Shall a Wonderful Plan from God Bless You in Eternity?

© 2022 by Tom Boynton (editing by Kathy Boynton)

In the 1970s, I received a small gospel tract entitled “God Has a Wonderful Plan for Your Life.”  For many years it became one of the most popular tracts in existence.  However, I became concerned as I observed the fruit that this tract’s message tends to produce.  Even the title tends to give false assurance to an unrepentant sinner.

One day, during the era of this tract’s popularity, I was presenting the gospel to a fellow military officer.  He said to me, “A God of love would not punish me for simply not believing in Him, would He?”  More recently a young Christian told me that, rather than emphasizing sin, we should simply present the gospel.  Such a view fails to recognize that salvation from sin, through the sacrificial blood of Christ, is the gospel’s essential message.  You cannot present the true gospel without recognizing the problem of sin!

Consider the statement, “God has a Wonderful Plan for Your Life.”  Is this true even for the individual who never repents of sin?  Certainly not!  God’s actual plan for one who never trusts Him, is far from “wonderful” for that person.  Listen to what the Bible says about this.

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36)

One day, Jesus told a parable about a householder who had planted wheat.  In that parable an enemy sowed tares among the wheat seeds to corrupt the crop.  Later on, Jesus’ disciples asked Him to explain this parable to them.  Listen to Jesus’ explanation.

“He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;  The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;  The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.  As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.  The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;  And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 13:37-42)

Have you recognized that God the Son, Jesus, came to save His people from their sins? (see Matthew 1:21).  Have you asked Him to rescue you from your sins?

 

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