A Study in Paul’s Epistle to the Romans – “On the Road of Righteousness” Chapter Three

Chapter Three: The Deeds of the Law vs. the Righteousness of God.

~ By James Fire

PART ONE – Doomed By Deeds
In this third chapter of Romans, Paul completes his thoughts on the Jewish person whose trust is in the keeping of the Law (humanly speaking, an impossibility), and the conclusion of the matter regarding the whole of humanity and our abject poverty of spiritual virtue.

He then proceeds from this examination of human beings and our sinful condition and nature to the blessed hope of our justification (from vs. 21 to the end of the chapter).

From there he goes on in chapters Four and Five, establishing the basis for our justification, and then, in chapters Six, Seven and Eight he brings up the next phase of our salvation, that being sanctification (dying to self: mortification (ROM 8:13; COL 3:5; and becoming more and more yielded to the Spirit of Christ to transform and enliven us (vivification): ROM 5:17; 6:4,23; 8:2)

Read more!

The ARMOR and IT'S ACCOMPANYING PARTS: Part 7 - Section 4: The Helmet of Salvation:

~~ by James Fire

The HELMET of SALVATION –

EPHESIANS 6:17
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

MATTHEW 1:21
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

2 TIMOTHY 2:10
Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

The very name of Jesus in Hebrew is Y’shua (or as we would say, Joshua) which itself is a contraction of the Hebrew Ye’hovah Shuah or “Our God is salvation”. Note that Jesus doesn’t merely bring salvation; He is Himself our salvation (PSALM 35:3)! Thus we acquire this helmet of Salvation in the reception of the Son of God into our lives (JOHN 1:12), and “put[ting] on Christ (ROM 13:14; GAL 3:27)”. This salvation isn’t derivative (something we get from Him) of Jesus Christ so much as it's integral (to be complete and entire) in His Person.

Read more!

The Simple and Serious Gospel of Salvation – Phase II The Sanctifier is the SAINT's FIRE: Part One

~~ By James Fire

Previously in the article of “A Simple and Serious Gospel of Salvation” I had written:“I’ve been given this opportunity and privilege to share the Gospel in this article and I pray that the LORD is honored by it, and that all who read this are blessed, particularly those who do not yet know Jesus as their LORD and Savior.

“. . . we shall examine the doctrine of salvation by biblical ‘exposition’ [and learn] . . . what the Gospel actually is . . . why salvation is necessary, as well as why Christ alone sacrificed on our behalf is sufficient as payment for the sins of the world.”

“Further, we shall delve even deeper into this study and examine the component ‘parts’ of salvation and see how they relate to the newly born and saved in Christ, and the maturing saint, as well as the saint who has passed from this life into the next.”

The italicized paragraph above is what this ‘Phase II” is going to focus on: now that a person is saved, what next? What is required as a newly born citizen of God’s Kingdom? How is such a one to grow properly and in a spiritually healthy manner?

Read more!