STUDY GUIDE

READ EPHESIANS 6:10-24

context: perfect conclusion to the Book of Ephesians

--- if a true christian ( ch 1-3 )

--- living the way a true christian should live ( ch 4-6:9 )

--- you can be sure of one thing: you will run right into the enemy

1. WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF REAL WARFARE --- BELIEVERS ARE LITERALLY SOLDIERS ENGAGED AGAINST FORMIDABLE FORCES

the enemy:

eph 6:12 not flesh and blood

--- rulers .. powers ... world forces of darkness: demons who have infiltrated the power structure of the world

--- see:

eze28:12-17 Satan behind the King of Tyre

dan10:13 LB: demons behind rulers of empires

rev 20:3 Satan deceives nations

--- spiritual forces in the heavenlies: demons in high places

his tactics:

gen 3:1-5 undermines God's character and credibility

--- has been impugning God's credibility since the beginning

--- he continues to do so by sowing doubt wherever he can

2 tim 3:12 makes the christian life difficult to live:

--- by persecution - by peer pressure

--- believers are subjected to ridicule, mockery, family pressure almost as soon as he professes his new faith

1 jn 2:15-16 lures us to worldliness / materialism

--- when difficulties do not work, he can change strategy - he can make it easy for us materially - thus driving us to worldliness and materialism

--- cite experience in the USA

eph 4:14 confuses us with false doctrine

--- note proliferation of counterfeit faiths: INC, JW, Mormons, etc.

1 cor 16:9 hinders our service to Christ

act 20:29 causes divisions within the church

1 cor 3:3-4 --- note how churches are lured to politics, power struggles, etc.

--- note how churches are led to split along minor doctrinal issues

1 cro 21:1-8 urges us to trust in our own resources

--- illustrated by God's condemnation of David when he counted his soldiers to find out how strong he really was

how are we to fight?

eph 6:10-18 be strong in the Lord - put on the full armor of God

--- the strength is God's but the committment must be ours

similar paradoxes in christianity:

--- we are saved because we are chosen, yet the faith is ours

--- I am living the christian life, yet Christ is living it through me

--- the bible was written by 66 different authors, yet it was written by God

--- I was saved thru His sovereignty and grace, yet my committment was needed

--- I must live the christian life with diligence and committment, yet it is God's power alone that allows me to live victoriously

2. WHAT ARE WE TO FIGHT WITH? --- THE BELIEVER'S ARMOR

v14a: the belt of truth:

truth gk ALETHEIA - synonyms:

--- an attitude of truthfulness

--- an attitude of non-hypocrisy, honesty, integrity

--- an attitude of committment

girded roman soldier's tunic: big, square material with holes for head and arms - hung low and loose over the body

--- before going to battle, soldier would secure the tunic by pulling its four corners through a leather belt

--- this made him mobile and flexible - effective in battle

to put on the belt of truth then is to be ready to fight --- to gird oneself for the battle by putting on an attitude of committment

--- see also:

lk 12:35 dressed in readiness

KJ: loins girded about

exo12:11 ready and prepared to move out for the flight

2 tim 2:4 soldiers cannot be entangled with civilian life

v14b: the breastplate of righteousness

breastplate molded metal chest plate covering the base of the neck to the top of the thighs

--- covers and protects the soldier's vital areas: his heart and his bowels

--- in the context of those times:

heart: represented the mind, man's thinking processes

bowels: represented his feelings and emotions

--- these are the very faculties subject to Satan's attack because taken together they encompass everything that causes us to act

righteousness obviously not self-righteousness because this is consistently condemned in scriptures

--- see: lk 18:9-14

based on Christ's imputed righteousness

--- see: 2 cor 5:21

we are called to practical righteousness - to match our practice to our imputed righteousness - this is the breastplate Paul speaks of

to put on the breastplate of righteousness then is to live a holy life --- it is based on the imputed righteousness of Christ --- but the breastplate is on only when we are truly living a holy life

--- see also:

eph 5:3-4 among you there must be no immorality ... but only that which is fitting

1 tim 1:9 a good conscience ... defends against shipwreck of faith

v15: the shoes of the gospel of peace

shoes protection against common military practice to conceal razor-sharp sticks in the ground

--- boots with heavy sole

--- metal cleats to grip soil and give stable footing

gospel good news of peace

--- rom 5:1-11 God at war with man - now at peace

--- thru Christ, we are on His side: reconciled

--- note that from context this doesn't refer to preaching the gospel but to standing our ground

--- refers to confidence that the gospel is all we need to win

to put on the shoes of the gospel of peace then is to stand our ground --- firmly rooted --- confident that God's power and resource in the gospel is sufficient

--- see also:

rom 1:16 the gospel, the power of God for salvation

1 cor 1:18 the gospel is the power of God for us who believe

APPLICATIONS:

--- have you sorted your priorities out yet?

- see: matt 8:19-22 tests of discipleship

matt 13:44-46 parables on discipleship

--- have you taken your stand for Christ yet?

