1 Thessalonians 5:8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.
Joy in the truth of salvation in Jesus Christ is our strength. Jesus did do what we could not. There is power in His name and in His righteousness we can stand before our Holy God. Our fight is not with people but with the powers of evil that work to destroy the world that God created. Armed with the Gospel of peace we stand strong in our faith, the gift of the Father, which protects us against evil. Jesus has won the battle! Trust in Holy Spirit to guide us home. Carla
Ephesians 6:10-20
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 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—19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. (NKJV)
This practical passage is one of the most famous and richly rewarding in all of the NT. Paul probably had plenty of time to contemplate the parts of a Roman soldier’s armor. After all, he was constantly guarded during his house arrest in Rome.
Be strong may also be translated “be made strong.” The passive voice would suggest that we cannot do it ourselves.
The whole armor of God is the believer’s protection against evil and the Evil One. Paul presented the extended metaphor of the battle dress roughly according to the order in which the various pieces were put on. Wiles of the devil are Satan’s subtle tricks to defeat Christians in spiritual warfare. The evil day is taken by some to refer to the end times when the Evil One will launch a ferocious campaign against Christ and His army. A more common view is that any great spiritual contest in a believer’s life could be in view here.
Verses 14–17 present the six pieces of spiritual armor. Four are mentioned specifically and the belt and shoes are implied. Soldiers girded themselves with a belt, from which hung strips of leather to protect the lower body.
Truth is considered crucial by Paul (4:15, 25), because a dishonest Christian cannot hope to withstand the father of lies himself. The truth referred to here is integrity, a life of practical truthfulness and honesty.
The breastplate of Roman times went completely around the body, so that the back of a warrior was also protected. The breastplate was made of hard leather or metal. The righteousness that the breastplate represents is not the righteousness of Christ, which all believers possess, but the practical, righteous character and deeds of believers.
A Roman soldier’s feet were shod with hard, studded shoes. Paul used this image to represent the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all may mean that the shield of faith is to be used against everything. It may also mean that the shield is to cover the whole armor. A Roman soldier’s shield typically measured two and a half feet by four feet. The Christian’s shield offers protection against all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Flaming arrows could not penetrate the fireproof shield of the ancient Roman soldier, nor can the assaults of Satan penetrate to the believer who places his or her faith in God.
The helmet of salvation is likened to the intricately designed Roman helmet which protected the soldier’s head and also made him look taller and more impressive.
The sword of the Spirit is the only offensive weapon in the believer’s armor. This weapon is not necessarily the Bible as a whole, but the specific word that needs to be spoken in a specific situation. To have the precise word ready, a person must know the Bible intimately.
Without prayer, all the armor in the world would be of no use. General prayers and specific petitions in the Spirit are to be made for all believers and at all occasions. Perseverance and patience in prayer are essential.
The apostle Paul was not ashamed to ask other believers to pray that he would have the courage to proclaim the gospel. Even as a prisoner, Paul still wanted to be a faithful witness for the Lord.
Paul was an ambassador in chains in Rome for the gospel of Christ. His prayer was that he might speak boldly, as an ambassador for the King of kings ought to speak. The NKJV Study Bible
In the letter’s final teaching section, Paul instructs believers to stand against the evil forces at work in the world. This discussion has three parts: a description of the nature of the battle (Ephesians 6:10–13), a call to resist the powers by putting on the armor of God (verses 14–17), and a reminder to pray and be alert (verses 18–20).
The sword of the Spirit is the weapon that helps believers proclaim the gospel message, to act on God’s behalf, and combat attacks from the devil (Ephesians 6:11–12). Faithlife Study Bible
Isaiah 59:17
For He put on righteousness as a breastplate,
And a helmet of salvation on His head;
He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing,
And was clad with zeal as a cloak.
Colossians 4:2–4
Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains…
Isaiah 11:5
Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins,
And faithfulness the belt of His waist.
Isaiah 52:7
How beautiful upon the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who proclaims peace,
Who brings glad tidings of good things,
Who proclaims salvation,
Who says to Zion,“Your God reigns!”
Growing up, Christianity was about creed. About professing. (It’s similar to wanting the right answers to test questions.) And we were—and sadly still are—too eager to point out those who stood on the outside of the box we made, meaning the wrong side.
In a national magazine, an ad for the Humane Society minced no words. Above an adorable puppy and kitten, the ad read, “It’s who owns them that makes them important.”
Yes. Returned to ourselves.
In other words, to assume the “answer to every question is compassion”, is not about creed. This is about who or what owns us.
Mother Teresa once told a roomful of lepers how much God loved them. She told them that they are "a gift to the rest of us."
Interrupting her, an old leper raises his hand, and she calls on him. "Could you repeat that again?" he asks. "It did me good. So, would you mind; just saying it again."
Yes please. Just say it again.
We easily forget, don't we... the cathartic power of grace?
The power to shine the light on shame and fear and paranoia.
To invite us to bear the beams of love.
To invite us to be the kind of person we want to be.
We forget the power and life-giving restoration and repair from simple gestures of compassion.
Here’s the deal: Today, let us remember who we are.
And let us remember, compassion is real.
“Compassion is at the heart of every little thing we do. It is the dearest quality we possess. Yet all too often it can be cast aside with consequences too tragic to speak of. To lose our compassion, we lose what it is to be human.” (Anon)
So, yes, compassion makes a difference. Sabbath Moments
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