The Helmet of Salvation

 

Ephesians 6:17, “and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

1 Thessalonians 5:8, “But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.”

We are in a battle.  If our body has protection, but our head does not, we are in trouble.  Our mind controls where we are going, what we do, and how our body functions.  God has not left us without protection.

“Since the greatest point of vulnerability for a soldier in combat was his head, concern for some form of protective helmet can be traced as far back as the end of the 4th millennium BC. The Sumerians of the early dynastic period (3100 BC) had already developed a metal helmet …  That helmet was slightly pointed and covered both the ears and the back of the neck. …

“In the Late Bronze Age a collar made of scales was added to the helmet, closing the gap between the original helmet and the coat of mail. Armorers continued to experiment with helmet shapes, sometimes for greater protection for the wearer, at other times for better identification. When troops were equipped with helmets especially shaped or decorated, field commanders could identify the position of each unit at any given time.” (Lane, 1988)

We wear the helmet of salvation as we do spiritual warfare.  Salvation comes through accepting what Jesus did for us in dying to pay for our sins and then being raised victorious from the dead.  It involves a difference in our standing before God, a victory over the power of sin, and a future promise of eternal life with God.  It affects how we live now and gives us a hope for the future.  God is changing us day by day.  We are becoming a new creation in Christ.

“Salvation is not just a past-tense event (justification) with future-tense implications.  As we live underneath its blessing, we enjoy a vibrant, living, daily reality in the present (sanctification). … Sanctification is a process by which we are continually delivered from the wrath of God on earth, fortified against the enemy’s attacks, and molded into the image of Christ as our minds are renewed.” (Shirer, 2018) Salvation “doesn’t just involve them escaping death but also entering into a state of health, wholeness, victory, and safety.  Our God’s salvation is holistic and involves the well-being of the whole person- not just rescuing them but even reversing negative circumstances.” (Shirer, 2018)

We know the events of the world and struggles we face are not the end of the story.  Our focus is on God.  Life is hard.  We cannot control what happens in our world.  We are, however, not powerless, because we have a God who answers prayer and cares about us.  That does not mean everything will run smoothly.  It means He will be with us and may surprise us with how He uses life’s circumstances.

“Today’s ‘momentary light affliction,’ as Paul describes it in 2 Corinthians 4:17, doesn’t feel light and momentary; such afflictions often feel like life-shaping, soul-crushing burdens that seem impossible to bear.  But in the light of the certain hope of our salvation, these burdens are put in a larger perspective.  We know that God is up to something good in our life through afflictions, producing perseverance and character.  God tells us, ‘Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness’ (James 1:2-3).  Yet if it is just for present benefits that we suffer, trials can be discouraging. … Hope encourages us by reminding us of the greater realities yet to come.” (Duguid, 2019)

When we look at the larger picture and promises for eternity, it changes how we live today.  It changes how we view events.  Our primary focus can be on God and His plans instead of on politics, health, or world events.  We have hope for both now and the future.

Our minds are under attack.  Satan wants to get our focus off God.  He wants us to be discouraged, condemned, afraid, angry, or distracted.  We need to remember God’s salvation offers us changed lives now and a glorious inheritance for eternity.  We will face adversity, pain, and dark valleys, but we never face these alone.  God is with us. We are a new creation in Him.  He forgives us, loves us, and wants us to have a close relationship with Him.

Pastor Jerry Reifsnyder talks about the helmet of salvation in this video.

Although the promise of eternity gives us a future hope, our salvation offers us much for the present.  “…  It was also supposed to exert a startlingly clear impact on our present, daily life.  But this impact will only be experienced to the extent that we apply the benefits of salvation to our everyday lives.” (Shirer, 2018)

How do we do this?  We must remember who we are in Christ. We are his child who is forgiven and empowered to live the life He has for us. We have victory through Christ.  2 Cor. 10:5 tells us to “destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”  This means we have to evaluate the thoughts in our minds and things we hear to see if they are true and in agreement with what we have learned from God’s Word.  We are growing in our knowledge of God, and He convicts us in areas of our life where we are not living right.  He tells us in Philippians 4:8 to dwell on what is true, honorable, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, or worthy of praise.  That is quite different from dwelling on what is wrong with us, our neighbors, or our world.

“But however many times we struggle against sin and fail in this life, our failure is not the last word; the last word is Christ’s perfection, which clothes us, and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit within us.” (Duguid, 2019)  He has paid the price for our sins, past, present, and future.  He will convict us, continue to love us, and work to shape us into what we should be.

