I love watching the show Mythbusters. They’re no longer making new episodes, but I literally have a couple of seasons worth of episodes on my DVR just waiting for me to find time to watch them. My wife and I will go through periods where we just binge watch Mythbusters for a couple of nights straight. It’s always fascinating to watch as they tackle the myths that the viewers propose.
Many of the myths I can deduce how they will turn out simply by watching the introductory dialogue. However, the myths that I have the most difficulty predicting are those that seek to determine what is bulletproof. They’ve shot lighters, pizzas, and even fish tanks and have discovered things that are bulletproof that I never would have thought possible.
Even today’s bulletproof vests aren’t entirely bulletproof. I remember being trained on bulletproof vests years back. It was explained that the mesh weave that the vests are made of is designed to slow down the bullet in order to minimize the damage. However, it was still very likely that a bullet would go through. That was why a metal plate was installed into the center of the vest, directly over the heart. It would be too heavy to make the whole vest out of metal, but the design of the vest was best compromise to keep the wearer alive while still allowing them to move.
Most people don’t wear don’t wear a bulletproof vest on a daily basis. While body armor very well may save your life, it’s just not practical to wear it during your normal routine. However, you can be assured that law enforcement and soldiers will strap on their body armor any time they believe they are entering a situation in which they might be shot at.
Likewise, as we finish up in our study of the book of Ephesians, Paul encourages us to put on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20). At the time of this letter, it is believed that Paul was already under house arrest in Rome. With that being the case, the sight of Roman soldiers would have been the norm. It should come, then, as no surprise that Paul, seeing the spiritual warfare around us, would use the attire of a Roman soldier to impart spiritual truth.
So, the belt served for both protection and freedom of mobility, but it also provided a sheath for the sword. Can you imagine going out to battle and forgetting your belt? Yes, you’d be less protected, but you’d be more concerned with the fact that your sword was attached to that belt. The belt carries the tools that you need in order to protect yourself. Likewise, truth is what hold everything else together. Satan is the prince of lies. Without truth, we have no hope of combating him. Truth is what protects you from lies and awards you the freedom to use the rest of the armor of God.
Moving on we come to the breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate guards the most vital organs of the body. It doesn’t do anything in regards to offense, but it is everything in keeping you alive. The breastplate turns fatal attacks into useless and ineffective blows that merely glanced off the armor. So it is with God’s righteousness. We’ve been called to live holy and righteous lives. Just as the clothes in Jesus’ parable of the wedding banquet, righteousness is something that has been provided to us by Christ. When we put on the breastplate of righteousness and the holy life that Christ has for us, we are protected from the attacks of the enemy. Attacks on our character, our family, and our integrity that would otherwise prove fatal are useless and ineffective when we are protected by righteousness.
Next come the feet. We don’t really get a name for this piece of the armor. The scriptures simply say, “and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace,” (Ephesians 6:15) but a pastor friend of mine whimsically referred to them as the “gospel of peace shoes.” You may think that the shoes that are worn don’t make that much difference, but as any fashionista will attest, the shoes make the outfit.
A Roman soldier’s shoes, or sandals, were a fairly vital part of their outfit. It has been said that the attention given to the soldiers’ footwear was the secret of Roman conquest. These weren’t your average flip-flops. The sandals that adorned the feet of Roman soldiers could best be described as sandals with cleats. Hobnails were stuck into the soles which improved the life of the sandal in addition to giving the soldiers better footing. When pressed, soldiers were able to withstand the pressure without slipping and giving up ground. Tie this back to Paul repeatedly telling the church to withstand the devil and to stand firm. The gospel of peace, that is the good news of Jesus Christ, gives us the stability and sure footing that we need. Within the gospel, the believer finds preparation to withstand whatever assaults may come.
Paul calls this shield the shield of faith, but the faith that is referred to here is not a saving faith but a living faith. Our church is named Faith Community not simply because we have salvation through faith in Christ but because we trust in the promises of God and band together as a community of living faith. The shield of faith is our first line of defense. When we band together as a community of faith, we are protected from darts and fiery arrows thrown at us by the enemy. Though one may be weak, the many are strong.
Continuing in verse 17, Paul says to take up the helmet of salvation. Obviously the helmet protects the head, and that is precisely Paul’s point. We often get the idea that as we walk with God our intellect is unimportant. God doesn’t require us to be a rocket scientist in order to receive salvation, but our intellect plays a vital role in our Christian growth. When God protects our mind with the helmet of salvation, we will not fall prey to Satan’s attacks. I have seen Christians, pastors and laity alike, that have been coerced by the intellect and teachings of this world. The Christian that studies God’s word and uses their God-given intelligence to seek him will not be led astray. Paul demonstrated this as we looked at his missionary journeys in the book of Acts. He didn’t simply tell people about Jesus but gave them the intellectual evidence within the scriptures and their own lives.
Finally, Paul comes to the sword of the Spirit. Hebrews 4:12 states, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” It’s fitting that the sword is the only offensive item within the armor of God. We can think of the word of God merely as the holy scriptures, but never in the New Testament is “the word of God” used merely as a general reference to scripture. The word of God is the truth that he imparts to us. When Peter stood up at Pentecost and told the people who Jesus was the Christ, that was the word of God. When I preach on Sunday mornings, I am proclaiming the word of God. In your daily life, when you tell someone God’s truth, you’re proclaiming the word of God. That’s why it’s a sword that has been given to us to wield as a part of the armor of God, because we are to impart that knowledge into the lives of others. This goes beyond quoting scripture but includes interpretation as well as proclamation of what God has done in our own lives.
Like it or not, we are in the middle of a spiritual war. People’s minds, be it politicians, church leaders, or even your neighbor or your spouse, are being polluted daily. We are in the middle of a war with the prince of lies. He wants nothing more than to see this world burn. “Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground.”