To Explain All He Has Done to Save Man

God created man an intelligent being. Man is able to reason, study and understand (Genesis 1:26). God gave man the Bible to read and study so that he might learn and understand the way of salvation.

“For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles — if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets…” (Ephesians 3:1-5).

In preparing for the salvation of man, as seen in the Old Testament, God chose Abraham from whom He would develop a nation of people (Genesis 12:1-3). God cultivated and tutored that nation for hundreds of years that through it He might bring the Savior, Jesus Christ the seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:16), into the world. He blessed them when they were obedient but severely punished them when they departed from His way. We know all of this because God has given it to us in the Bible so that we might benefit from it (1 Corinthians 10:7-11; Romans 15:4). In the Old Testament, shadows, types, prophecies and promises all relating to salvation are found which find their fulfillment in the New Testament.

In the New Testament, that which is authoritative for people today, one learns:

• Of the sacrificial death, the victorious resurrection, and the glorious coronation of Christ as king over His kingdom (Acts 2:22-36).
• Of the establishment of the church (Acts 2:1ff).
• That the word of God has been given to serve as man’s infallible guide in all matters pertaining to life and godliness (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3)

All this was done by God to save man from sin.