I think in the church sometimes, we get so used to famous verses from the Bible (like this one) that we not longer give them the appropriate attention they need. How many times have we heard bible studies, youth lessons, children's teachings and sermons on The Armor of God? If you grew up in church like...it has got to be dozens of times. But as you read through it today, I want you to forget that you have read this a hundred times and I want you to really try to grasp why Paul felt it was so important for Christians to see these attributes of faith as pieces of armor used in preparation for war.
The first line highlights the ultimate human problem - pride. We try to take care of everything on our own. We think we are strong enough...smart enough...good enough to handle anything on our own...and I just want to ask - how has that worked out for you so far? Not well, if you are like me. We cannot find purpose on our own. We cannot find fulfillment. We cannot save ourselves. We are not strong enough. We will always let ourselves and others around us down! That is why we cannot be anchored in ourselves...we must find our strength in the might of God.
In verse eleven and twelve Paul lays out for us the gravity of the situation. We need to prepare ourselves for war, because that is exactly what we are caught in the middle of. In our current-day culture we think very little about the realities of spiritual warfare that are constantly going on around us. It just doesn't fit into a nice little scientific bubble...and it is just plain freaky to think about. But Jesus, Paul and all the other Old and New Testament writers understood that there is a battle being waged that we cannot always see. There are temptations and whispers and obstacles that are being thrown at you from behind the veil of the physical world and you need to be prepared to face these things...you need to understand that these things are a reality so that you can call upon the spiritual light of God to help you combat these unseen foes.
Why do we put on the armor of God? So that we can stand firm in the faith and stand toe to toe with evil in this world. Isn't that what you want to do? Isn't that what you want your kids to do? One of my goals in training up teenage disciples of Christ is to shape them so that they can stand confidently in their faith after they leave the youth ministry. Paul is giving us the inside track on what needs to be in place to have that kind of confidence.
The belt of truth. Why is truth important? Why is it crucial for you to understand the reality of what is going on around you in the world...to understand God's narrative that has been playing out since the beginning of time? Because it is the lies that lead us away from God...that lead us away from truth. The lie that everything revolves around you. The lie that someone else can fulfill your every need. The lie that you will be happy if you can just get more stuff! You must have God's truth holding everything together in order to see the lies for what they are.
Breastplate of righteousness. What is righteousness? When you are righteous...it basically means that you are in a right relationship with God and because of that right relationship with God you can have right relationships with others. Righteousness comes from God because God, even while we were still His enemies, gave His life so to pay the price for our sins and to make things right between us. Do you allow that truth to shape who you are...how deeply you love God...how you treat others?
Shoes of the Gospel. What is the Gospel? It is the Good News that God loved you so much that He came down to earth in the form of Jesus Christ. It is the Good News that Jesus died on the cross to save us knowing that we could not save ourselves. It is the Good News of the freedom, forgiveness and righteousness that come through that gift. Why shoes? Because shoes take you where you want to go...and if you understand the truth of who God is and how much He loves you...if you understand the righteousness that came to you through Jesus Christ...then you want to go and tell others about the Good News!
Shield of Faith. What is faith? To quote the Hebrews 11:1, "Faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see." Faith is crucial to our lives and crucial in the unseen battle raging around us. Even when you don't have all the answers...even when you don't understand why things are happening...faith is trusting in God regardless. Faith is clinging to the hope that had been given to you by God...faith is believing that God is who He said He was, even when you cannot see Him with your eyes...faith is vital in the midst of this faithless world.
Helmet of Salvation. What is salvation? It is the great rescue. It is the moment that you exited the grip of death and found true life. It is the weight of sin being lifted from your soul - taken by Jesus Christ. It is freedom. And when you don the helmet of salvation...you are etching into your mind the way that Jesus brought you back from death...you are writing on your soul how you were once lost and are now found. It is with you every day and it reminds you that you need to live like the saved, not the condemned. It shapes the way you talk to people...it shapes the way you act...because you have been given a new lease on life and you should use it to honor God and change the world.
Sword of The Word of God. Why a sword? I thought Jesus said that if we live by the sword we will die by the sword. Why does Paul close out his description of the armor of God with a weapon? Because we are not called to be the doormats of the world. We are not called to just sit back and taking anything the the evil forces of this world have to throw at us. We are not called to sit in little holy huddles with other Christians while the world goes to hell in a hand-basket. God's Word gives us ammunition. God's Word cuts through the lies of the world that are constantly flying at us. God's Word shows us what we are supposed to care about. God's Word shows us what we are supposed to stand up for. With God's Word written on our hearts and minds and lives we can show the world the absurdity of evil...we can show a better way...we can strike blow after blow to the evil schemes of the accuser.
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