Paul was clearly very familiar with armor. Even a quick read of his letters reveals a familiarity with warfare, based on his use of imagery to explain aspects of the Christian life. But his understanding of the military is perhaps most clear in his letter to the Ephesians. In fact, Paul was under arrest as he wrote that letter, likely sitting beside a soldier in his armor. So, he uses a fitting illustration to explain an unbelievable truth. In this day when the battle rages, we actually do have what it takes to stand firm against the enemy.
Paul writes in the same passage about the enemy we face as Christians. It’s a sobering reminder of the one who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. He roams about seeking who he may devour. Paul calls us to know the devil for who he really is in our invisible battle as citizens of a kingdom at war.
Twice in this passage Paul urges us to put on the full armor of God. The full armor of God. That one statement is pregnant with so much meaning. Paul goes on to enumerate the various pieces of this armor. I wish I could spend time unpacking each specific piece. There’s a sermon waiting behind every one. But to avoid making this a book chapter instead of an article, there are two specific descriptions I want you to catch.
The Armor is Complete
First, consider the word full.
Roman soldiers fought in close combat, with swords and shields. You never knew where a blade, an arrow, or a spear was coming from. It was grisly, hand-to-hand combat. That’s the image Paul has in mind. We are in the middle of the fray.
The Greek words used here, πλήρης πανοπλία (plḗrēs panoplía), are actually a technical term for a specific kind of Roman armor. The words identify a complete set of armor that covers a person from head to toe.1 This armor provides not just some coverage. It provides complete coverage. Paul goes on to detail the various pieces of armor: the belt, the breastplate, the shoes, the helmet and sword. It’s defense from every angle. And this full armor is complete when all pieces are together. Put on the full armor of God.
In the battle against the evil one, when we wear this armor, we can have confidence that we are defended on every side.
The Armor is God’s
More important than the style of armor is the one to whom it belongs. This is no regular armor. This armor is God’s armor. I convinced many do not recognize this passage has roots in the Old Testament. In Isaiah chapter 59, the prophet tells about the sinfulness of Israel.
Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We hope for light, but there is darkness; for brightness, but we live in the night. We grope along a wall like the blind; we grope like those without eyes. We stumble at noon as though it were twilight; we are like the dead among those who are healthy. We all growl like bears and moan like doves. We hope for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us. For our transgressions have multiplied before you, and our sins testify against us (Isaiah 59:9-12).
But he doesn’t stop there… he goes on a few verses down.
The Lord saw that there was no justice, and he was offended. He saw that there was no man—he was amazed that there was no one interceding; so his own arm brought salvation, and his own righteousness supported him. He put on righteousness as body armor, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and he wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. So he will repay according to their deeds: fury to his enemies, retribution to his foes, and he will repay the coasts and islands. They will fear the name of the Lord in the west and his glory in the east; for he will come like a rushing stream driven by the wind of the Lord. “The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those in Jacob who turn from transgression.” This is the Lord’s declaration (Isaiah 59:15b-20).
This is no ordinary armor. It is the very armor of the Lord God Almighty. It is forged and furnished by Him who is mighty to save. In Paul’s imagery here, the warrior God of Isaiah takes off his own armor and gives it to us.
In order to take a stand, we must be clothed in God’s truth, God’s righteousness, God’s great gospel of peace. We must stand behind the shield of faith, wear His salvation, and wield His sword, the very Word of God.
What a gift!
The Armor is Ours to Put On
But that raises a question: How do we put it on? Paul tells us to put on the armor.
Tony Merida, in his commentary on Ephesians gets to the heart of the matter. Tony tells us the call to put on the armor, “is… about putting on the characteristics and virtues that are ours through our union with Jesus Christ.”2 In other words it is an active, conscious, and daily appropriation of spiritual resources and virtues.
The nearer we draw to Jesus, the more we are clothed with the Lord’s armor. If we desire to make it to the other side of this conflict without being chewed up by the enemy, we must draw near to the one who clothes us in His virtue. John Stott, commenting on this says,
Some Christians are so self-confident that they think they can manage by themselves without the Lord’s strength and armour. Others are so self-distrustful that they imagine they have nothing to contribute to their victory in spiritual warfare. Both are mistaken.3
The very armor of God, forged by His hand is extended to us. With it, we can stand against the schemes of the devil himself.
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William Arndt et al., in A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 754. ↩
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Tony Merida, Exalting Jesus in Ephesians, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville: B&H, 2014). ↩
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John R. W. Stott, God’s New Society: The Message of Ephesians, The Bible Speaks Today (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1979), 266. ↩