Chapter 73 - Descriptive Armor

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“Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil… Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:11, 14-17)

To “stand firm” against the schemes of the devil, the Apostle Paul indicated the New Testament church must be, “…strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” He explained it is accomplished by putting on the “full armor of God.” (Ephesians 6:11)

Putting on the “full armor of God” is synonymous with putting on the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 13:14) He is the armor of God.

Jesus Christ was originally “put on” by the New Testament church in the past. It occurred when it was “baptized into” Him. (Romans 6:3) As a result, the New Testament church was identified with His death and consequently, became legally suitable for resurrection with Him to new life.

Resurrected with Jesus Christ, the New Testament church was utterly privileged to share His life (zoe). (Romans 6:4-5, 8-11; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 1:21; Colossians 1:27; 3:4) The Apostle Paul described life shared with Christ as being “clothed… with Christ” (Galatians 3:27)

The English words “put on” and “clothed” are translated from the same Greek word. It is enduo (en-doo'-o), defined as, “to clothe, to dress, to put on.”

When it was clothed with Christ, the New Testament church “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” and therefore, “the full armor of God.” Consequently, it was fully armored in the past at the moment of spiritual birth. It appropriates the preexisting protective armor of Christ in the present through faith alone.

Only by the protective armor of the indwelling Christ can the New Testament church faithfully “stand firm” and “resist” the schemes of the devil “in the evil day.” (Ephesians 6:11, 13) By context, the “evil day” is referent to a period characterized by intense spiritual battle. It is reflective of a day in which the spiritual forces of wickedness are especially active against the New Testament church.

Descriptive and Cooperative

As revealed by the Apostle Paul, the armor of God is both descriptive and cooperative. It consists of six elements.

The first three elements of the armor are descriptive of the presence of Jesus Christ indwelling the New Testament church. They include truth, righteousness, and peace. The final three elements of the armor, faith, hope and the word of God, provide for cooperation with the indwelling presence of Christ “in the evil day.”

Jesus Christ is characterized by an infinite number of attributes. However, Paul mentioned only three in Ephesians 6. Truth, righteousness, and peace were specifically mentioned because they are relevant to the immediate context of writing, spiritual warfare.

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Belt of Truth (Ephesians 6:14)

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“Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth...” (Ephesians 6:14)

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6)

While it is often presumed, the “belt” or armor of truth is not reflective of biblical truth in general. Instead, it is descriptive of an attribute of the life (zoe) of the life (zoe) of Christ.

The indwelling Christ is the source of truth for the New Testament church. (John 1:14; 8:31-32; 14:6; Ephesians 4:21; Colossians 1:5) His immediate presence within the New Testament church, characterized by the attribute of truth (described as the “belt of truth), is more than able to provide protection against the schemes of the devil characterized by falsehood.

The New Testament church “put on” the “belt of truth” in the past when it was first joined to Christ in a union of shared life (past tense: “having girded”). Paul described the union as being “clothed… with Christ.” (Galatians 3:27) As a result, the New Testament church was “established in the truth,” is “of the truth” and has the truth abiding in it. (John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; 2 Peter 1:12; 1 John 3:19; 2 John 2) Therefore, it has already been equipped with the “belt of truth.” Thus, the New Testament church is privileged to be able to “put on” the “belt of truth” in the present through faith in the finished work of Christ.

The “belt of truth” is descriptive of an attribute of Jesus Christ. As used in Ephesians, it is indicative of His immediate, victorious, living (zoe) presence within the New Testament church. The indwelling Christ provides the only means by which the church can “stand firm” and “resist” the schemes of the devil characterized by falsehood.

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Breastplate of Righteousness (Ephesians 6:14)

“Stand firm therefore… having put on the breastplate of righteousness.” (Ephesians 6:14)

“But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.” (1 Corinthians 1:30)

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Though frequently misunderstood, the “breastplate” or armor of righteousness is not suggestive of self-righteousness accomplished by the church's “good” works. Instead, like the “belt of truth,” it is descriptive of an attribute of the life (zoe) of Jesus Christ indwelling the New Testament church.

The indwelling Christ is the only source of righteousness for the New Testament church. (Acts 3:14; 7:52; 22:14; Philippians 3:9; 1 John 2:1; 29) His righteousness alone, manifested by His indwelling presence, can protect the New Testament church from the schemes of the devil characterized by accusations of unrighteousness.