Our minds are where God speaks to us confirming Scripture, giving direction, convicting us, assuring our hearts, and exposing lies we believe.   “… poisonous thinking will also cripple your ability to clearly detect the leading of God’s Spirit.  As an heir, you’re meant to know and discern His will, to hear His guiding voice behind you. … The enemy’s lies, when believed, short-circuit and distort your ability to hear God’s voice clearly and respond accordingly.” (Shirer, 2018) 

“What is more, as a helmet, hope gives you boldness in faithfully pursuing God’s call on your life.  Sometimes God calls us to do risky things for him; at other times, faithfulness looks like persisting in doing ordinary things over and over again, trusting that the Lord will bring fruit we cannot yet see.  The hope of salvation encourages us in both areas.” (Duguid, 2019)  We do not measure our success by results we or others see.  Obedience to God’s leading is what determines our success.  He wants us to be willing to leave our comfort zone and to put Him first in our decisions.  He wants us to trust Him even when we don’t understand His purposes.

“Our attempts may indeed end in failure from a human perspective, even when we are genuinely pursuing his leading. … Yet even in that apparent failure, the Lord promises to glorify himself in and through us.  Our labor in Christ cannot and will not ultimately be in vain, even if the only visible fruit is a single human life-ours—growing in gratitude to the God who called us and sustains us by his grace.” (Duguid, 2019)  God looks at things differently than we do.  He wants us to grow in our relationship with Him.  He wants to change us.  Becoming whole in Him is a great success.

 

Isaiah 51:6, “Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
    and look at the earth beneath;
for the heavens vanish like smoke,
    the earth will wear out like a garment,
    and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;
but my salvation will be forever,
    and my righteousness will never be dismayed.’”

 

 

Works Cited

Duguid, I. M. (2019). The Whole Armor of God. Wheaton, IL: Crossway.

Lane, W. (1988). Arms and Warfare. In Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (pp. Vol.1, p.183). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

Shirer, P. (2018). The Armor of God. Nashville, TN: LifeWay Press.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. (2016). Crossway Bibles.

 

 

The Shield of Faith

 

Ephesians 6:16, “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;” (The Holy Bible: English Standard Version, 2016)

The Roman’s shield, called a scutum, was around 2’x4’, with multiple layers of wood, canvas, and leather with iron reinforcements in the center and around the edges.  This was large enough to cover a soldier completely with extra overlap space to join with others and the ability to hook it on to another soldier’s shield. When soaked in water, it could extinguish burning arrows.

“A shield needed to be large enough to provide reasonable defense, but it also needed to be usable in direct person-to-person combat or to withstand the flight of arrows. Usually, shields also needed to be light enough that carrying them would not immobilize soldiers in action. Consequently, even when metal became available, shields were frequently still made of leather strapped over a wooden frame and then studded with metal. Since operating a bow required two hands, in some situations another person might protect the archer with a shield. This type of shield could be significantly larger than the one normally carried by the infantry.” (Corduan, 2016)

Our shield is faith.  What is faith?  Hebrew 11:1 tells us, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (ESV)  Faith is believing a truth and then acting on that belief.  Psalm 20:7 says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” (ESV)  God is at the core of our faith.  It is who He is and what He has promised that forms the base of where we put our trust.  We feed our faith through reading God’s Word to learn who God is, what He has accomplished for us, what He has promised, and realizing that He is both powerful and loving. The more we know God, the more our faith grows.  The Bible also says God is our shield.  Our faith is not blind faith, but faith in God.

“God himself is our shield; he is our refuge; he is our hiding place in the day of difficulty; his faithfulness will keep us safe when we are being shot at by arrows, flaming or otherwise.” (Duguid, 2019)  Gen 15:1, Prov 30:5, 

Psalm 3:3, Psalm 28:7, Psalm 119:114

“It is also asserted that faith is closely related to understanding. Note, for instance, the words of Hebrews 11:3: ‘By faith we understand that the world was created by the Word of God, so that what is seen was made out of things which do not appear.’

“From the foregoing, it seems clear that Scripture takes for granted that reason and faith are not two separate and unrelated abilities; rather, they are both inescapably bound up in the structure of the total person. In the final analysis, neither can safely stand alone. Reason without faith may deteriorate into a mere gathering of facts—facts that are never really put together. Faith without reason, on the other hand, can trail off into vagueness and lack of meaning. (Lyon, 1988)

“If there is no solid foundation to faith, then faith itself is worse than useless; it is false and misleading.” (Duguid, 2019)  (1 Cor.15:14)  We need to know what or who we are trusting in.  Faith is built on the God of the universe who has proven to be trustworthy.  It builds strength on the promises found in His Word.  We are in a covenantal relationship with God based on His love for us.

