GOD’S ETERNAL PLAN

(Part 2)

Intro.

1. Review Part 1 (Eph. 3:8-12):

a. Man is a sinner & cannot save himself.

b. Man needs to be saved or he will die in his sins.

c. God has the power & plan to save sinners (Jesus Christ) {planned, executed & revealed}.

d. God has revealed His scheme of human redemption & preserved it is His word, the Bible.

2. How we understand & use the Bible is crucial to our salvation! 1 Tim. 2:3-4

I. THE SCHEME OF HUMAN REDEMPTION IS THE THEME OF THE BIBLE.

A. The Eternal Purpose of God – Eph. 3:11; 1:3-6, 11; Heb. 2:9-10.

B. The Tree of Life – Gen. 2:9; 3:22-23; Rev. 2:7; 22:1-2.

C. The Promises God Made to Abraham –Gen. 12:1-3, 7; Gal. 3:16, 19, 13-14 (Mk. 16:16; Rom. 1:16).

D. The Seed of Woman – Gen. 3:15; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14; 49:10; 2 Sam. 7:12-14 (Acts 2:29-31); Gal. 4:4.

II. IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT ONE STUDIES THE BIBLE WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE FOR HUMAN REDEMPTION.

A. Rightly Divide God’s Word – 2 Tim. 2:15.

1. Error comes from not knowing the scriptures – Matt. 22:29.

2. Destruction of the soul results – 2 Pet. 3:16.

B. A Common Error: Unduly Stressing One Part of God’s Plan While Minimizing Another Part of the Same Plan.

1. The way Satan uses scripture! – cf. Matt. 4:5-7

2. Examples:

a. Use of the Old Testament Failing to distinguish the covenants causes doctrinal confusion!

b. Premillennialism – Failing to understand the promises of God (purposes & fulfillments) and the kingdom of God, they look for what will never occur!

c. How to be saved: Not faith only (Jas. 2:20; Heb. 5:9); H-B-R-C-B.

d. The church: Viewed as insignificant, afterthought, etc. (Eph. 3:10-11; Acts 2:47).

e. True worship: Not OT shadows…NT substance (Jno. 4:21-24).

Conclusion

1. God’s plan has been revealed – Sinners must believe & obey – Rom. 1:16-17; Heb. 5:9.

2. You can be saved if you will you fear God, believe & obey – Acts 10:34-35.

3. We preach Christ – the center & circumference of God’s scheme of redemption – our hope of glory! – Col. 1:27-28