God's Plan

Explore all 54 articles about God's Plan.

God's Plan

Sunday is coming—what does that mean?

“Sunday is coming” means that death never had the final say—God planned victory from the beginning and fulfilled it in Jesus Christ. Jesus' resurrection defeated sin and death and brings new life that begins now and lasts forever for all who will trust in Him.
God's Plan

Why is Good Friday good?

Good Friday is good because Jesus took our place, paying for sin and making a way for us to be forgiven and restored to God. What looked like the worst moment in history became the greatest victory—where sin and death were defeated and eternal life was secured for all who trust in Him.
God's Plan

Are the Jews still God's chosen people?

God made the nation of Israel from the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, choosing them to be His special people through a covenant relationship, with the purpose of reflecting who He is to the world and blessing the nations. Yes, the Jews are still God’s chosen people.
God's Plan

Before Jesus died for our sins, could people be saved? How?

Even before Jesus came, people were saved by trusting God and having faith in His promises, looking forward to the Messiah. Salvation has always been by God’s grace through faith, fulfilled in Jesus Christ for all who believe.
God's Plan

Before the Bible, how did people know about God?

God made Himself known to people even before the Bible was completed. While God has spoken clearly and directly through Scripture, He has often communicated through both natural and supernatural means, as He has seen fit, to share revelation with others.
God's Plan

Can faith change God's plan?

Faith doesn’t alter God’s plans, but it activates them through us. By walking in faith, we become instruments God uses to bring His purposes to life.
God's Plan

Did Jesus come to bring peace on earth?

Jesus came to bring peace—but not the kind the world expects: His first mission was to reconcile us to God through His death and resurrection. True inner and relational peace is available now for believers, while global peace awaits His return.
God's Plan

Did Old Testament believers have eternal security?

Old Testament believers were saved by grace through faith in the unchanging God, just as we are today. Though Old Testament believers looked forward to the promised Savior, their eternal security rested in God’s faithfulness—not their performance.
God's Plan

Dispensational premillennialism / premillennial dispensationalism – What is it?

Dispensational premillennialism teaches that Jesus will return and institute a literal thousand-year reign on Earth, during which time God will complete specific promises to ethnic Israel. Dispensational premillennialism distinguishes Israel and the Church, expects a future tribulation, and often anticipates a rapture of believers before God’s wrath.
God's Plan

Do the four gospels present a different message of salvation than the rest of the New Testament?

No, the four gospels do not present a different message of salvation than the rest of the New Testament. The message of salvation is consistent: all have sinned and are separated from God, but Jesus died and rose again so that all who believe in Him will be saved. Jesus is the only way of salvation.
God's Plan

Is Jesus in the Old Testament?

Jesus isn’t just a New Testament figure—He is woven throughout the entire Bible. The Old Testament sets the stage for the Messiah’s coming, and Jesus fulfills these promises, showing God’s grand plan to redeem humanity from beginning to end.
God's Plan

Is a second advent of the Messiah predicted in the Old Testament?

The Old Testament prophesies about the first coming, or advent, of the Messiah as well as about His second coming. Jesus fulfilled the first advent at His coming, and we are awaiting His second coming.
God's Plan

Is the death of Jesus Christ or His resurrection more important?

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are equally important. Jesus’s death and resurrection fulfilled His role as the Messiah who came to save us from our sins and bring us life.
God's Plan

New Testament theology – What is it?

The New Testament records the fulfillment of the initial prophecies and promises of the Old Testament, recording the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ; His life, death, and resurrection; and the birth of the Church. The New Testament also describes the new covenant, which is the essence of a Christian's relationship with God.
God's Plan

Old Testament theology—What is it?

Old Testament theology studies how God revealed Himself through history—from creation to the coming of Jesus—establishing covenants with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Israel, and David to reveal His character, attributes, and purposes.
God's Plan

The Abrahamic covenant – What is it?

The Abrahamic covenant promises Israel land, descendants, and blessing and redemption for all people. Believers in Christ are a testament to this covenant and get to reflect to the world the restoration God has for all who will believe in Him.
God's Plan

The Adamic Covenant – What is it?

The Adamic Covenant is a two-part covenant from Adam’s creation and after his fall. The Adamic Covenant reminds us of God’s faithfulness to redeem us, despite our sinfulness, and invites us to live in the freedom and hope found in Christ.
God's Plan

The Davidic Covenant – What is it?

The Davidic Covenant established God’s unconditional promise to establish an eternal kingdom, reaffirmed His promise of land to the Israelites, and revealed where the Messiah would come from. The fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant in Jesus invites us to live out kingdom values, assured that His unfailing promises to guide, restore, and redeem will never fail.
God's Plan

The Edenic Covenant - What is it?

