The Plan of Redemption

The Plan of Redemption
Finished! The Message of Easter 
Terry R. Baughman
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love” (Ephesians 1:3-4). 
God’s plan is not reactionary, but proactive. He does not need to respond to situations and adapt to changing trends, rather He sets things in motion that will coordinate in some future moment at just the right time. God knows the end from the beginning so there is a purposeful relevance to all that God sets out to accomplish. When God moves He knows the end result and He knows the intended reaction of intentional recipients. 
John said, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). God was in the beginning and the power of His Word was evident. “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:3). John goes on to say, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
We were chosen, “in Him before the foundation of the world.” So before the world was made, before the elements came together in God ordained Creation, and before there was ever a sin, the plan of redemption was set in motion and the remedy for an atonement was provided. God knew that sin would ravage His created beings and His glorious intention would be temporarily abated, but then that was also part of the plan. There is a heavenly record. It is the “Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). Before the beginning He wrote the ending! God has always had a plan.
Christ’s coming, the “Word became flesh,” the incarnation, was the culmination of His pre-ordained plan. This was His plan from the beginning. He knew we needed a Savior and He was the only One who could redeem us from the power of sin. Though it seems difficult to comprehend, Jesus came to die and to live again! Throughout His thirty-three and a half years there was intention in every move. While others were not allowed to know the bigger picture until the very end, Jesus understood His purpose. Even when faced with the painful truth of His sacrifice He surrendered to this purpose, “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour” (John 12:27 NIV). Facing the judgment of Pilate, Jesus revealed His purpose, the truth of His existence and deity, “For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth” (John 18:37).
The plan of redemption was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Because He came we can live in Him! “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:20–22 NIV).
Theme passage:
“… although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.” (Hebrews 4:3).

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