Chapter 74 - Cooperative 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)

In addition to the first three attributes of the living (zoe) Christ; truth, righteousness and peace, the full armor of God is inclusive of faith, hope, and the word of God. They provide the New Testament church with the gracious means of cooperating with the incomparable power of the indwelling Christ. Faith, hope and the word of God are to be taken up prayerfully and consistently during the “evil day”.

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Shield of Faith (Ephesians 6:16)

“…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.” (Ephesians 6:16)

The “shield of faith” is indicative of faith in the immediate presence of Jesus Christ during an “evil day.” Graciously allotted by God, it allows the New Testament church to cooperate with the incomparable power of His indwelling life (zoe) against the schemes of the devil characterized by falsehood, accusation, and blame. (Romans 12:3; Ephesians 2:8-9)

“… for we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)

“Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.” (Colossians 2:6-7)

As indicated, the New Testament church is already clothed in Christ Jesus. The shared attributes of His indwelling life (zoe), inclusive of but not limited to truth, righteousness, and peace, were put on in the past when the ecclesia was first joined to Christ through a union of shared life (past tense: “having girded,” “having put on,” “having shod”).

In contrast, the “shield of faith” is not an attribute of divine life (zoe) received in the past. On the contrary, it is a gift of God that allows the ecclesia to cooperate with Him during an "evil day." The shield of faith is “taken up” by faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ during spiritual battle (present tense: “take up”).

Active, dependent faith in the indwelling life (zoe) of Christ and His incomparable power provides an ever-present “shield” of protection for the New Testament church. It is to be “taken up” and exercised continually during the “evil day.”

The “shield of faith” can “extinguish all of the flaming arrows of the evil one.” Thus, it is able to quench the burning, fearful lies, accusations, and resultant conflict promoted by the devil and his angels.

In the past, God joined the New Testament church to Christ through an intimate union of shared life. In the present, it has the privilege to cooperate with His indwelling life (zoe) against the schemes of the devil. The “shield of faith” is an instrument provided by God for that purpose.

The New Testament church is seated with Jesus Christ in heaven at the right hand of the Father. Under His sovereign authority, it exists in a position of perfect victory and eternal security. From its lofty position it is privileged to look down from above, count on His unconditional victory in the past, and by the “shield of faith,” witness the protective manifestation of His incomparable power in the immediate present.

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Helmet of Salvation (Ephesians 6:17)

“And take the helmet of salvation….” (Ephesians 6:17)

“…having put on… as a helmet, the hope of salvation.” (1 Thessalonians 5:8)

The “helmet of salvation” is the hope of deliverance from the schemes of the devil in the “evil day.” It is a gracious gift from God. (Ephesians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:8; 1 Peter 1:3)

The "helmet of salvation" is a divinely provided instrument that allows the New Testament church to cooperate with the incomparable power of indwelling life (zoe). Thus, it provides protection against the hopelessness and despair associated with prolonged schemes of the devil characterized by falsehood, accusation, and blame.

“… Christ Jesus, who is our hope.” (1 Timothy 1:1)

In the New Testament, the Greek word translated into the English word “salvation” is soteria (so-tay-ree'-ah). It does not specify whether salvation is eternal or temporal. Therefore, the type of salvation intended in the biblical text is best understood by the context in which it is used.

The immediate context of Ephesians 6:10-18 is the manifestation of the incomparable power of the indwelling life (zoe) of Christ available to combat the schemes of the devil during an “evil day.” Thus, the “helmet of salvation” is not a reference to eternal salvation but temporal deliverance from the schemes of the devil.

The near context of 1 Thessalonians serves to corroborate. In 1 Thessalonians 5:8, Paul speaks of putting on the helmet of the “hope of salvation.” According to both the immediate context and near context of 1 Thessalonians, the “helmet of salvation” is not a reference to eternal salvation but hope in the incomparable power of indwelling life (zoe) for temporal salvation or deliverance from the schemes of the devil in the “evil day.”

Hope is faith looking forward to the satisfaction of unfulfilled promises. It recognizes that deliverance by the incomparable power of indwelling life (zoe) is an eventual certainty in the “evil day.” Thus, taking up the helmet of the “hope of salvation” allows the New Testament church to “stand firm” and “resist” the schemes of the devil without losing hope, regardless of how long the schemes are allowed to persist.

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Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17)

“And take… the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17)

As indicated in Ephesians, the “sword of the Spirit” is the word of God. Its usage in the manner prescribed by the apostle allows the New Testament church the privilege of cooperating with the incomparable power of indwelling life (zoe).

“So will My word (rhema) be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:10; LXX)

“For the word (logos) of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword.” (Hebrews 4:12)

Two different Greek words are translated in the English New Testament as “word.” The most common is logos (log'-os) (326x). Somewhat more general in meaning, it is sometimes inclusive of the “entire Christian message and often used in technical theological senses.”1 The second Greek word translated in the English New Testament into “word” is rhema (hray'-mah) (67x). It “usually relates to individual words and utterances.” (Matthew 12:36; 27:14; 2 Corinthians 12:4)2

The Greek words logos and rhema are often used interchangeably in the New Testament. However, the context in which they are used can dictate the particular meaning.

