Take Up the Shield of Faith
How does faith extinguish demonic attack? If the particular demonic attack is doubt, then faith will obviously and effectively quench it. But more is intended here. The Greek phrasing behind “shield of faith” could also be translated “shield of the faith.” What protects us from Satan’s assault is not just only our personal trust in God but also the core of Christian belief. When we are being harassed by the enemy, we hang on tight to what we believe.
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Put On the Gospel of Peace
The good news of peace plays a leading role in Ephesians. The phrase “gospel of peace” echoes Isaiah 52:7, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’”
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Put on the Belt of Truth
In Ephesians, truth is specifically connected to Jesus Christ. It is, at its core, the veritable content of the good news of God’s salvation by grace given through Christ. Thus, the belt of truth is closely related to “the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15) and “the helmet of salvation” (Ephesians 6:17). But when we think of putting on God’s truth, we rightly infer that this includes more than merely the good news of Christ. We put on the belt of truth whenever we speak and live the truth.
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To Do Spiritual Battle, Major in the Majors
For many of us, the notion of spiritual warfare feels foreign. We’re not apt to think in these terms or experience life in this way. In some segments of the church, however, believers easily—even eagerly—recognize the demonic dimension of our battle.
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Put on the Armor of God
We do not have to fight in our own strength. Rather, we can “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10). How do we do this? Twice our passage gives the same answer: “Put on the full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11, 6:13).
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One Life-Changing Implication of Ephesians 6:12
I’m thinking about the implications of the phrase “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood” (6:12). This phrase does not mean that we’ll never have issues with human beings, that they won’t oppose us or hurt us. It’s not denying the reality of personal evil or systemic evil. When Paul was persecuted by Roman authorities, he faced both kinds of evil. But he understood that beneath and behind these opponents was a far greater and more pervasive opposition. The spiritual forces of evil were, in their nefarious and elusive way, acting through human agents and systems.
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One Thing is Sure: God is Sovereign
If we’re going to take seriously the spiritual battle in which we find ourselves, we need to be grounded in solid, unchanging truth. We don’t want to be making things up as we go. When it comes to spiritual realities, one thing is sure: God is sovereign. Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of Lords. Whatever might oppose him is always and ultimately subordinate to him.
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The True Struggle of Life
I will freely admit that I don’t naturally think of life in terms of spiritual warfare. In fact, sometimes the antics of Christians who engage in what they call spiritual warfare turn me off completely. But I also want to take Scripture seriously, to be guided, taught, corrected, and inspired by God’s Word. So I don’t dismiss Ephesians 6:10-20 because it doesn’t fit my natural worldview.
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Be Strong in the Lord
If there’s one main point in Ephesians 6:10-20, one truth we need to understand, one imperative we need to obey, it comes right at the start. You can’t miss it: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” (6:10). Be strong “in the Lord” by relying on the One who created all things. Be strong in the Lord who saved you from death into life. Be strong by resting in God, trusting God, being filled by God, being loved by God.
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Confronting Slavery Today
I believe that we, as Christians, are called to confront the evil of slavery until it exists no longer in our world. If we live in certain parts of the world, it’s easy to assume that slavery is a thing of the past. Yet for millions of people across the globe today, even the Western world, it is a present reality.
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A Challenging Exhortation for Bosses
This perspective does more than radically altering the relationship between slaves and masters in the first-century Roman world. It also challenges us to rethink and restructure workplace relationships in our own day. Those of us who are bosses should wisely exercise the authority entrusted to us. But we do so aware of the fact that we have a heavenly Boss, that we are accountable to him just as our reports are accountable to him. We are to treat those who work for us with the utmost respect and honor, not lording our authority over them, but rather, serving them in the way Christ has served us (Mark 10:42-45). As a boss, I’m not suggesting this is always easy. But I am saying that we need to see our earthly roles in light of a greater, heavenly reality. When this happens, how we think about our work and how we work will change dramatically.
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God Will Reward You for Your Work
When we imagine the rewards associated with work, we naturally think of things like pay, a sense of accomplishment, the company of colleagues, the opportunity to create, the joy of serving others, and perhaps a way to contribute to the common good. We may also think of our work as a way to honor God, who created us in his own image as workers.
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Serving the Lord in Your Daily Work
If you work for a company, school, or non-profit, you are also serving the Lord through your daily work. If you own your own business, you are also serving the One who “owns” you through his death and resurrection. If you work without compensation, caring for your family or volunteering, you are also serving the Lord. As long as your work is not evil—like stealing, for example—what you do each day is for the Lord, for his purposes, honor, and glory. This can make all the difference in the world when it comes to how we think about and function in our daily work.
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An Unsettling Passage About Work
Today we begin our devotional engagement with a most unsettling passage. Though it has much to say to us about our work, Ephesians 6:5-9 is a troubling passage because it addresses a particular work context: slavery. Something in us rightly recoils when facing such a passage, especially one that begins with instructions for slaves to obey their masters. We wish Paul in Ephesians had argued for the abolition of slavery, rather than accepting it. Our understandable feelings about Ephesians 6:5-9 can make it hard for us to attend to its teaching on work and to see how this passage profoundly undermines the institution of slavery, though not by attacking it directly.
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Bringing Up Children
The positive exhortation for fathers is to bring up children “in the training and instruction of the Lord.” This phrase could refer specifically to instruction in Christian doctrine. But it’s more likely that this verse teaches fathers that they are participating in the Lord’s work of training and instruction of children. Yes, fathers and mothers are responsible for bringing up their own children. But, more broadly, this is God’s work. Why is this important? First of all, it reframes the ancient notion of absolute paternal authority. Fathers exercise their authority under the supreme authority of God. Moreover, since they are to be submitted to their brothers and sisters in Christ, they can be held accountable to raise their children with love, justice, and grace.
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