Sonya Valentino explains more about the shield of faith as she speaks to us from the David A. Dorsey Museum of Biblical Archaeology in Myerstown, PA 

“To experience faith as a shield, you need to know not only that God is powerful but that this God is your friend.  God’s sovereignty is not in the least comforting unless you know that this sovereign God is on your side. … Your belief in God won’t shield you if you don’t believe God is for you.” (Duguid, 2019)  It amazes me to think that the creator of the universe loves me and has a plan for my life.  He is fighting for me and empowering me to win the battle before me.

“Faith is the medium by which the power of God is made visible. It moves mountains, heals the sick, and is the means of entrance into the kingdom. It may be mingled with doubt, as with the father who sought healing for his son (“I believe; help my unbelief!” [Mk 9:24]), or as with John the Baptist in prison, who, even with his doubts, was confirmed by Jesus as the greatest of the offspring of woman (Mt 11:2–15).” (Lyon, 1988)  God’s power is available to us.  We need to trust Him and His promises for the miraculous to happen.  It is not the amount of faith that matters, but the object of our faith.  Luke 17:5-6 tells us, “The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’  And the Lord said, ‘If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it would obey you. ‘“(ESV)

“You don’t need more faith.  You need to know more truth.  This is because faith is the point of access, not the source of power.” (Evans, 2011)  Faith grows as we use it.  It is not the greatness of our faith that accomplishes great things, but the greatness of our God.  We all deal with doubts.  We have faith if we act as God directs even though it is requiring us to step out into fearful territory.  “Our action or inaction is a litmus test that gives us an accurate reading of what we believe to be true about God.…So we can never detect our level of faith (or the faith of another, for that matter) by how we feel, only by what we’re willing to do in obedience to God.” (Shirer, 2018)

Abraham’s faith was revealed when he obeyed God and took Isaac, the son of the promise, and was willing to sacrifice him in obedience. (Genesis 22:1-14)  We can say we have faith in God, but are we willing to follow His instructions to us?  Sometimes the things God directs us to do don’t make sense to us or takes us out of our comfort zone.  Obedience is linked to faith.“… faith is acting as if God is telling the truth.  Another way of saying it is that faith is acting as if something is so even when it appears not to be so in order that it might be shown to be so simply because God said so.  Faith is directly tied to an action done in response to a revealed truth.” (Evans, 2011)  When we step out in faith, God is glorified.  People see Him acting on our behalf and discover His power.  Faith and action tie together.  If we truly have faith in God, we will follow His leading.

“But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’  Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.  You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” James 2:18-19 You can believe something is true without allowing it to change your life.  I have heard people say they believe Jesus is God’s Son, but they are unwilling to submit their lives to Him.  Having head knowledge is not the same as having life changing faith.  If we have true faith, it changes the way we live our lives.

“Faith is acting on the truth whether I feel the truth or not. It’s acting on the truth whether I like the truth or not.  It’s also acting on the truth whether I agree with the truth or not.  Simply put, faith is a function of the mind that shows up in the feet.” (Evans, 2011)  God’s Word reveals truth.  It may not be something convenient, popular, or easy.  We may struggle with understanding the why or want to change direction to be in line with the culture.  Faith submits to doing things God’s way.

“faith protects us from Satan’s attacks because of what faith enables us to take hold of, namely, the power and protection of God himself.” (Duguid, 2019)  There is no greater resource and protection than having the God of the universe with all His unlimited power fighting for us.

“The second resemblance between faith and a shield is this: not only does the shield defend the whole body, but it defends the soldier’s other armour also.” (Gurnall, 2021)  This helps equip us better for battle.

Our lives are changed when we become a new creation in Christ.  It is what Christ has done in the past that gives us faith for the future.  Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. “

Testudo (Latin for “Tortoise”) was a battlefield tactic where raised shields protected soldiers in battle.  They could not hit the soldiers from above or in front as long as they worked together to form a protective covering.  We do not battle just as a single soldier.  We are part of an army.  The faith experiences of others strengthens our faith.  We support each other, encourage each other, and hold up one another when the attack becomes difficult for us to fight alone.  We are better together.

“Faith reminds us that this war is not all there is.  God has promised us a wonderful future in his presence.  We have a glorious inheritance stored up in Christ in comparison to which our present difficulties will seem like light and momentary afflictions.” (Duguid, 2019)  The best is yet to come!  Our focus is not on this world but what God has promised for eternity.

