God's Plan of Redemption

In Acts 2:37-38 we find the Three Part Plan of Redemption laid out.

37: Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles, "Men and brethern, what shall we do?"

38: Then Peter said unto them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Part 1: Repent. Repenting is not just saying or being sorry for past actions, but a turning away from those actions and a strong intention of not repeating the same mistakes. These mistakes may not be actual sin, but simply actions or associations that lead you back into the same behavior that led to the sin in the beginning. To repent is to change your life, not just remove the guilt of the original sin.

Part 2: Baptism. Baptism is an outward showing of an inward feeling, but it is also a further commitment made by you to the doing of God's work. I use full immersion baptism in the name of Jesus Christ, but it is not the method or Name that matters, but what is inside of you at the time of the baptism. Your attitude toward baptism is the important part of the action. It is possible to go down a dry sinner and come up a wet one. This happens if the person being baptized thinks that baptism is the end action of a Christian life. Baptism is only the beginning of a Christian life. It is part of the foundation you use to build a life of service to God and His people.

Part 3:Gift of the Holy Ghost. In Acts 1:8 we are told that we will receive power after the Holy Ghost is come upon us. This power is a necessary part of being a Christian. Without this power we would find it impossible to continue to live a Christian life. It is simply the Spirit of God coming to dwell within you.

By following the three part plan we place ourselves in God's house and under His protection. It is this that gives us the power to deal with the problems that plague us each and every day. To continue in God's Grace we need to follow the Principle's that we have been given.