Ephesians 6:10-18
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
I believe there has been a great misunderstanding in today’s American church concerning the armor of God. This doesn’t mean that Sunday school teachers shouldn’t use pictures of Roman soldiers to illustrate the armor worn by the most powerful army in the world during Paul’s day when he wrote Ephesians 6. God forbid. Those lessons are helpful to the young in years, as well as to the spiritually young at heart. Nevertheless, we need to approach the equipping of the saints by the powerful gospel truths for which it was intended.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
Ephesians 6:10 presents to us the powerful intent of the entire passage, the central reason for the passage, and the ultimate application of the passage. The armor is the Lord Jesus Christ. To be strong in Him is to go forth in our spiritual walk, our spiritual lives, and in our engagement in spiritual battles in the strength of the Lord Jesus Christ’s might.
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
Ephesians 6:11 tells us to put on or to be clothed with the whole armor of God. It uses a Greek root that means to be dressed, most especially, to be dressed with Jesus. Using the same Greek root, the apostle tells us in another letter:
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. Romans 13:14
It is only in trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ that we are saved from the wrath of God that we so richly deserve. It only stands to reason that it would also be that trusting in the strength of the might of the Lord Jesus Christ, that is… being clothed with Him, so that we may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:12 tells us what it is we are up against in our spiritual warfare when once we are saved by God’s grace. Though we live in a temporal world on earth, the conflict is a spiritual one, not fleshly or carnal (2 Cor 10:3-4). We need power that is greater than reciting a few words from the Bible like some spell or incantation. We need the Lord Jesus Messiah. He alone has conquered sin, hell, and the grave. His power alone, through the Holy Spirit given us, is that which allows us to overcome the demonic forces with which we wrestle.
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
Since we have clothed ourselves with Christ (Eph 6:11), in Ephesians 6:13 the Holy Spirit tells us through the apostle to “take up” the whole armor of God. Therefore, not only are we to be clothed with Christ, we are to apply the truths of Christ to our faith. Trusting in Christ for our salvation. Trusting in Christ for our supply. Trusting in Christ for our strength. Trusting in Christ as our sufficiency, in need of nothing else but Him. Standing firmly upon Him and His gospel truth.
The Belt of Truth, Ephesians 6:14a
Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth,
This is at the core of our Christianity, the center of our being, that’s why it is a belt. Christ Jesus said,
“I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6
When we gird ourselves about the core of our being with the truth that Jesus Messiah alone is the Way, Truth, and Life, we are strengthened to resist many temptations by that powerful truth alone. When that is the truth that stabilizes our Christian walk, we will begin seeing Christ more and more in Scripture (John 5:39). And when we do not see Him, we will look for Him everywhere in those verses (Song 3:1-3; Isa 55:6). The more we know about Him, the better we know Him more personally. The more we know Him personally, the more we love Him (1 Jn 419). The more we love Him, the more we will seek to be with Him.
The Breastplate of Righteousness, Ephesians 6:14b
and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
Whether we think of this as a shirt, an ephod, or a soldier’s body armor, the breastplate of righteousness is being consciously aware that Christ’s righteousness has been imputed to us. Christ Jesus is the only righteous Man who ever lived, the only Jew who kept the whole Law both actively and passively, the only Prophet who ever spoke the truth without schism, error, or defect, and the only Son who was ever wholly obedient to His Father. He came to live the righteous life that you and I cannot possibly live, and the Scriptures say that if we trust on Him for having done so, and also in that righteousness, He suffered the wrath of God that we deserve and died a true bodily death, Christ’s righteousness will be placed on our accounts. When the heavenly Father looks at you and me, He sees the righteousness of His only Son. And when we believe that, trust that truth, that will protect our hearts.
The Shoes of Readiness, Ephesians 6:15
and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
Here again, Jesus is the shoes for our feet. Mark’s gospel expresses this well as Jesus “immediately” (ESV) or “straightway” (KJV) did this or that, or went here or there. Jesus is the Gospel, the good news, and He proclaimed the gospel truth wherever He went—perfectly, immediately, and powerfully. We need to stand upon that truth with feet shod in readiness to speak, share, or proclaim Him. We need only be ready. The true work is done by Christ through the Holy Spirit. Jesus said,
“When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour.” Matthew 10:19
While this was spoken in context of actual, physical, temporal persecution, it would most certainly apply to our spiritual warfare as saints in Christ. The readiness itself is not only a deterrent to the principalities and powers of the demonic and worldly age, but it also thwarts their deceptive missions.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
We’ll conclude this article on the “Armor of God” in a second installment.