 

The figurative use of shields

God is called a shield of his people Ge 15:1 See also 2Sa 22:3; Ps 7:10; 18:2; Pr 2:7

God acts as a shield Ex 14:19-20 See also Isa 52:12; 58:8

God protects his people Isa 31:5 See also Ps 3:3; 12:7; 32:10; 125:2; 140:7; Zec 2:5; 12:8

God is a refuge for his people Ps 144:2 See also Ps 18:30; 119:114; Pr 30:5

God is the help and strength of his people Ps 28:7 See also Dt 33:29; Ps 33:20; 115:9-11

God gives victory to his people 2Sa 22:36 pp Ps 18:35

God’s favour is compared to a shield Ps 5:12 See also Ps 3:3; 32:10; 84:9-11

God’s faithfulness is compared to a shield Ps 91:4

Faith is given to the believer to act as a shield Eph 6:16 See also 1Pe 1:5 (Manser, 2009)

Works Cited

Corduan. (2016). War in the Ancient Near East. In D. B. In J. D. Barry (Ed.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Duguid, I. M. (2019). The Whole Armor of God. Wheaton, IL: Crossway.

Evans, T. (2011). Victory in Spiritual Warfare. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers.

Gurnall, W. (2021). The Christian in Complete Armour Volume 3. East Peoria, IL: Versa Press Inc.

Lyon, R. (1988). Faith. In Baker Encyclopedia of teh Bible (Vol. 1, p. 762). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

Manser, M. (2009). Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies. London: Martin Manser.

Shirer, P. (2018). The Armor of God. Nashville: LifeWay Press.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

 

 

 

 

Ready for Action

 

“and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.”  Ephesians 6:15 (The Holy Bible: ESV, 2016)

An important part of our spiritual armor is having the right shoes.  Roman soldiers in biblical days wore caliga, a type of open hard leather boot with rows of hobnails (iron pins) protruding down from the thick soles.  They made these boots in an open design, allowing drainage, which came in handy when crossing rivers.  This helped reduce moisture in the boot and provided good ventilation.  This was important for reduced sweating and fewer blisters.  The thickness protected their feet as they travelled across terrain with sharp stones or branches.  Nails provided grip and stability for standing as well as increased mobility for covering rough, uneven ground and gripped the soil.  The nails also protected the soles of the shoes increasing durability.  Roman soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder when in battle, so an unstable soldier would make a break in their line of defense.  The nails also made a frightening clatter when an army approached on streets.  The boots provided good ball, arch, and heel support.  Soldiers were known to kick enemies with the nailed shoes.

We are in a spiritual battle where we need to stand unmoved by our foes as well as being able to advance against the enemy.  Our footwear is both defensive and offensive.  It allows us to stand firm against enemy attacks.  It also helps us advance quickly to attack our enemy.  Our footwear is durable.  It keeps doing its job.  Our enemies are spiritual forces, not human people.  I recently have been dealing with plantar fasciitis.  It is an extremely painful heel problem that came from spending lots of time on my feet in shoes that were not supportive.  The cure involves rest, wearing arch supports, supportive shoes, and exercises to strengthen surrounding muscles.  When we live our lives without taking advantage of the support and design God has for us, we end up in pain and unable to do what we should be doing.

“The Greek word translated ‘peace’ in the Scripture is eirene.  This word is equivalent to the Hebrew word shalom.  Essentially, eirene  embodies completeness, wholeness, and an inner resting of the soul that does not fluctuate based on outside influences.” (Evans, 2011)

Colossians 3:15 tells us, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” (The Holy Bible: ESV, 2016)

John 14:27 promises, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (The Holy Bible: ESV, 2016)

Philippians 4:6-7 gives guidance on ways to keep peace in our lives.  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (The Holy Bible: ESV, 2016)

God’s peace is available to every Christian.  It is not based on our circumstances.  We can have inner peace even when everything in our world is in chaos.  We know God is still in control and stronger than any problem we face.  God has overcome our enemy.  The enemy is defeated.  It is important that we keep our focus on God and not the world around us.  We can bring any problem to God in prayer, and He hears our prayers.  We need to believe God’s promises and trust His goodness and power.  Isaiah 26:3 reminds us, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” (The Holy Bible: ESV, 2016)

We have inner peace only because we have found peace with God first.  Jesus has opened the way through His sacrifice for the only means by which we can be forgiven and have a relationship with God.  We must accept what He has done for us and give our lives over to His control.  Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”(ESV)  Ephesians 2:14 explains, “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility”. (The Holy Bible: ESV, 2016)

