The new man fights against God’s enemy not only by being empowered in the Lord but also by putting on the various attributes of Christ as the whole armor of God (Eph. 6:11, 13-17). The whole armor of God is for the entire Body, not for any individual member of the Body. The church as the corporate new man is the warrior, and the believers together make up this new man. Only the corporate new man as the warrior can wear the whole armor of God; no individual believer can wear it. Therefore, we must fight the spiritual warfare not individually but in the Body, in the new man.
In Ephesians 6:14-17 we have the various attributes of Christ as the whole armor of God: the girdle of truth, or reality, the breastplate of righteousness, the firm foundation of the gospel of peace (the shoes), the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. Of these six aspects of Christ as our armor, only the sword is for offensive warfare. All the other items are for defense.
Ephesians 6:14 says, “Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth.” Truth refers to God in Christ as reality in our living, that is, God in Christ realized and expressed by us as our living. This is actually Christ Himself lived out by us (John 14:6). Such truth, such reality, is the girdle which strengthens our whole being for spiritual warfare.
Ephesians 6:14 also speaks of “the breastplate of righteousness,” which covers our conscience, signified by the breast. In fighting against Satan, our accuser, we need to have our conscience covered with the breastplate of righteousness. The righteousness which covers our conscience and guards us from Satan’s accusations is Christ Himself (1 Cor. 1:30). Therefore, we are covered by Christ as our righteousness.
Ephesians 6:15 says, “Having shod your feet with the firm foundation of the gospel of peace.” Our feet need to be shod in order to strengthen our stand in the battle. The phrase “the firm foundation of the gospel of peace” means the establishment of the gospel of peace. Christ made peace for us on the cross both with God and with man, and this peace has become our gospel (Eph. 2:13-17). This has been established as a firm foundation, as a readiness for our feet to be shod with. Thus, we shall have a firm footing that we may be able to fight the spiritual warfare. The peace for such a firm foundation is also Christ (Eph. 2:14). Christ is the peace for us to be one with God and the saints. This peace is the firm foundation that enables us to stand against the enemy.
Ephesians 6:16 continues, “With all these, having taken up the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench all the flaming darts of the evil one.” In order to quench these flaming darts, we need to take up the shield of faith. Faith comes after truth, righteousness, and peace. If we have truth in our living, righteousness as our covering, and peace as our standing, we shall spontaneously have faith as a safeguard against the flaming darts of the enemy. Christ is the Author and the Perfecter of such faith (Heb. 12:2).
In Ephesians 6:17a Paul says, “Receive the helmet of salvation.” This is for covering our mind against the negative thoughts directed at us by the evil one. Such a helmet, such a covering, is God’s salvation. This salvation is the saving Christ we experience in our daily life (John 16:33).
In verse 17b Paul tells us to receive also “the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.” The antecedent of “which” is Spirit, not sword. This indicates that the Spirit is the word of God, both of which are Christ (2 Cor. 3:17; Rev. 19:13). The Spirit is the sword itself, not the one who uses the sword, and the word of God also is a sword. The sword is the Spirit, and the Spirit is the word. Here we have three things that are one: the sword, the Spirit, and the word.
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