The Edenic Covenant was a conditional agreement between God and Adam in Genesis, where Adam’s obedience would result in life, and his disobedience would bring death and other consequences. Adam and Eve sinned and received the punishment for their sin; however, in this punishment, God also provided hope, promising redemption through the future Savior, foreshadowing Christ’s victory over sin and death.
God's Plan

The Mosaic Covenant – What is it?

The Mosaic Covenant was a conditional covenant, where God called His people, Israel, to live according to the Law, which would provide blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. Christ fulfilled the Mosaic Law, fulfilling the requirements of the Law and providing righteousness for all who trust in Him for the forgiveness of sins.
God's Plan

The New Covenant – What is it?

The New Covenant was promised in the Old Testament as a fulfilling culmination of all of God’s former covenants. Because of the New Covenant, believers in Christ are able to obey and follow God out of love through the power of His Spirit and find abundant life in Him.
God's Plan

The Noahic Covenant – What is it?

The Noahic covenant is God’s promise to mankind to never again destroy the earth with a flood.
God's Plan

The Palestinian covenant – What is it?

God promised to scatter Israel for disobedience but also assured their future restoration with hearts renewed to love Him. This Land (or Palestinian) covenant extends Abraham’s promise and points forward to ultimate fulfillment under the Messiah.
God's Plan

The dispensation of conscience – What is it?

The Dispensation of Conscience refers to the period after humanity’s fall, when people relied on conscience as the primary guide for right and wrong and could approach God through blood sacrifice. That era lasted until the Flood, when humanity’s corruption showed that conscience alone couldn't restrain sin, leading to God’s judgment and a new start through Noah.
God's Plan

The dispensation of grace — What is it?

The dispensation of grace, often called the Church Age, started at Pentecost when God brought salvation through Jesus, uniting Jews and Gentiles as one people and giving the Holy Spirit to dwell within them. It continues today and will last until Christ gathers His church near the end of history.
God's Plan

The dispensation of human government — What is it?

After the Flood, God established human government to restrain evil and preserve life, giving humanity authority and responsibility to uphold justice. But pride at Babel brought judgment and scattering—yet even then, God’s plan for redemption through Abraham began to unfold.
God's Plan

The dispensation of innocence — What is it?

The Dispensation of Innocence was humanity’s beginning in perfect fellowship with God before sin entered the world. Adam and Eve’s fall ended that innocence—but God’s promise of a Redeemer pointed to the hope of restoration through Christ.
God's Plan

The dispensation of law – What is it?

The dispensation of law describes the historical period from Mount Sinai to the crucifixion. During this time, Israel lived under the Mosaic covenant, learning about God’s holiness, their sinfulness, and their need for the promised Messiah.
God's Plan

The dispensation of promise – What is it?

: The dispensation of promise spans God’s covenant with Abraham, when He pledged to bless him, his descendants, and all nations through him. The dispensation of promise runs from Abraham’s call to Israel’s arrival at Sinai, revealing human failure and God’s faithful commitment to His word.
God's Plan

The dispensation of the millennial kingdom – What is it?

: The dispensation of the millennial kingdom is the future 1,000-year earthly reign of Jesus after His return, when He rules in righteousness, restores peace, and fulfills God’s promises to Israel and the nations. The dispensation of the millennial kingdom concludes with a final rebellion, the last judgment, and the beginning of the new heavens and the new earth.
God's Plan

The gospel message – What are the essentials?

The essentials of the gospel message are that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day. Believing in the gospel message brings salvation and the forgiveness of sins.
God's Plan

Was Adam and Eve's sin really about eating forbidden fruit?

Adam and Eve’s sin was not because of the fruit they ate; rather, the choice to eat the forbidden fruit symbolized a deeper issue of disobedience and desire for autonomy, rejecting God's authority. We are called to trust in God's wisdom and live in obedience to Him, finding true freedom and joy within His design and commands.
God's Plan

What are the differences between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant?

The Old Covenant pointed to God's holiness through law and sacrifice; the New Covenant fulfills it through Jesus's once-for-all sacrifice. Salvation is by grace through faith in both Old and New Covenants, and today, all people can draw near to God through Christ.
God's Plan

What are the different covenants in the Bible?

There are seven specific covenants included in Scripture. Each covenant serves as a framework for understanding God’s character and His redemptive plan for humanity.
God's Plan

What does it mean that the gospel brings salvation to the Jew first and then the Gentile?

God’s gospel came to the Jews first because of His covenant with Abraham and His faithfulness to Israel, who were entrusted with the promise of the Messiah. Yet salvation is for all—Jew and Gentile alike—united as one people of God through faith in Christ.
God's Plan

What does the Bible say about God's judgment of us in the afterlife?

God’s judgment is real, righteous, and eternal. The only escape for God’s judgment is through faith in Jesus, who bore the judgment we deserve so we could receive mercy we could never earn.
God's Plan

What happened to Old Testament believers after death?

