When we remember the “whole armor of God,” what do we remember?
Here’s a transcript:
I’m thinking about the sixth chapter of Ephesians (Ephesians 6:10-20), specifically that portion that is generally remembered as “the whole armor of God.”
I’ll admit this is not my favorite passage of Scripture. I don’t tend to favor those which rely upon military imagery, or symbolism of the instruments of violence. I tend to think that human beings have a remarkable capacity for spiritualizing such things as – oh, I don’t know – “Sell all your possessions and give them to the poor” – while we take the imagery of violence remarkably literally.
Still, here it is and there is something rather fascinating about it. First, the apostles stated quite clearly that these were not weapons to be used against enemies of flesh and blood, that this was equipment for is spiritual struggle. He spiritualized the imagery of violence.
And then it also must be said that all the things that he describes as armor, which includes righteousness and faith and even peace, these are things that do not provide safety (well, I suppose peace provides safety) in the real world. There’s only one weapon in this whole armor of God, the sword of the Word, and not even our words but the Word of God.
Even the one implement of destruction does not truly belong to the wielder. The Word belongs to God.
Early Christians were known for being a pacifist people. One of the problems that the Romans had with them was that they frequently refused to serve in the legions or the auxiliaries. This is a facet of Christianity that was, I’m afraid, all too soon forgotten, all too soon rejected, all too soon contradicted: over and over again.
The armor of God is no armor at all. The armor of God is truth and righteousness. The armor of God is faith and peace. The armor of God is our faithfulness to the One who came and died upon a cross and gave up his life for all people.
That’s what I’m thinking. I’m curious to hear what you’re thinking. Leave me your thoughts in the comment section below. I’d love to hear from you.