Jesus Christ is the “logos,” the “logos of God,” and the “logos of Life.” (John 1:1; 14; 1 John 1:1; Revelation 19:13) Likewise, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the “logos of life,” the “logos of truth,” and the “logos of righteousness.” (Philippians 2:16; Colossians 1:5; 5:13; James 1:18) In addition, the logos of God is “living,” “active,” and “enduring.” (Hebrews 4:12; 1 Peter 1:23) By the logos of God, the renovated heavens and earth were brought into existence, and the present heavens and earth are reserved for judgment. (2 Peter 3:5, 7)

In contrast to logos, the “individual words and utterances” spoken by Christ are rhema. For example, the Gospel is the “rhema of faith,” “faith comes from hearing…the rhema of Christ,” Christ Jesus “upholds all things by the rhema of His power,” “the worlds were prepared by the rhema of God,” and the “rhema of God endures forever.” (John 6:63; 14:10; Romans 10:8, 17; Hebrews 1:3; 11:3; 1 Peter 1:25)

The “sword of the Spirit” is not the logos of God but the rhema of God. By context of usage, it refers to a specific word or utterance “of the Spirit” or given by the Spirit. Thus, the “sword of the Spirit” is the Spirit illuminated word of God relevant to the particular scheme of the devil.

Jesus provided a perfect example of cooperation with the indwelling life (zoe) of the Father by His wielding of the sword of the Spirit in the “evil day.” (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13) When He was tempted by the devil in the wilderness, He answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every rhema that proceeds out of the mouth of God’.” (Deuteronomy 8:3) When the devil prompted Jesus to test the Father, He responded, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” (Deuteronomy 6:16) In addition, when the devil tempted Jesus to submit to him and, thereby, receive the kingdoms of the world and their glory, He replied, “…it is written, ‘you shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only’.” (Deuteronomy 6:13) Jesus stood firm and resisted by the rhema of God. Therefore, “the devil left Him.” (Matthew 4:11)

“Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

Along with faith and hope, the sword of the Spirit allows the New Testament church to cooperate with the incomparable power of the indwelling life (zoe) of Jesus Christ. It provides specific direction for the exercise of faith and hope in Christ against the particular schemes of the devil in the “evil day.”

The effective wielding of the “sword of the Spirit” necessitates knowing the word of God. Consequently, there comes a time in the life-long process of spiritual maturation where the New Testament church should recognize the surpassing value of knowing the word of God rather than learning about the word of God. Therefore, books about the word of God should be set aside. Instead, contrary to the devil’s wishes, the Bible should be regularly picked up, read, studied, learned, and memorized dependently and prayerfully.

Wielding the “sword of the Spirit” in spiritual battle requires the New Testament church to apply biblical truth. Jesus said, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (John 8:31-32) Thus, the “word of truth” can set the New Testament church free from the schemes of the devil.

The true word of God is spiritual and therefore, properly understood only when it is illuminated by the Spirit of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18; 2:1-16; 3:1-4; 2 Corinthians 4:3) The Apostle Paul clarified, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.” (1 Corinthians 2:12-13) Paul explained that the natural mind of man cannot sufficiently understand the “things of the Spirit,” inclusive of the word of God, because they must be “spiritually appraised.” Without spiritual appraisement, they appear as foolish to the natural man or unbeliever. (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:13-14)

Spiritual appraisement is a gift from the Spirit of God. The living (zoe), indwelling Spirit provides illumination of the “living (zoe) and active” word of God. Therefore, rather than relying on the natural mind to study and understand the word of God, the New Testament church must faithfully, dependently, and prayerfully allow the Spirit of God to teach the word of God.

The Spirit of God is the “Spirit of truth.” (John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; cf. 1 John 4:6). He guides the New Testament church “into all truth” (John 16:13) His teaching of truth is a New Testament promise. “As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.” (1 John 2:27) “Accurately handling the word of truth” demands that the New Testament church must respond to the indwelling Spirit by dependent faith, fervent prayer, and a willingness to receive confirmation from the brothers and sisters of the church body. (2 Timothy 2:15; Proverbs 11:14)

The New Testament ecclesia that does not know the word of God is at a distinct disadvantage in spiritual battle. It cannot effectively wield the “sword of the Spirit.”

“Is not My word (logos, LXX) like fire?” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock?” (Jeremiah 23:29)

Conclusion

The New Testament church is to faithfully “put on the Lord Jesus Christ,” the "full armor of God." In the "evil day," He is readily accessible through the “shield of faith,” the “helmet of salvation,” and the “sword of the Spirit.” Figuratively, they refer to faith and hope in the indwelling Christ and the Spirit illuminated word of God. Therefore, the shield, helmet and sword provide the means by which the New Testament church can cooperate with Christ to “stand firm” against every scheme of the devil.

© 2023 James Hiatt

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