Old Testament believers awaited an afterlife where they would be with God, even though their understanding of it was less clear than ours today. Through Jesus and the New Testament, we now know that all who trust God—then and now—enter His presence immediately after death, securing eternal life.
God's Plan

What is dispensationalism?

: Dispensationalism teaches that God unfolds His plan through distinct eras, highlighting the church as a new work of God while expecting Israel’s promises to be fulfilled literally in the future. Dispensationalism looks forward to Christ’s return to establish a thousand-year reign on earth, completing God’s ultimate plan.
God's Plan

What is the basic timeline of the New Testament?

The New Testament traces Jesus’ life, ministry, and resurrection, followed by the rapid growth of the early church and Paul’s missionary journeys. The timeline of the New Testament reveals God’s purposeful work in history and invites us to faithfully live out His plan today.
God's Plan

What is the basic timeline of the Old Testament?

The Old Testament timeline traces God’s unfolding plan from creation through key events like the Flood, the Exodus, the monarchy, and the exile, leading to the promised Messiah. Understanding the Old Testament timeline reveals centuries of prophecy and covenant, showing God’s faithful and sovereign work throughout history.
God's Plan

What is the movie The Passion of the Christ?

The Passion of the Christ powerfully portrays Jesus’ final hours—from His agony in Gethsemane to His death on the cross—revealing the depth of His suffering and love. Though dramatized and biased towards Catholicism, it vividly captures Jesus’ sacrifice and suffering.
God's Plan

What is the protoevangelium?

The protoevangelium in Genesis 3:15 promises a Savior who will defeat Satan and restore humanity. This prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who provides freedom from sin and victory over evil.
God's Plan

What was the purpose of animal sacrifices in the Old Testament?

The purpose of the animal sacrifices in the Old Testament was to provide temporary covering for sin, but they were insufficient to fully forgive the people of their sins. Christ came as our perfect and complete atonement, by whom we can stand before God with confidence, fully forgiven and free from the guilt and shame of sin.
God's Plan

What was the way of salvation for those living in the times of the Old Testament?

The Old Testament way of salvation was the same as the New Testament way—faith in God's power to save and His willingness to provide that salvation.
God's Plan

Where are the death and resurrection of Messiah prophesied in Hebrew Scriptures?

Jesus fulfilled all of the over 300 prophecies in the Old Testament about the Messiah, many involving His death and resurrection. Because Jesus fulfilled these prophecies, we can trust in Him for the forgiveness of sins.
God's Plan

Where does the Church Age fit into biblical history? What is the Church Age?

The Church Age fits in between the 69th and 70th weeks of Daniel and is the period we are living in now. As we live in the Church Age, the Church is called to make disciples and to reflect God and His kingdom to the world.
God's Plan

Why did God create us, knowing we would sin?

God created us, knowing we would sin, so genuine love and relationship with Him could exist. Although God knew we would sin, He always had a redemptive plan in Christ, turning our failures into a story of grace and restoration.
God's Plan

Why did God flood the earth?

God flooded the earth because human wickedness had reached a breaking point, prompting God to judge sin while also providing salvation for those who trusted in Him. The flood stands as both a warning and a symbol of God’s justice and mercy, reminding us to live holy lives that honor Him.
God's Plan

Why did God give the Mosaic Law? What is the purpose of the Mosaic Law?

God gave the Israelites the Mosaic Law to reveal how He called them to live. The Mosaic Law was for the people’s own good, to reveal Himself to them, to set them apart so He could reveal Himself to others, and to reveal humanity’s need for a savior.
God's Plan

Why did God send Jesus when He did? What is the fullness of time?

God sent Jesus when He did for the people to be ready to receive Him. God sent Jesus in the fullness of time, calling us to trust that He is good and in control of all of humanity and of our lives.
God's Plan

Why did Jesus have to die?

Jesus had to die to fulfill prophecy and to pay the price for our sin, offering us forgiveness and eternal life through His sacrifice. Though religious and political forces conspired against Him, His death was ultimately God’s plan to rescue a broken world.
God's Plan

Why do women seem to have a small role in the Bible?

Women play a vital role in biblical history, particularly in contrast to the roles open to them in the societies in which they lived. God values women, gives them significant roles in His redemptive purposes as seen throughout the Bible, and continues to give women opportunities to lead meaningful and significant lives today.
God's Plan

Why is the empty tomb so important?

The empty tomb is important because it proves Jesus is the Messiah. This not only changed human history, but it assures us of the forgiveness and new life we have in Him. The resurrection changes everything.
God's Plan

Why was a blood sacrifice required in the Old Testament sacrificial system?

The blood sacrifices of the Old Testament prefigured Jesus’s ultimate sacrifice on the cross, symbolizing life and death. Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice frees believers from repeated atonement and provides the fullness of forgiveness and life.