The armor of God. We need to put it on once and don’t take it off. When the apostle Paul describes the armor of God, he is talking about more than a simple set of helpful tips. He is talking about the defenses of the Almighty God. These are keys to withstanding the attacks and onslaughts of the great dragon of old, Satan the devil. They are ultimate and infinitely powerful tools available to us as Christians. 1. The belt of truth. The belt, known as the cingulum or balteus, played a crucial role in the effectiveness of a soldiers armor. It was the belt that held the scabbard, without which there would be no place to put a sword. Imagine an overzealous soldier, fired up and charging out into battle but without his belt, and consequently without a weapon. A belt encompasses the waist. Does our conviction to the truth encompass us? Truth must be bound around us and written on our hearts. Our conviction must reach beyond an outward show. In addition, the Nelson Study Bible says from the belt hung strips of leather to protect the lower body. The Matthew Henry Commentary says the belt girds on (secures) all the other pieces of our armor. Truth should cleave to us as a belt cleaves to our body. As Christians, we are to test all things and then hold on only to that which is good—the truth—discarding all else. We are to be like the Bereans who searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so (Acts 17:11). If we are not convinced that our principles and beliefs are without exception 100 percent true, how can we expect to accomplish anything? Proverbs 3:3-4 “Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man”. 2. Breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate was a central part of the Roman soldiers armor, it provided protection for the torso, which contains vital organs like the heart, lungs and so on. Without a breastplate, a soldier would be asking for death, as any attack could instantly become fatal. With a sturdy breastplate, the very same attacks become ineffective and useless, as blows glance off the armor. To be righteous is to do what is right in Gods eyes. Gods commandments are righteousness. In contrast, lawlessness is sin, and sin is the opposite of righteousness. So to be righteous is to obey Gods laws of love. Proverbs 11:4 “Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death”. Without righteousness, we leave ourselves open to almost certain death. With righteousness just as with a breastplate, the otherwise fatal attacks of our enemy are thwarted. 3. The Shoes of the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace A shoeless soldier could run into real trouble in the heat of battle. Unless he is fighting on grass, he is going to encounter some debris. It may be nothing more than twigs and pebbles, but to a bare foot that can cause serious pain and one of the last things you want to deal with in the middle of a fight is worrying about where you step. In short, shoes allow us to step freely and without fear while we turn our full attention to the battle at hand. The Greek word translated gospel (euaggelion) simply means good news. This raises a question: The good news of what? The first description used in the Gospels also summarizes all the others: The gospel of the Kingdom. The good news of the Kingdom of God includes the good news about Jesus Christ the King, His grace (unmerited pardon) and His plan of salvation for all mankind. This plan gives us peace now, and will bring peace to the whole world! This is the message Gods people are eager to share with others. Our loving Father is preparing us all for a future beyond imagination and description Gods Church is sent to announce the good news of Gods Kingdom, which will spread His way of peace around the whole world. Having our shoes on, we are ready to move, to spread these glad tidings to others. In the Apostle Pauls day, he walked countless miles in delivering the good news. Today, transportation and communication have changed, but we must also be constantly ready to do our part to spread the good news. Pauls description of the armor of God has been limited to items we wear. We put on the belt, the breastplate and the shoes, and they essentially hold themselves up. 4. Shield of Faith Pauls description of the armor of God has been limited to items we wear. We put on the belt, the breastplate and the shoes, and they essentially hold themselves up. The shield is different. Paul tells us that the shield is something we must take up, something we are required to raise. Just strapping it to our arm wont do any good at all if we dont make the effort to hold it and use it. The Roman shield (the scutum) was not the standard medieval-esque shield most picture in their minds upon hearing the word. It was instead a very large, slightly curved rectangular shield featuring at its center a large metal knob (called a boss). The scutum was an impressive line of defense. Because of its sheer size (some were three and a half feet tall and almost three feet wide), soldiers were afforded a great deal of protection from enemies. Because of its slight curve, it was able to deflect attacks without transferring the full force of the assault to the man holding the shield. Because of its boss, it was able to deflect even the more vicious blows and function in a limited offensive capacity as a means of knocking an opponent backwards. Here is a biblical definition of faith that clears up some common misconceptions. If faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, then this has far-reaching implications. Substance is tangible, and evidence is solid proof. Faith is, by