Any argument that attempts to defend the “breastplate of righteousness” as righteousness derived from “good” works radically misunderstands both the absolute depravity of mankind and the “greater grace” of God. Not only can human works not contribute to the righteousness of the New Testament church but they constitute the very means used by the devil to accuse it of unrighteousness. Therefore, rather than attempting to “put on the breastplate of righteousness” by the performance of “good” works, the New Testament church is called only to trust in the true righteousness of the indwelling Christ and live by the “obedience of faith.” (Romans 1:5; 16:26; 14:23; 2 Corinthians 5:7; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 2 Thessalonians 1:11)

Sharing life with Christ, the New Testament church has already “put on the Lord Jesus Christ,” “the full armor of God” (past tense: “having put on”). Consequently, the New Testament church shares His attribute of righteousness. Therefore, like the “belt of truth,” the New Testament church is privileged to be able to “put on” the “breastplate of righteousness” in the present through faith in the redemptive work of Christ finished in the past.

The righteousness of Christ provides the only means by which the New Testament church can “stand firm” and “resist” the schemes of the devil characterized by accusations of unrighteousness. Joined to Him by union of life, it shares His attributes, including His perfect righteousness. As a result, relative to the standard of divine law, it is considered by God to be “holy and blameless and beyond reproach.” (Colossians 1:5) Thus, any accusation of unrighteousness by the devil and his angels are without merit.

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Shoes of Peace (Ephesians 6:15)

“Stand firm therefore… having shod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15)

The meaning of the "shoes of peace" is also typically misunderstood. As is often presumed, they do not describe the sharing of the Gospel with the unbelieving world (“having shod your feed with the preparation of the Gospel of peace”). Instead, like truth and righteousness, the “shoes of peace” are descriptive of an attribute of the life (zoe) of Jesus Christ indwelling the New Testament church.

“For He Himself is our peace.” (Ephesians 2:14)

While evangelism is an essential activity for the New Testament church, it is not relevant to the topic discussed by Paul in the sixth chapter of Ephesians. It cannot provide support for standing firm against the schemes of the devil.

Jesus Christ is the living (zoe) source of the peace of God within the New Testament church. (Romans 1:7; 5:1, 11; 8:6; 14:17; 16:20; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 14:33; etc.) Characterized by the attribute of peace, His indwelling presence is more than able to protect His body, the New Testament church, from the schemes of the devil that attempt to identify God as the source of conflict, difficulty, and suffering.

The New Testament church does not “put on” the “shoes of peace” by either presenting the Gospel to the unbelieving world or pursuing peace with others. Instead, the Apostle had a more specific idea in mind.

By the indwelling presence of Jesus Christ, the New Testament church has already been clothed with Him and, therefore, His attribute of peace. (Galatians 3:27) It was equipped with the “shoes of peace,” the peace of Christ, in the past when it was first joined with Him in a union of shared life (past tense: “having shod”) at spiritual birth. Like the “belt of truth and the “breastplate of righteousness,” the New Testament church is privileged to “put on” the “shoes of peace” in the present through faith in the finished work of Christ. As a result, the indwelling Christ is the source of peace for His ecclesia during the “evil day.”

By His redemptive work, Jesus Christ established unconditional peace between God and the New Testament church. “…having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1) Consequently, God is never angry with His children and never the source of their conflict, difficulty, and suffering.

Nevertheless, it is a common scheme of the devil, especially during an “evil day,” to try and turn the New Testament church from dependence on God to self-dependence. He does so by attempting to convince the church that God is responsible for its trials and tribulations. Satan’s intent is to influence the church to turn from its sole source of protection and deliverance.

The “shoes of peace” are descriptive of an attribute of Jesus Christ. As used in Ephesians, they are indicative of His immediate, victorious, living (zoe) presence within the New Testament church. The indwelling Christ provides the only means by which the church can “stand firm” and “resist” the schemes of the devil that attempt to identify God as the source of conflict, difficulty, and suffering.

Conclusion

Jesus Christ is the armor of God. As clarified, the “belt of truth,” “breastplate of righteousness,” and “shoes of peace” are indicative of attributes of His life (zoe) indwelling the New Testament church. There is no greater protection against the schemes of the devil.

“… the [armor] of our warfare (Jesus Christ) [is] not of the flesh, but divinely powerful.” (2 Corinthians 10:4)

© 2023 James Hiatt

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