- see: rom 10:9-10 confess Christ

are you wearing paper armor? --- what breastplate are you counting on for protection?

--- are you counting on activities? ie. bible study, memorization, worship, etc.

--- if you are, you are vulnerable

--- there is no substitute for personal holiness: activities do not in themselves protect, unless matched by obedience

checklist for your breastplate:

--- are you faithfully spending time studying AND APPLYING God's word?

--- how is your prayer life? - it is impossible to live a holy life without constant communion with God

--- do you love your family as you should?

--- what about others who oppose you? - has AGAPE love become personal to you yet?

--- are you giving sacrificially and acting as faithful steward of all the rest that you keep?

--- are there any lies, wrong attitudes, or bitterness and disobedience that you refuse to deal with?

how many times have you been sidetracked from the gospel?

--- led into church-related arguments - into emotion-laden issues

--- the whole bible speaks of the gospel: the OT prophesies it - the gospels tell of its having come true - the epistles explain it

--- the gospel is all you need - stand firm in it !!!

v16: the shield of faith

shield gk THUREON: a 5 x 3 ft thick plank of wood used in phalanx for protection against arrows

--- covered on the outside with metal and thick leather treated to withstand fire

--- would be stuck to the ground for soldiers to hide behind

--- different from gk ASPIS: a small, round light shield used to parry blows in hand to hand combat

flaming arrows were tipped with pitch that would burn slow missiles and hot

--- the pitch would splatter and start little fires on the soldier's clothing or whatever the target might be

--- symbolic of Satan's arrows: impurity, selfishness, doubt, fear, disappointment, etc.

--- see:

1 jn 2:16 Satan's flaming missiles -the lust of the flesh, the eyes, and the pride of life

to take the shield of faith then is to counter Satan's thrusts by total trust in God's reliability --- to put out the little fires he lights in our life by trusting God, no matter what happens

--- see also:

2 tim 1:6-7 Paul lifts up the severly discouraged Timothy

heb 12:2-3 fix your eyes on Christ ... when in danger of weariness and losing heart

v17a: the helmet of salvation

helmet designed to protect the head from arrows

more importantly .. designed to protect the head from the broadsword - gk RHOMPHAIA - a 3-4 ft long heavy sword with a massive handle - designed for a horseman to deal a heavy, crushing, splitting blow to the enemy's skull

salvation ... does not refer to being saved - you would not even be in this battle if not already saved

rather, it refers to the present and future aspects of salvation

--- of our being freed from the power of sin now and the presence of sin in the future

--- of salvation happening in the present .. sanctification - and its happening in the future .. glorification

to put on the helmet of salvation then is to stand in the confidence that Christ is continuing His ministering work in our lives today --- and in the certainty of that one future day when we shall have a great and glorious victory celebration

--- see also:

phil 1:6 Christ is hard at work in our lives ... even when He seems farthest away

1 the 5:8-9 Paul exhorts perseverance in light of the hope of our salvation

1 pet 1:3-7Peter similarly exhorts severly distressed believers ... with their certain coming glory

v17b: the sword of the Spirit --- the word of God

sword gk MACHAIRA: short sword used for hand to hand combat

--- not RHOMPHAIA: the broadsword

--- had to be used skillfully to be effective in hand to hand combat - unlike RHOMPHAIA which required brute force

word gk RHEMA: a specific statement or utterance

as sword --- not LOGOS: broad and general statements

in the hands of a righteous saint:

--- powerful heb 4:12

isa 55:11

--- complete 2 tim 3:16

--- effective matt 4:1-11

to put on the sword of the Spirit then is to know God's word well enough to put it to precise, effective use --- both for defense as well as offense in the spiritual battle

APPLICATIONS:

have you allowed the enemy's flaming arrows to splatter into fires burning out of control in your life?

--- have you been overcome by lusts of the flesh or the eyes?

--- are you unwittingly being drawn into creeping materialism?

--- get rid of the sense of possessing

--- see:

1 pet 2:11 do not allow yourself to get drawn into the heb 13:5 world

--- what about pride? - have you become entangled in it again?

are you again being drawn to trusting in your own capabilities .. in yourself, not God?

have you been sidelined by discouragement and doubt? --- has Satan's broadsword incapacitated you for christian service?

--- are you down and out because of falling to your favorite sin time and again?

--- see: heb 12:2 fix your eyes on Jesus: the perfecter of our faith - our future hope

--- are you constantly being drawn to doubt God at His word?

--- see:

heb 11:6 believe that He is faithful - that He rom 4:20-21 continues to work even when He seems distant - that what He promised He will fulfill

are you able to effectively wield the sword of the Spirit?

--- do you know God's word well enough to judiciously and precisely strike out with it both in defense and offense?

--- see:

ps 119:11 are you building up your defenses by memorizing the word?

1 pet 3:15 is it a ready weapon available on call?

1 tim 2:15are you handling it accurately?