So when one obeys the Gospel, sins are forgiven and the gift of the Holy Spirit is given, Acts 2:38 [“Then Peter said to them, ’Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”].

When one obeys the Gospel, one is added to the church, Acts 2, verse 47 [“Praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”].

And when one obeys the Gospel, one receives the hope of eternal life [Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”].

But that’s not the end. It’s the beginning! Having been raised to walk in newness of life, one must engage in faithful Christian living, and must be involved in devotion and in worship in accordance with the New Testament pattern, Revelation 2, verse 10 [“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”]; 2 Timothy 1, verse 13 [“Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.”].

Perhaps seeing the plan of salvation in this fashion and making the association with the nature of man, with sin and what it has done, and then looking at God’s plan to implement His grace, we can see how that works and fits together. It makes perfect sense to me! I can see it! I think I can explain it! So it’s not some deep, dark mystery. It’s God’s Plan. It’s God’s plan for the implementation of His grace and for the atonement of mankind. There is no merit of our own in what we do to be saved, because God has given salvation. He’s given His grace as a free gift. Jesus paid the full price for salvation. It’s not as if by doing what we do [God’s plan of salvation], that there is some balance due for salvation. No!! Jesus paid it all! All we are doing is meeting the conditions that God has set forth. Yes, we must comply with those conditions that God has given in order to be saved. When wecomply, we are saved by God’s grace.