In the previous issue we considered in a rather general way the battle that Satan and his angels (or demons) wage against the believers in Christ, and the need for us to "put on the whole armor of God" in order to "be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" (Eph, 6:11). We noted that in Eph. 6:10-20 we have described in particular Satan’s attacks against the believer who is making a definite effort to learn more about his God and his Saviour, to know and to do His will, and to be of service to Him. This is spiritual warfare of the highest kind. It does not so much have to do with resisting temptations aimed at stirring sinful flesh into activity, but with defending against attacks designed to discourage us from pursuing our course of seeking to honor, obey, serve, and worship God.

The first piece of armor the Christian warrior is to put on is truth. "Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth." Since Paul was writing to the Ephesians from a prison in Rome, where he was guarded by a Roman soldier, it may well be that the analogies he drew in Eph. 6 were to Roman armor. The girdle or belt of the Roman soldier’s armor was very important because almost everything else fastened to it. If the belt was not in place, then the other parts of the armor would not be in proper functioning order. In a similar way, truth_the revealed truth of God in the Holy Scriptures_is the foundation for all other pieces of the Christian’s armor. Typically, Satan’s first area of attack when we are first saved is in regard to the truth, particularly as concerns the person and work of Christ. The apostle John gives a word of warning to the little children, or spiritual babes, to beware of antichrists, that is, those who deny that Jesus is the Christ or that He is the Son of God (1 John 2:18-27). God desires that we come into the "knowledge of the Son of God" and "that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive" (Eph. 4:13,14). There are many false teachers around, who superficially cannot be distinguished from the true ones because they teach a mixture of truth and error. We must put on the girdle of truth, testing every new teaching that we encounter by the Word of God. We must be like those of Berea who "searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so" (Acts 17:11).

"Having on the breastplate of righteousness." One of Satan’s chief devices to draw our attention away from Christ is to bring before our thoughts our own past sins_particularly those sins of the recent past and those we have committed since our conversion. He may taunt us:"Do you really think God is paying any attention to your attempts to worship Him (or know Him, or learn His will), considering how you lost your temper (or yielded to a bad habit, etc.) yesterday? How can you call yourself a saved person when you keep sinning so frequently?" And we often listen to his taunts, and start thinking about ourselves and our sinful lives, and perhaps start wondering whether God has really forgiven us all those many times we have sinned against Him. The armor we need to protect us against such attacks of Satan is "the breastplate of righteousness." This, I believe, refers first and foremost to the practical application of the truth of our justification. "To him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" (Rom. 4:5; also 3:21-28; 4:1-8). If we are true believers in Christ’s atoning work on the cross, and thus have been justified by faith, then we should always abide in the confidence of this wonderful fact. So when Satan attacks us with respect to our recent sins, we can confidently face him "having on the breastplate of righteousness," assured that we have been justified and that all our sins_past, present, and future_ have been atoned for by the shedding of Christ’s blood. A further aspect of the breastplate of righteousness has to do with our practical righteousness, or refraining from sin in our daily lives. The more we succeed in this regard, the less ammunition Satan will have with which to attack us.

"Your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace." On that most famous night in Israel’s history, when the destroying angel passed throughout Egypt slaying the firstborn of each household, the Israelites were instructed to eat the passover "with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand" (Exod. 12:11). They were to be ready to escape from Egypt at a moment’s notice. Similarly, spiritual shoes are a necessary part of the Christian’s armor in "standing against the wiles of the devil." The shoes depict the believer’s preparedness or readiness with the gospel of peace. In Romans 10:15 we find a strikingly similar expression:"How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace." The beauty of the feet of the gospel preacher_seemingly surpassing the beauty of his mouth_lies in the willingness of the preacher to go to out of the way places, wherever the Lord sends him, to proclaim the gospel of peace. Note in the Book of Acts how frequently the Lord sent His servants such as Philip, Peter, and Paul to distant places to proclaim the gospel_sometimes to an audience of only one or two people (Acts 8:26-39; 10:1-48; 16:9-34; etc.). We all should "do the work of an evangelist" (2 Tim. 4:5), even if not gifted as an evangelist. And we are enjoined to "be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you" (1 Pet. 3:15). Satan, on the other hand, is always ready to whisper into our minds a thousand excuses for not sharing the gospel with others:"too busy," "too tired," "too much effort," "have a headache," "not the appropriate time," "won’t respond anyway," "might give me a dirty look," "might not be my friend any more," etc., etc. If our feet are shod with the preparedness of the gospel of peace, we will not allow Satan’s excuses to hinder us from going where God sends us and speaking to those to whom He directs us.

I would suggest that the gospel of peace is not necessarily limited to the good news of how to be saved. Being peacemakers, living peaceably with others, manifesting a peaceful spirit before all, are of great value in today’s world of upset and turmoil. "Blessed are the peacemakers" (Matt. 5:9). "Follow peace with all men" (Heb. 12:14). "Keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:3). This includes also the ministry of restoration to the Lord. "If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone; if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother" (Matt. 18:15). "If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness" (Gal. 6:1). "He which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins" (James 5:20). This is often difficult and trying work, and Satan will seek to dissuade us from such work as much as from evangelistic work. So how necessary it is to be always in readiness for such service, prepared to go where we are sent, prepared to ignore Satan’s excuses, having our "feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace." (To be continued.)