definition, not some hazy emotion without any grounding in reality. It is the irrefutable truth. It is real. A shield guards. While a physical shield protects us physically, faith can protect our spiritual lives even in the middle of physical trials. When Satan (through Nebuchadnezzar) attacked the values and beliefs of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego, they were able to stand resolute and unwavering because of their faith. In their response, they essentially said, God is capable of delivering us from this fate. We dont know if He will or not, but that doesnt matter. He gave us His commands, and we are going to keep them regardless of the physical outcome. We know He can just as easily raise us from the dead. Ephesians 6:16 ...above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. A shield deflects. Satan is always hurling his fiery darts of fear, doubt and worry in our direction, but the only time they can hit us is when we let our shield of faith down—when we stop believing that God is in control; that He is working everything out for our good; that whatever happens is for the ultimate best of everyone involved, however little it seems to be that way. 5. Helmet of salvation. When Paul wrote to the Ephesians about the helmet of salvation, some of them may have found the analogy to be a familiar one. In the book of Isaiah, a description of God shows Him as having put on both the breastplate of righteousness and the helmet of salvation (Isaiah 59:17). In referencing this Old Testament scripture, Paul drives home the point that it is in every sense of the word the armor of God, the same armor He Himself wears. But it also leads us to consider what salvation is, what it has to do with a helmet and what it means for us. Every human being has thought (in our mind) and acted in ways that are abominable to God. Our sins break Gods living laws designed for our good. Sin is so vile to God that it requires the death penalty. Gods justice requires that penalty. But Gods loving mercy provided the most incredible substitute. Jesus Christ, our Creator, was willing to die in our place! To be saved, we need a Savior. It is important to understand that salvation cannot be earned. It is a gift from God and not something we can obtain through the right actions, thus obligating God to give it to us. Still, as weve seen in the scriptures covered so far, repentance (abhorring our sins and seeking Gods forgiveness and help to obey His laws), faith, accepting Christs sacrifice and coming to the knowledge of the truth are all steps in accepting the free gift. In no way do these efforts make up for our sins that caused the death of our Creator and Savior! So the helmet has to do with our mind and renewing it so we have the mind of Christ. 6. Sword of the Spirit. The sword is the only item listed by Paul that serves in an offensive capacity. Even if we have all the rest of the armor equipped perfectly, without our sword, we amount to little more than heavily armored moving targets. Perhaps this is why we remember the name of King Arthurs sword and not, for example, his footwear. While the rest of the armor is undoubtedly vital, it is the sword and only the sword that allows us to attack, to directly do the work that needs to be done. Gods Word (the Holy Bible) illuminates. It reveals to us the good and the bad, the wise and the unwise. It is the ultimate tool in learning how to live the best possible life, free from the restraints of stumbling in darkness. John 17:17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. Gods Word is truth, plain and simple. We can have perfect confidence in the fact that His words are accurate, true and unerring. When followed, they guide us without fail in the paths that we need to walk. We can be destroyed by lack of the knowledge of God (Hosea 4:6), but we will be blessed if we hear and keep the Word of God (Luke 11:28). And the knowledge is not just for us. We are to be ready to answer others who ask us (1 Peter 3:15). Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”. The all-powerful sword of the living God is able to cut through every defense our enemy can raise, down to the very division of bone and marrow. When wielded by a servant of God, nothing can withstand its ability to cut straight to the core of a matter and uncover the truth. As soldiers in Gods army, it is our responsibility and duty to use His Word to discern the truth and then follow it. When Gods Keeping Life Rich through Gods Spoken Word shows us something wrong in ourselves, we can use this spiritual weapon to surgically remove the offending thoughts and actions (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Unlike all other pieces of the armor of God, which are solely defensive, the sword is uniquely suited for both defensive and offensive roles. A solid defense is invaluable, but the sword is the only way we can complete the work we have been given to do. Notice that Jesus Christ used the Bible to counter Satans attacks (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). We must also learn to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). We fight knowing the end of the story. Two of the many powerful and sure promises in Gods Word tell us that if we remain dedicated to God and His Word, we will make it to the end, and we will be saved. There is no doubt in this statement. Gods promises are as sure as the one He told Isaiah: Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it (Isaiah 46:11). So take up your sword. The battle is ours
Posted on: Sun, 06 Jul 2014 13:18:33 +0000
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