“Thirdly, Paul says having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace. The word translated equipment can have two quite different meanings. It may be ‘preparedness’, and some, taking this as the right meaning here, assume that although defence is primarily in the apostle’s mind in his description of the Christian conflict in this passage, he cannot just think of Christians defending themselves. They must go forward with the gospel. Part of their necessary equipment, therefore, is the readiness at any moment to take out the good news of peace to others. It has been argued that the apostle’s thought has moved from Isaiah 59 to Isaiah 52:7, which was in his mind in 2:17. Another meaning of the Greek noun hetoimasia, however, is ‘preparation’ in the sense of a ‘prepared foundation’, and thus it appears to be used in the Greek of Psalm 89:14 (88:15 in LXX). This would give the meaning here that the knowledge of the dependence on the gospel that gives a person peace in heart and life is a necessary equipment (like the hobnailed sandals of the Roman soldier) if he is to have a firm foothold in the conflict. So NEB: ‘let the shoes on your feet be the gospel of peace, to give you firm footing’. This second meaning fits the context better, with its dominant thought of being able to stand unmoved against the foe. Even so the words used carry the hint that warfare is not the complete description of Christians’ occupation—they are also messengers with good news.” (Foulkes, 1989)

Lead Pastor Kevin Eshleman of Ephrata Community Church in Ephrata, PA helps shed light on this passage.

We are to not only know how to endure conflict and stand firm against attacks of the devil.  We are also to be prepared to share the Gospel with others.  We need to know what we believe and be willing to share our beliefs with other.  The world is in turmoil.  They need to know God’s love, forgiveness, and peace.  Christ’s sacrifice for the world is the only thing that will make a difference in the world.  People need to know Jesus.  When people see the peace in our lives, it will make them more open to hear what we have to say.

      “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.’” (Isa 52:7) (The Holy Bible: ESV, 2016)  How wonderful it is that we can share the good news with others!  We know the answer to what is wrong with the world and what to do about it.  Love demands that we be willing to share this good news with others. 

“Sandals were the sign of one equipped and ready to move. The sign of Christians is that they are eager to be on the way to share the gospel with others who have not heard it.” (Barclay, 2002)

Acts 10:36 emphasizes the message we proclaim.  “As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all).”  2 Cor. 5:20 reminds us, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

“Soldiers, by definition, operate as a unit.  Gladiators competed as individuals, but a soldier could never be victorious without his companions.  So when Paul outlines the armor that believers are to wear, he did not only have individuals in mind.  He was thinking of the living, breathing entity of the church as a whole.  To the extent that individuals are armed for battle, so too the church- one believer united with another- is prepared to stand as one warrior, girded in God’s power against the prince of darkness in the culture.” (Shirer, 2015)

We have more power to change our world when we work together as the church.  Think of the sound of thousands of hobnailed boots advancing together.  Standing shoulder to shoulder means the area is covered, and it offers protection to all.  God meant for Christians to love one another and support one another (John 13:34-35).  We should not be looking for ways to argue with our brothers and sisters in Christ, but rather supporting them.  We need to look out for the good of others and consider others. (Phil. 2:3-5)

Works Cited

Barclay, W. (2002). The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians. Louisville, KY; London: Westminster John Knox Press.

Evans, T. (2011). Victory in Spiritual Warfare. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers.

Foulkes, F. (1989). Ephesians: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 10). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Shirer, P. (2015). The Armor of God. Nashville: LifeWay Press.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Vincent, M. (1887). Word studies in the New Testament (Vol. 3). New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.

What is the Gospel?

 What is the best news you can imagine?  First responses people give may not be the real answer to this question.  Winning the lottery, finding a mate, or getting a bigger house may all sound appealing.  However, we all have hungers that go deeper than that along with questions we would like answered.  Is there purpose in life?  How do I fit in?  How do I deal with guilt and shame?  Why is there so much suffering and pain in life?  If God is real, how can I know Him?  We all have an emptiness in our lives that needs to be filled.  Only God can fill that spot and make us complete.  The Gospel is good news, but not just any good news.  It is the story of God reaching down to rescue humanity through Jesus Christ.  It is the story of Jesus with roots going back to the beginning of history.  This good news provides the answers to our questions about life and fulfills our deepest longings.

When God created man, He made man in His image. Genesis 1:27 reveals, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”  What does it mean to be made in God’s image?  This was something different than all the other living creatures created.  We are created with honor and value.  Psalm 8:4-6 tells us, “what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet,” We reflect God’s nature. Psalm 92:5 speaks of God thinking.  “How great are your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep!”  Instead of being robots, we are able to think and choose freely.  We are able to reason. God gave us a sense of right and wrong. Romans 2:15 explains, “They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them.”  

