Plan of Salvation
Exchanging Self-centered for Christ-centered
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2 Corinthians 5:17 |

Galatians 2:20-21 |

1 John 3:23-24 |

Ephesians 2:4-5 |

Ephesians 2:10 |
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John 15:8 |

Matthew 5:16 |

Philippians 2:12-13 |

Philippians 1:11 |

2 Corinthians 9:8-12 |
There is a word used to define what happens when Heavenly Father brings a person to faith.
That word is “convert”. Convert literally means “to turn around”. It implies not only a change in direction;
but a change to the opposite direction. The word conversion is often used to present the picture of a
person turning to God. So the obvious question is: “What is that person turning from?” The
answer, of course is
‘Self’. Conversion is turning away from ‘Self’
and turning to God. This is what happens when a person is brought to faith.
It is through this miracle of conversion that the Great Exchange is enacted. When Jesus was
testifying to Nicodemus concerning entering the kingdom of God he described conversion as being “born again”.
When a person says “I am born again”, he or she means “I have
been converted to live a life centered on God.” When talking to his disciples about gaining
Eternal Life Jesus described the
moment of coming to faith as crossing over from death to life.
Not only is
the person turned (converted) from
‘Self’ to God; he or she is transformed from being spiritually dead to being spiritually alive. Before
conversion a person’s spirit is dead because of his or her sin. After conversion that same person is said to be alive in
Christ because he or she has been “made alive” with Christ. The word ‘quicken’ is often used to describe this miracle of being
made alive with Christ.
Another way to characterize the turning from
‘Self’ to God is: “Exchanging Self-centeredness
for Christ-centeredness”. This is the title and the focus of this Drawer of Gems. The Gems are all
crystal clear to reflect the new radiant being people become when Heavenly Father makes them alive in Christ.
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