The Panoply of God (Part 2)
The armor of God truly is God’s armor! Each piece is from His armory, not ours. This holy ensemble is expected to be worn and worth careful examination.
The Belt of Truth
What does the perfect belt look like? Does it have a large buckle or small? Is it traditional, ratcheting, or elastic? Can it be used with a holster? How long does it last? How amazing a belt that binds together yet never wears, never stretches beyond use, and never falls apart! Whatever else it does, if it does not last, how much is it worth? Paul’s letter to Titus begins, “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, Who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in His word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior” (Titus 1:1-3). The sheer authenticity of the gospel binds everything together (cf. 1 Cor. 15:19-20).
The Breastplate of Righteousness
God’s righteousness is a massive defensive barrier to protect vital organs. Our hearts in particular do not depend on our own righteousness but on God’s! There is none righteous, no not one (Rom. 3:10). All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). This has not stopped some from trying to establish their own righteousness (cf. Rom. 10:3). Jesus said our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees in order to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:20). He further declares in the same sermon that we are to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt. 6:33). Paul recognized the loss of his own righteousness is necessary to gain the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ (Phil. 3:1-11; cf. Rom. 10:6ff.). To the Ephesians he indicates the new self is “created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24).
The Shoes of Readiness in the Gospel of Peace
There is something to be said about the right kind of shoes. I learned too little too late that steel-toe or composite-toe boots are helpful when delivering refrigerators. Some shoes are great for hiking while others are great for standing on concrete all day. You may even have a pair of shoes with no other purpose than to take out the trash. But unless the shoes are secure, moving along at a normal pace becomes cumbersome. The footwear God provides for His soldiers is the gospel of peace. Isaiah 52:7 says, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns’” (cf. Rom. 10:15). True peace comes when God reigns. With each step we take, are we declaring our God reigns?
My next article will continue this examination of God’s armor for us.
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