Eternity Daily Bible Study No. 257

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Living In Christ – 19

Ephesians 6:14-18
(14)  Therefore stand, having your loins girded about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness
(15)  and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
(16)  Above all, take the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
(17)  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God,
(18)  praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching to this very thing with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

THE ARMOR OF GOD – PART 2

The first injunction is “stand” and it’s a word that can also mean “abide” or “continue” so the idea is to stand firm, on a permanent basis, to take one’s stand and hold the fort. 

Christians need to stand firm against evil. God has not called us to be passive observers of the decay of mankind, standing aside and cheering on the wrath of God. Rather we are to stand against the tide, we are to be transformers of society, to be salt and light and to do good deeds hat make a difference to the world. We are to stand in the truth, we are to stand for the teachings of Christ and we are to stand opposed to all forms of wickedness. 

To stand in battle is to face the enemy head on and to never yield an inch of ground. We are not to yield the battle to the media, to the pornographers, to the violent, to the wicked or to the corrupt.  We are not to let our honesty slip, our doctrine be pushed into error, or our standards be lowered.  We are to stand in the face of criticism and persecution and unpopularity because we are standing firm for Christ.

“Having your loins girded about with truth” – truth secures and limits the Christian’s walk with God. Christians walk in the truth that is in Christ and in factual truth - as truth as generally known in the world. Christianity never asks the believer to walk in delusion or in falsehood. You can be a good scientist and affine Christian; you do not have to deny the facts in order to believe.  Inside the truth is inside God’s safe zone. We are protected spiritually when we become discerning of truth and error and stick with the truth.

“And having on the breastplate of righteousness” – Righteousness is the hardened plate steel of the Christian life. It is the “Kevlar”, the bulletproof jacket. This righteousness is the righteousness of faith, which is in Christ; it is the work of the blood of Christ, securing us in God. If we doubt our righteousness, if we think we must earn it in this way or that, we become vulnerable to spiritual fraud and manipulation.  If righteousness depends on pleasing this leader or giving so much money, then we are trapped. But in Christ we are set free. 

By having on the breastplate of righteousness we place ourselves within the righteousness that is by faith and end the righteousness that comes through works or the rule of law.  We then live out a righteous life and have the additional protection of the clean and godly life that protects from much harm.

“And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.”  Our task is to stand and we stand on the gospel and in Christ. We stand firm and solid because we know we are at peace with God and not in religious turmoil or under condemnation.  We are established in God, at peace with God and able to stand firmly in the midst of life as stable people who are peace with themselves and the universe. The gospel protects us with inner stability and peace. When we grasp the glory of the gospel we are prepared to face life and its trials and tribulations with an equanimity born of a new nature, a pure conscience and a glorious destiny in Christ.

“Above all, take the shield of faith,” – Faith gives us the sure knowledge of God’s approval so that our heart is not smitten by accusation and condemnation. Faith takes all Satan’s accusations and extinguishes them with the knowledge of the sure love of God and His justification of us – even though we are sinners. Faith finds the truth in Scripture and believes it to the defeat of the Devil.  Faith grasps the goodness and mercy of God and lays hold of God’s promises so that we can rejoice even in the midst of trials.

”And take the helmet of salvation” – Or more correctly the knowledge of their salvation. Paul is writing to Christians, to those already saved and asking them to understand their salvation, to get it “into their thick skulls” so to speak- that God loves them and is redeeming them and has wonderful plans for them and will make them like Christ. We need to deeply understand our salvation so that we are can rest in all that God has done for us. ( 1 Corinthians 2:9-16)  Much of Ephesians is devoted to explaining that salvation –along with Romans and Galatians and Hebrews.  This is not just theology – it is spiritual survival. Wrong ideas about salvation lie at the heart of many cults, sects and heresies.

“And the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” – The cutting edge of Christianity is bible study and Scripture memory. Jesus used it against Satan in the wilderness and believers can use it still. The word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edge sword (Hebrews 4:12) and is able to enter into human hearts and life situations and change them. It is when we take the Word to the world and apply it, and even smite it with it, that society changes. I do not mean crude bible-bashing but rather thinking biblically and commenting accurately from a Christian perspective. 

The word can be powerfully used in intercessory prayer in the Spirit. We can claim Scripture, proclaim Scripture aloud and pray through scripture to defeat the enemy of souls. Thus Paul enjoins us to be “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching to this very thing with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”  We are to watch over life like a hawk, bringing the Scriptures to bear on it, with prayer and supplication in the Spirit.  We are to guard ourselves, our families, and all the saints through prayer.  And not just casual prayer but prayer from an awake and watchful spirit, alert to spiritual motions and able to discern and pray according to God’s will.

Blessings,

John Edmiston johned@aibi.ph

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