We have feelings and emotions just like God does. Isaiah 65:19 6:6 is an example of God having feelings.  He is affected by what we do.  “I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress.”  Other emotions are revealed in Exodus 4:14, Exodus 34:6-7, and Exodus 20:5 among many other places in the Bible.  Being in relationship is something we naturally desire.  Man was created with the ability and need to have fellowship with God.  1 Corinthians 1:9 says, “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 John 1:3 pictures us in fellowship with God and others.  “That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” We can know God, communicate with God, and have a personal relationship with God.  

Genesis 1:26 says, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’”  God gave man the responsibility to rule over creation, which is another trait we have that reflects God. 

God made us special and has a plan for each of our lives.  Psalm 139:13-16 reveals, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.  Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”  We have great worth to God.  The details of our life matter to Him.  Matthew 10:29-31 paints a picture of His intimate knowledge of us and the great value He places on us.  “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.  But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.  Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

All God designed is good. (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12,17-18, 21,25, 27, and 31.)  God’s ways are perfect.  2 Samuel 22:31 tells us, “This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.”  Following His ways brings joy, peace, and fulfillment.  Proverbs 3:1-10 lists some of the benefits of doing things God’s way. 

 “My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.  Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.  Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him,     and he will make straight your paths.  Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.  It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.” 

Unfortunately, man chose to not follow God’s way.  This had disastrous results.  Man no longer reaped the reward of following God, and fellowship with God was broken.  Romans 6:23 warns us, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Sin separates us from God, the fruits of a life lived following Him, and the plan He has for our lives.  We cannot be fulfilled without Him.

The Gospel starts with Genesis in the early days of creation when man chose to disobey God’s command and do things their own way. Genesis 2:16-17 tells us, “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’”  They lived in the beautiful garden full of wonderful choices, but God gave them one restriction.  Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command.  Neither Adam nor Eve were willing to accept responsibility for their sin.  Instead, they tried to shift the blame (Genesis 3:12-13).   Fellowship with God was broken and man was condemned to pay for his sin.  Genesis 3:24 says, “therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. ...”  Sin breaks our relationship with God, and we have all sinned.  Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  Romans 3:10-18 further emphasizes the state man is in. “As it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.  All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’  ‘Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.’  ‘The venom of asps is under their lips.’  ‘Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.’ ‘Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.’  ‘There is no fear of God before their eyes.’”  We have all failed to live up to God’s standard.

God, in His great love, provided a way for man to be restored and forgiven.  God chose to pay the price for us.  Redemption plans were put in motion.  Abraham was promised that through his seed all nations would be blessed in Genesis 22:18. As the story unfolded, David was promised a king who would reign forever from his line (2 Samuel 7:12-13).  The prophets foretold of a suffering servant who would return as eternal king to make all things right.  Isaiah 9:6 prophesies, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.  The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”  Luke 1:31-32 is the fulfillment of this prophecy.  “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David.”

We cannot live a perfect life.  Only Christ, who is part of the Trinity, has done that.  2 Corinthians 5:21 explains, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”   We did not earn this.  We were all sinners.  Romans 5:8 explains the amazing truth, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Only He could pay the price for sin.  1 Corinthians 15:1-5 tells us, “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.”  Jesus did not just die to pay the price for our sin, but He was then raised from the dead victorious over death (Luke 24:1-7).

Our acceptance of this truth and submission to God’s plan changes everything for us.  Romans 10:9-10 tells us, “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”  We need to recognize our need for a saviour.  1 John 1:8-9 says, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

 God did more than forgive.  He adopted us into His family.  John 1:12 tells us, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”   He made us joint heirs with Christ.  He gave us riches in Heaven.  We gain eternal life.  1 John 5:13 promises, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.”

As we grow in relationship with Christ, it changes who we are and what we do.  We become more and more like Jesus.  This affects how we live in this world, and we receive the joy of His salvation.

It is not enough to know who Jesus is and what He did for us.  We must accept His sacrifice and forgiveness, and believe enough to turn control of our life over to Him.  The good news is that since we could not be good enough to have a relationship with God, He reached down and made the way for us.  Jesus is the only way to God.  John 14:6 tells us, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”  We grow in faith the more we get to know God.  He helps us grow and develop godly character.  God wants to be in relationship with us.  He wants us to spend eternity with Him.

The Gospel is not just good news, it is great news!  It answers our questions about the meaning of life, gives us direction on how to live, gives us a living relationship with God as our Father, and changes everything about us.  It is the best news we can hear, and it is for all of us.

