A FIREWALL is a metal panel designed to prevent fire from moving from one location to another location.  In an automobile the firewall separates the interior of the vehicle from the engine area where fire is most likely to occur in case of an accident.  I once tried to drill a hole through the wall that divided my daughter’s kitchen from her living area.  I immediately hit a metal wall that I could not penetrate.  The kitchen is the most likely area to catch fire.  The living area is where she spends most of her time.  The firewall between the two areas protected her and others in case of a kitchen fire.

In the spiritual realm God has provided a firewall that separates the hearts of His true, obedient saints from Satan’s “fiery darts” of temptation (Eph. 6:16).  If not stopped by the “armor” the temptation will penetrate the inner heart where sin is created.  The Apostle James explains this process in detail.  We will study this classic bit of “fine print” in a later posting.  Sin separates the believer from God (Isa. 59:2), leaving him/her with only his/her own power to resist all other “darts,” which bring about other sins.  Simply put: SIN BEGETS SIN.  On our own, we have no chance against Satan.  In the series titled Sin Is A Choice (key word–Choice) I prove Scripturally that sin (yielding to Satanic temptation) is a self-inflicted wound, an unforced error that results when we fail to build a firewall–God’s promised armor of protection–against the constant bombardment from the “powers of the air”–Satan and his fallen angels (devils/demons).  There is no limit to the delightful self-serving items Satan’s world has to offer.

Biblical fact: IF SOMETHING IS NOT OF THE BIBLICAL GOD, IT IS OF THE WORLD’S GOD, which is Satan (2 Cor. 4:4).  There is no gray area.  One is either holy or unholy.  One sin (leaven), if left unrepented, infects the entire person.  As Jesus told the rich man, “One thing” would prevent him from inheriting eternal life (Mk. 10:17-22).  Jesus knew that, because he refused to give up that ONE SIN, he was open to many more.  As He said, “A little leaven leavens the whole loaf.

Contrary to universal church opinion, there is no such thing as a “sinner saved by grace.”  A believer is one or the other, Jesus and Judas being prime examples of each type.  Read Christ’s message to the Laodicean Church in Revelation 3:14-22 in which He perfectly describes the modern counterfeit (Catholic/Protestant) church system in which I spent many years, much of that time as a protestant minister.  Thank God I finally obeyed His command given to all salvation seekers in Second Corinthians 6:14-7:1.  Though God’s saints are in the world, they are not of the world–they are “called out” and “sanctified”–separated from the world as far as holiness is separated from sin and God is from Satan.  As the Apostle James tells us in 4:4: “Friendship with the world makes one the enemy of God.”  We must be sanctified (separated from the world).  Jesus tells us in John 17:17 that we can only be sanctified by obedience to God’s Word.  Obedience to His Truth makes us different.  Contrary to the beliefs of the counterfeit (Catholic/Protestant) church, holiness and sin do mix.  One is not holy and righteous simply by being religious, even super religious.  One is holy and righteous only by obedience, the end result of which is salvation (Rom. 5:21; 6:22).

Recall that Satan offered Jesus the entire world and all its glory if He would bow down and worship him, thereby saving Himsel from the horrific death that awaited Him.  Note that Jesus did not refute his (Satan’s) ownership of the entire world.  Nor did He refute Satan’s ownership of the religious world.  Notice also that Jesus had a firewall that enabled Him to resist the seemingly irresistible temptation that Satan offered him.  Jesus told him where to go, knowing that he would return again, and again ….  The Lord’s firewall (armor) would remain in place until the end ONLY because He obeyed God until the end.  That same armor is available to whosoever will obey God as did Jesus, thereby making the obedient one His BROTHER (read Mat. 12:46-50) and His FRIEND (read Mat. 15:13,14).  Christ’s death accomplishes its purpose only for His spiritual “brethren” and “friends.”  These are those who comprise His church (Gk.–ekklesia– “called out” ones), who live IN the world but not AS the world.  Read “I Will Build My Church.”  Key word–Build.

I recommend that you stop at this point and read the entire Book of Ephesians before proceeding with this study.  Paul’s letter to that church offers a powerful expression of God’s will and how one fits into it.  In this series I will often refer to the Ephesian letter in that it contains a treasure trove of Truths which one must believe and obey in order to qualify for eternal life.  In order to come to that point one must set aside everything one has learned in the Institutional Church and focus on God’s pure Word.  THEY ARE ANATHEMA TO EACH OTHER.  Jesus said in Matthew 7:13,14 and 22:14 that the vast majority of salvation seekers who hear God’s Truth and His call to obey it unto salvation will NOT do so.  He lamented that the masses of salvation seekers will hear Satan’s counterfeit call and obey his “truth” unto destruction, all the while “knowing” that they are following the Biblical God.  Read Bait and Switch.  Key word–Bait.

I have found this to be the case relative to this ministry.  I pray that you will be among the “few” who “choose” to hear God’s call and answer it by obeying His Word/Law/Light/Gospel/Will AS IT IS WRITTEN, which is how this website presents the Holy Scriptures.  Having assumed that you have carefully read Paul’s letter to the Ephesian Church, I will henceforth refer to it without providing chapter and verse references.  The true seeker of God’s Truth will appreciate His “fine print” which is absolutely necessary in order to understand His message.  Read Isaiah 28:9-13 to understand why I go into depth when presenting God’s Holy Word.  What you have heard in church are His “headlines” (WHAT He has promised).  This ministry highlights His “fine print” (HOW His promises are received).  Not knowing His “fine print” is like being given a vault filled with money and not know the combination.  Without the “how to” information, God’s promises (“headlines”) are meaningless to the believer.  Believing (having faith) is useless without putting it to work.  Read James 2:10,14,17,18,20,24,26 where the apostle tells us that faith (belief), no matter how great it is, is dead without obedience to that in which one has faith–GOD’S HOLY WORD (Rom. 10:19).  FAITH IS TAKING GOD AT HIS WORD–THE HOLY BIBLE.

In his letter to the church at Ephesus, the Apostle Paul is addressing a biologically Gentile congregation that had become spiritual Israelites by embracing Jesus Christ and obeying His Father’s Law.  For convenience, He condensed His Law into the Ten Commandments.  Read the series concerning God’s Law.  Key word–Law.  L.J.