly seen in His plan that brought Jesus into the world at Christmas. (Daily in the Word)
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346
