Already Completed Salvation - Romans - (I)

The intro reads: "When reading the words of the Bible through the lens of this gospel of the water and the Spirit, one finally comes to realise how sophisticated Paul's argument is. This book leads the reader to wrestle with the Bible themselves through a 'Q&A' (asking and answering) method. While finding the answers from the perspective of the gospel of the water and the Spirit through key texts and questions in each chapter, it can be utilised not only for personal meditation but also as material for small group Bible studies and discipleship training."
This book promises a lot, and it certainly delivers. Paul's argument is indeed sophisticated. Taught at the feet of Gamaliel, Paul learnt the intricate details of God's Law in the Old Testament. But when Jesus met him on the road to Damascus, his life changed. Jesus revealed Himself to Paul, and Paul came to know for the first time His Lord and Saviour. Before, Paul only knew God's law, but he didn't know the role of the law. But after being born again, he came to understand and believe in Jesus Christ, stopped persecuting His followers and became an apostle of the Lord himself.
Early on, the author says this book is not for academic commentary or theological debate.
So, only those mourning over their sins and who are sincerely lost will find salvation explained perfectly in the pages of this book. This book is for those suffering from sin and craving the assurance of salvation.
The preface asks the reader to hold the Bible text in their hand and read along with an open heart. Amen
Chapter one explains that the gospel is from God, fulfilled by God and promised in the Scriptures through the prophets. Paul introduces himself as one set apart by God for the service of the gospel to both Jews and Gentiles. He earnestly desired to visit the believers in Rome and to further share with them the wisdom of the gospel. Rome consisted of both Jews and Gentile believers, and so the preaching of the gospel in the book of Romans addresses the obstacles that both groups encounter in their walk of faith.
Beginning with Jesus Christ, Romans 1:3 says, "concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh." Paul here is explaining the genealogy of Jesus, who came according to the Scriptures. It is important for everyone to know where all things begin. Jesus Christ created the heavens and the earth, and He came to this world to save us, His creation. Jesus came through the lineage of King David. The prophets prophesied about the coming of the Saviour. Jesus didn't save mankind from the Heavens and declare salvation through the prophets alone, but He actually came to this world, received our sins through the laying on of hands by John the Baptist, bore the punishment of sin on the Cross, rose from the dead and now sits at the right hand of God the Father, having completed our salvation for us.
Like the religionists of today, the Jews in Paul's time believed that acknowledging God's law is what saved them. But knowing God’s law should humble us to seek His mercy, not boast in our keeping of the law, which we cannot do. The role of the law is to reveal our sins; it cannot save us. It shows us just how wicked and incapable we are of reaching salvation on our own even if we try with all our might to keep all of God's commandments. That's why the Israelites in the Old Testament had to constantly offer sacrifices because they continually broke God's commandments.
Paul pointed out the hypocrisy of the Jews who thought they were superior to the Gentiles because they knew God's Law, and he did this by revealing their inability to be saved through the Law. Paul explained what a true Jew was: one that is circumcised in the heart. To be circumcised in heart means to believe that Jesus took away all your sins when He was baptized by John the Baptist. The Jews, Gentiles, and us today must believe in the baptism and blood of Jesus to be saved. It is the only way. This is Paul's message, and only when we accept our sins before the Law of God can we be saved and meet Jesus as Paul did.
How do we come to Jesus Christ and obtain new life?
The answer is explained very clearly in this chapter. Knowing oneself accurately through the Law is the first step, and believing in Jesus Christ’s righteous acts cleanses our heart of all sin. We have to know that we are seeds of sin. We cannot come to Jesus Christ without knowing who we are. We must approach the Lord in total agreement with His Law that says, "The law has dominion over a man as long as he lives" (Romans 7:1), and "The wages of sin is death."
"And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgement" (Hebrews 9:27).
If we die once to the Law by accepting the wages of our sins, which is death, we can live again in Christ. If we die physically without Jesus, then we die eternally and go to hell.
"For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace" (Romans 8:6). This beautiful passage is the focus of the ending of the book. At the beginning, the path to salvation is clearly mapped out for us by the Apostle Paul. He addresses both those who don't know God's Word and those who think they do and are already saved. Both types of people exist today. I was someone who didn't know God's law; I certainly didn't know there were 613 of His statutes. I had only heard of the 10 commandments. But after reading Paul C. Jong's free Christian books, I now know the role of the law and how God has saved me. All you have to do is to have an open heart and take in God's Word and say yes, even if you don't understand everything that you read, but you will in time. Beginning with addressing the issues of the Roman Church, the end of the book encourages the reader to focus on being spiritually minded once accepting the gospel of the water and the Spirit into your heart.
Fleshly thoughts arise in our hearts all the time, but we should often dwell and ruminate on the Word. The book lovingly reminds us to keep going. In a world where everything but the gospel is bleak, temptations still arise to make you want to give up your faith through the lust of the flesh, and the climate of your surrounding tempts you to serve your own individual desires. However, the Word says that to be carnally minded is death. This is true, even if in the moment we feel that serving our flesh will be worthwhile, it won't. So, we can always rely on God's word as our beacon of light when Satan and his fleshly distractions are ever present.
We are also reminded not to be swayed by the values of the world, which is heading for destruction, but firmly hold onto spiritual thoughts. God has given us the blessed and noble mission of saving lives to the end.
Like the confession, "Whether we live or die, we are the Lord's" (Romans 14:8), when there is firm faith to live for God, we can overcome the temptation of the flesh.
Hallelujah
Loren Simons, UK