Faith is the Victory

Faith is the Victory
The Armor of the Shield of Faith (Part 5)

Today's Three-minute Bible Study
Print, Study and Apply

Title: Faith is the Victory----------------------- Date: 04/23/1999
Keywords: "faith" "works"

Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation.

The following is one of 42 studies on the "armor of God" as it relates to resisting Web porn. Some of the studies will examine Ephesians chapter six, which is famous for the armor theme. Some of the other studies, however, will examine how the armor pieces are discussed elsewhere in Scripture. All 42 studies are listed in the three-minute study index for the dates April 1 through May 12, 1999. Feel free to study and/or download the entire set. We welcome your feedback to this thematic approach in the three-minute studies.

Passage: Romans 3:27-28*

27. Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.

28. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.

Questions

The setting for these two verses in Romans 3 is this. The apostle Paul is explaining how a person can be eternally saved. In other words, how can a person become a Christian? He is addressing the role that good works play in a person’s salvation. Now, for a couple of questions.....

1. Think of some of the good works a person might perform, thinking that those works will commend them to God. Are you counting on some good thing you might do for God (go to church, give a lot of money to charity, be a good citizen, be a good father and husband, not cheat on your income tax, etc....) to get you to Heaven? According to these verses, what role does your good works play in your salvation?

2. According to these verses, what is the one thing that God honors that a man can "do" to be saved/justified?

Practical help

What a system! God set up a salvation system that totally excludes our good works. He set it up this way for two reasons: (1). He knew that no matter how hard we might try, none of us would be good enough to win our salvation, and (2). He wanted to devise a system that left no room for human boasting.

So, what does God say to a man who is pulled toward Internet porn, knows it is wrong, wants to cease his involvement with the stuff, but can’t seem to resist the itch to click? Steady yourself for this one: Romans 3 teaches that your eternal salvation doesn't hinge on whether you click or not. Salvation comes your way when you trust that Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead paid the penalty for your sins. (If you want a clear explanation on how to find forgiveness, click here. )

The Bible doesn't say that such issues as viewing pornography are unimportant. Not at all. But, the Bible does say that we must not put the cart before the horse. The first step in gaining victory over temptation is to trust Jesus. So is the second step and the third step and the fourth!

As you trust Jesus, watch your capacity to resist temptation increase. The shield of faith really is powerful to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one!

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Copyright 1999 by eXXit
*"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLEŽ, Š Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission."