13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints — Ephesians 6: 13-18
Christians are called to be a priesthood in 1 Peter 2:9 which states “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;”
As royal priests we are representatives of God invested with the Lord’s holiness and righteousness. Thus, we are also saints. The term “royal priest” connotes a personal standing as a representative of Christ to others, whereas the term “saints” suggests a personal righteousness that inheres in us as believers in and followers of Jesus Christ.
In the Old Testament there is a distinct priestly, Aaronic class whereby Aaron and his sons are the priests. They are assigned special priestly garments which they were to wear in service to the Lord. However, as Christ followers, our priestly garments are worn more as soldiers wear their armor. Thus, the new “priesthood” made up of the followers of Christ is also assigned garments, but they are spiritual garments – invisible, yet expressive of a soldierly mindset on behalf of a living and powerful God.
These “garments” express the commitment of Christ’s followers to truth, righteousness, peacefulness, faith, salvation, the Word of God, and prayer for the saints.
The Aaronic garments were ornate. The priestly breastplates were covered with jewels. They had the names of the 12 tribes. The new invisible breastplate communicates strength and love to all people. The bearers of this “whole armor” are clothed with a spiritual power and authority towards all, but that power and authority will only be received by those who are meant to receive it. The believer in Christ conquers the resistance and deceits of the enemies of Christ.
In the Aaronic priesthood, a gold plate was placed on the priest’s turban with the words “HOLY TO THE LORD.” The priestly commitment to holiness is now to be held spiritually and communicated to all people by we who are Christ followers. It is announced publicly by the believers, not only by a set apart priestly class. It is communicated under the anointing and confidence of the Holy Spirit.
We are not to live what is called “an antinomian lifestyle” where we can live any way we want because we believe in a forgiving God. We are justified in Christ and have eternal security’ yet we are to walk the walk of faith in fear and trembling. We are to resist temptation to sin and we are not to sin. If we know we are sinning, we are to confess our sin to the Lord directly and with distress and repentance to turn away from that sin.
The priestly garments of the Aaronic priest included a bell on the garment of the high priest that would ring when he went into the Holy of Holies where the Ten Commandments were kept. Now, by contrast, the followers of Christ have entered into the Holy of Holies – faith in Christ is intimacy with the Godhead and direct access to the Godhead.
The priestly garments also included linen trousers to cover their nakedness. This “rule” suggests how primitive the conditions were as the Israelites wandered during those 40 years. It shows how ragged their clothing sometimes became that their bodily parts sometimes were exposed. This helps us understand how primitive the Aaronic priestly garments were as spiritual indicators when compared to the whole armor we find in the New Testament.
The whole armor of God is invisible and inward. These “garments” so-called are spiritual. The entire emphasis is on the redemption and power given to the inner man and inner woman in Christ. There is no external priesthood, but a spiritual priesthood determined by the radical anointing of Christ’s followers. It entails a spiritual, inward renovation not an external change in uniform, clothing, habitation, or diet. But this inward mindset is wedded to soldierly attitudes that manifest in determination, unwillingness to compromise, zeal for victory, and a true purpose rooted in Almighty God.
Let us briefly look at the changes that the whole armor of God brings to our lives:
Belt of TRUTH – The belt is foundational for battle. It supported the weapons that allowed the soldier to fight and stand strong. To win our spiritual battles our fight must be anchored to the truth found in Jesus alone. (John 14:6)
Truth is God’s revelation of all that He is to us, all that He has done for us, and all that He promises to do for us in the days ahead. We need to feed on truth through daily Bible reading.
It cuts through all the world’s distortions, deceptions, and compromises. When we study, memorize, live, and follow the Word of God, He enables us to see the world from God’s high vantage point – for He is the Truth.
Breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS – The breastplate’s function was to protect the vital organs. In close hand-to-hand combat, the breastplate was essential for survival. If we start to believe that our own righteousness, effort, or good works can make us worthy of God’s protection, the advantage shifts to our enemy. We need to get our eyes off ourselves and back onto the provision of the cross and the righteousness found in our relationship with Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Shoes of READINESS AND PEACE – Without his sandals, a soldier was not prepared to fight and could easily be defeated. Our preparation for battle is the Gospel of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. The work of Jesus here on earth brought us peace with God. This allows us to fight and stand tall with boldness, confidence, perseverance, and peace. (Isaiah 26: 3-4)
Shield of FAITH – Jesus is the focus of our faith. The only protection from the flaming arrows that rained down from the sky in ancient warfare was the shield. If dropped it was useless and the soldier’s fate rested with himself. We trust Jesus alone as our shield. We cannot rely on our own abilities in the battle. (Psalm 33: 20-22)
Helmet of SALVATION – The word “salvation” means “total deliverance”. In Jesus, we can find deliverance in every situation: spiritual, emotional, and physical. He must be our Source, our Guide, our Way Out. We cannot deliver ourselves. Also, the helmet protects the mind that is being used by God to transform us into Christ’s image. (Romans 12: 1-2)
Sword of THE SPIRIT which isTHE WORD OF GOD – Jesus is the Word of God made flesh. When used at close range by a skilled soldier, the sword was a deadly weapon. The Word is the written picture of Jesus. He is the living version of everything God wanted to say to mankind. The Word is a powerful weapon when used under the Spirit’s power and direction. (John 1:14)
Besides taking a stand in our world, we also need to let our heart and our words be heard in heavenly places. “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.…” (Ephesians 6:18) We never stand taller than when we bend our knees to God and pray for the needs of others.
But we can’t do this on our own. The Apostle Paul taught us that to stand strong we must be “perfectly weak” before God. He said, “…for my strength is made perfect in weakness…When I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12: 9-10)
Let’s learn to surrender our weak and imperfect flesh to God as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1), be completely dependent upon Him, and allow Him to give us His strength to stand up, stand tall, and stand strong in our world!
Jeffrey Ludwig
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