When You Are Weary

 

“The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary.  Morning by morning he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.”  Isaiah 50:4

 

Right now, there are many weary all around us.  Perhaps you are weary as well.  This past year has brought many unexpected turns.  We are having to adjust the way we live life, the way we do ministry, and reevaluate how we can make true change in the way people are treated.

We see so much fear, distrust, anger, frustration, disunity, and uncertainty plaguing those around us.  The key to making a difference in our world is found in being taught by God on a continuing basis.  True wisdom comes from God.  Guidance comes from God.  Changes in the heart that change our lives comes from God.  The ability to truly love comes from God.  Inner peace comes from God.  We need to be in a daily relationship with Him.

For those who have more free time right now, invest in time in God’s word, prayer, and listening to God so you will be equipped to handle life’s problems.  It will also prepare you to help others.  Even without free time, time with God growing to know Him better is essential.  I want to be able to sustain the weary, but first I need to find my strength to go on through Christ.

Our family has had to deal with unemployment, the loss of two close family members, physical injuries, being separated from family and friends, water damage in four rooms, and COVID isolation this past year.  It is draining, and I am thankful I know God is bigger than anything we face.  He never leaves us alone.  Drawing closer to Him is what sustains us.

ReachGlobal Crisis Response Trauma Care has some great resources based on God’s principles to help you deal with your own trauma and to equip you to help others through trauma.  A presentation is available for churches who want to be trained to  help others.  We can be a source of healing to those around us.   Trauma Care promotes healing while developing relationships and  opening doors to share the Gospel or help people grow in Christ.   

Contact katrina.welch@efca.org to schedule a zoom training.

Be prepared

Photo by Phillip Allen

Be prepared!  That can mean different things to different people.  During COVID-19, some people think this means to have 20 packages of toilet paper and an extra freezer full of food.  To others, it means making face masks to help protect others.  It may mean reading articles on the virus and what is being done to combat it.  We might change our grocery shopping hours or order our medication refills early.

Some people feel no need to be prepared.  They feel things are blown out of proportion and life should go on as usual.  They do not wear a mask in public, stop close social contact, or wash their hands after being at a store.  Their thoughts may change if someone close to them dies from the virus.  What is the balance between being prepared and not living in a constant state of fear and anxiety?  How can we turn this into an opportunity to grow and be a witness to others?

This is not just about handling a crisis in our lives.  There is something greater we need to be prepared to handle.  We are in a spiritual battle.  This is something we all need to take seriously as we prepare to do battle.  We need to be aware of the enemies plans and work together as a team.  We need to train for battle, and most importantly, we need to wear the armor God has supplied for us.

Dr. Michael Sprague shares a great story with us on this topic.

It is important to assess what is real and how we are being affected.  We need to recognize our own thoughts and feelings so we can deal with them constructively. Denying where we are at keeps us from making needed changes.  We need to reach out to others around us to support them in ways we can.  We may be separated physically, but there are still multiple ways to stay in contact with others.  Hopefully, our attention is drawn to how to help others through this difficult time after we have done what is necessary to be emotionally healthy ourselves.

There will always be new challenges in our lives.  The most important preparations involve our relationship with God.  As we draw close to Him, He supplies all we need for anything we must face.  It is important to be prepared.  It is important to recognize we are in a battle.  If we are growing continually in our knowledge of God, we will not be caught off guard.  Recognizing His great power and unfailing love gives us the confidence and security to deal with trials.

Ephesians 6:13 contains battle instructions. "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 firm." (ESV)

The Breastplate of Righteousness

Eph. 6:14 says, “Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,” (The Holy Bible:ESV, 2016)

Righteousness is defined by God’s standards.  It is being perfectly good, without sin.  Righteousness is an attribute of God.  It is something we cannot obtain by ourselves no matter how hard we try to live right.  There is a difference between imputed and practical righteousness.  Let’s look at imputed righteousness first.  

“Righteousness is an attribute which stems from a covenantal relationship. “ (Elwell, 1988)  A covenant is a lasting arrangement formed for mutual benefits that was well known in Bible times.   There were different types of covenants, but a well known one was the blood covenant.  Living in covenant meant you were entering into a relationship that would change how you lived your life.  What is true of one partner becomes true of the other as well when you share identities.

