Year A
Ephesians 6:10-20
Psalm 144:1.2.9-10 (R. 1a)
Luke 13:31-35
AMOR OF GOD
Belt of Truth: The reason why the belt came first maybe because it goes along with Truth and have two important roles it performs; the belt surrounds the whole body and other weapons can be placed into the belt. Without the knowledge of the Truth, we cannot not live a life of Holiness. It is the truth that sets us free (cf. John 8:), making us worthy to understand the deep mysteries of God. Finaly, just as the belt fastens the whole armor together, we must rely on the Truth, Jesus Christ in the spiritual warfare to counter the lies of the evil one.
Breastplate of Uprightness: as Truth surrounds your whole body and contains your weapons, righteousness becomes your pride. This is because you believe in God's Word. Abraham believed in God. Scripture says it was credited to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:5-6). Righteousness is then allowing God not to just surround us but to live within us by his Spirit. Christ Jesus has paid all our sins in full and we only need to believe to counter the evil one's deceptions, reminding and telling us that we are not forgiven.
Shoes of Peace Gospel: the one who has been saved and as a new man walks in righteousness preaches Peace. The one who dwells in peace can give peace. With the Roman soldier’s feet, the caliga or half-boots with nails in them grip the ground in combat. Without the studs at the bottom of the soles, the Roman soldier would be slipping on the ground when in battle. We cannot stand our ground before in spiritual warfare if we don't have peace with God, and the peace of God. The one who knows the Truth, is surrounded by the Truth, believe in the precious blood of Jesus Christ which has paid in full all sins, and walk in righteousness, dwells in peace. It is only such a person who can live or preach peace with actions and words.
Shield of Faith: Indeed faith is a shield that can stop the fiery arrows of the evil one. Faith in God is a greater fire than the fiery arrows of the evil one. Having faith in God implies that, God's Spirit is always inspiring you in your believe in God. And that arrows of the evil one can not stand the Holy Spirit. With faith we move towards the lover of our souls, God.
Helmet of Salvation: In Paul's teaching that we are part of Christ Jesus's Body and he is the head of the Body, are minds must be drawn to the fact that his saving action on the Cross wrought this. Thus if the head is targeted in the spiritual warfare, the mind is targeted and if the head is targeted, man's spirit is the target. When we allow confusion or doubts from the evil one to overcome us, we thus fail to surround ourselves with the Truth, walk in Uprightness, dwell in peace or exhibit our Love for God. But with the helmet of Salvation, guarding our minds, doubts will only leads to a deeper Love for God.
Sword of the Spirit: Lastly, possessing all these, we become rhema, which is the word of God. In the two Greek Words for the word of God, Logos and Rhema, the difference is that Logos is understood as the Word in a whole, while Rhema is basically about the use of the Word for particular situations. Thus Rhema is become part of the Logos who is the head of the whole body. In fact this Greek Word rhema is what Paul used here.
By Sylvester Amakye-Quayson
Comments
Post a Comment