“Contracts and covenants differ in a few areas. In terms of initiation, contracts are made by the exchange of promises, whereas covenants are sworn by solemn oaths. In application, contracts are limited by the terms of the exchange of property (“this is yours, that is mine”), while covenants involve an exchange of life (“I am yours, you are mine”), which covers a virtually unlimited range of human relations and duties. In terms of motivation, contracts are based on profit and self-interest, while covenants call for self-giving loyalty and sacrificial love. Contracts are temporary while covenant bonds are permanent, even intergenerational. “(Hahn, 2016)

Each tribe would choose a covenant representative head.  This person represented the whole group.  (Remember how Goliath represented the Philistines and David the Israelites in the challenge to Israel?) Covenant ceremonies consisted of a series of exchanges between the representative heads.  An exchange of garments was an exchange of identity.  What is true of one is true of the other. An exchange of weapons showed protection.  You would fight for each other. The exchange of a token possession signified that all they had was in common- resources and debts.  They would exchange names adding part of the name from the other to their own name.  If you asked for something in the name of your covenant partner, they would fulfill your request.  The exchange of vows and blood was done with uplifted arms clasped together with the other representative at cuts in wrist so essence of one flowed into the other.  They would cut an animal and walk between the two halves of the animal signifying, “May this happen to me if I ever break the covenant.”  It is a walk into death of self and the right to independent living.  If the covenant is broken, one of the representatives must die.

God made a covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15.  God was the only one who went between the two cut pieces of the animals.  Christ is the one who paid the price for man breaking his end of the covenant.  He gave us His garment-one of righteousness- in exchange for ours of sin.  He paid the price for our sin, but we are seen as righteous in Him when we by faith accept his provision.  We are in Christ and He is in us.  We are now part of the new covenant through Jesus.

“Individuals cannot attain to righteousness, but receive it as a gift from God (Rom 3:21–5:21). There is no righteousness apart from Jesus Christ.” (Elwell, 1988)





“So God as the righteous Judge justifies—places in a right relation with himself within the new covenant of grace—those who believe the gospel of the Father concerning his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And he justifies Jew and Greek alike on precisely the same basis, by faith alone without works, and he makes no distinction whatsoever between the people of the Old Covenant and the Gentiles.” (Toon, 1996)

Practical righteousness is how we live day by day.  We learn to put off the old self and put on the qualities God teaches us. It is a moment by moment choice, and an area we can continually grow in.

"Therefore, since God has made them his own and given to them his righteousness, their duty and privilege is to be righteous in conduct. And he promises that on the last day and for the life of the age to come he will actually make them to be truly and effectually righteous in all that they are, become, and do.” (Toon, 1996)

"Already there is the provision of a right relation with God through the preaching of the gospel, but there is not yet the experience of the fullness of righteousness as an imparted gift. Now believers merely have the firstfruits of that which awaits them in the age to come.” (Toon, 1996)


Dr. Michael Sprague, Louisiana State Chaplain with Capitol Commission, addresses the meaning of the Breastplate of Righteousness in the following video.

Eph. 4:22-24 exhorts, “to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.“ (The Holy Bible:ESV, 2016)

“... we should see the point as the complete setting aside of the old ‘garments’, having nothing further to do with them, and replacing them by new ones. What is to be Put off is described as the old nature. As past sins are dealt with by the grace of forgiveness, and as repentance determines to abandon them completely, all that belongs to the old way of life, the way of the heathen that has been described in verses 17–19, is to be set aside decisively.“ (Foulkes, 1989)

“Practical righteousness involves both putting off and putting on. … Unlike imputed righteousness, it’s not a once-in-a-lifetime action.  It is a moment-by-moment, day-by-day, repeated choice and action.” (Shirer, 2018)

Satan will try to tell us we are not good enough and question how God could love and forgive someone who fails so often.  We need to remind him that we are clothed in Christ's garment of righteousness.  We are viewed through His righteousness, and nothing we do can change that.  

Having a vibrant relationship with God is where our focus should be. Growing in relationship with Christ will lead to growing in righteousness. “One of the most cunning tricks of the enemy is to get us to sink our energy into changing instead of focusing it on cultivating health and wellness in Christ.  But if we concentrate on having a vibrant, healthy spiritual life, we’ll automatically grow and change as a result.” (Shirer, 2018)

A special thanks to Dr. Timothy R. Valentino of Evangelical Seminary for his teaching on covenant and his slides.

Works Cited

Elwell, W. &. (1988). Righteousness. In Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 2) (pp. 1860-1862). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

Foulkes, F. (1989). Ephesians: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 10, p.136. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Hahn, S. (2016). Covenant. In D. B. J.D. Barry, The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Shirer, P. (2018). The Armor of God. Nashville: LifeWay Press.

The Holy Bible:English Standard Version. (2016). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Toon, P. (1996). Righteousness. In Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology (pp. electronic ed., pp.688-689). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

Valentino, T. R. (2020).