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We are in agreement with the author's basic premise, that we should operate in God's power and not rely on our own strength. However, we think that the author doesn't completely explain the nature of the armor of God.
We are in agreement with the author's basic premise, that we should operate in God's power and not rely on our own strength. However, we think that the author doesn't completely explain the nature of the armor of God.
David could not wear the armor Saul supplied to him (1Sa. 17:38). David instead selected the weaponry that was familiar - his own. Using someone else's armor would have probably ensured his defeat.
God has equipped each of us uniquely, and we should not think we can imitate the techniques of successful ministries and pastors and expect the same results. The worst expression of this is to create a formula based on previous success as if the formula is the vehicle to success. These formulas become traditions and even doctrines. Whole denominations have been built around techniques and habitual practices.
The principle we would like to deduce is that we do not use what works, we use what God has given us. God gifts us uniquely, with spiritual gifts, abilities, and talents that perfectly suit His work in us.
By extension, this would suggest that the armor of God in Ephesians 6 is not generic, but uniquely suited for each individual Christian. The armor is fitted for us and ready to go. Our duty is to put on that armor God has prepared, for only we can don the armor specifically designed for us.
Our second point is to note that the author tells us that we should put on faith in the faithfulness of Jesus Christ who gave us his own righteousness to wear. This is a small quibble, perhaps, but we don't think Jesus wants us to put on His righteousness to wear.
This righteousness is by faith:
Ro. 3:21-22 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.
Ro. 4:24 ...but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness — for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
There is no verse that tells us to put on or to wear righteousness.
If you read the books or watch the movies of The Lord of the Rings (and its prequel, The Hobbit), you might notice that the best armor and most valuable weapons were not made for their owners but passed down to them. For example, in The Hobbit, Bilbo and Gandalf find old swords in an abandoned cave. Gandalf the wizard notices how strong and sharp they still are, and he reads the inscription on the blades to find out they were made in ancient times by elves. Bilbo’s dagger is called “Sting” and Gandalf’s sword “Glamdring,” whose nickname became “Foe-Hammer” after a great victory long ago. Later in the story, Gandalf comes to rescue Bilbo and the dwarves from the goblin king. The goblin king doesn’t say, “Oh no, a wizard!” but instead, “Oh no . . . that sword . . . He wields the ‘Foe-Hammer!’”
Holding a sword may make you feel powerful, but there’s something about holding the sword of a legend from long ago that makes you feel unstoppable.
Paul calls our equipment “the armor of God” because it’s God’s own armor—the armor he made for the Messiah in order to rescue his people. The imagery Paul uses is not original to him; it was borrowed from a prophet of the Old Testament who foretold about the Messiah who would come as a warrior to rescue his people.
The Lord looked down on man and saw sin running rampant. There was no justice and righteousness, and there was no one who could bring salvation for his people, “[S]o his own arm brought salvation, and his own righteousness supported him. He put on righteousness as body armor, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and he wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak” (Isa. 59:16–17). Isaiah also says, “Righteousness will be a belt around his hips; faithfulness will be a belt around his waist” (Isa. 11:5).
The Messiah-Warrior
Jesus the Messiah equipped himself with the armor of God: truth, righteousness, salvation, and faithfulness to deliver his people. We read of his conquest in the Gospels, and it began when he declared at the start of his ministry, “The Kingdom of God is at hand” (Matt. 4:17). Demons immediately scatter from his presence, knowing that the Messiah-Warrior has come and their time is running out.
Though the disciples follow Jesus, they think his kingdom is one of this world. But they soon find out that his rule is spiritual—his kingdom is not of this world. Jesus conquered not by overthrowing the Roman government, but by sacrificing himself on a cross as a substitute before God in the place of sinners so that our spiritual bondage to sin and death would be broken. Christ’s descent into hell was his victory lap, and he rose in a glorious resurrection to demonstrate his power over death. This becomes the message of the rest of the New Testament.
Ephesians contains all these glorious truths: Christ brought victory for his people through his righteous life, sacrificial death, and his victorious resurrection. In Christ we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins (Eph. 1:7). We have been predestined to inherit the spoils of his victory (Eph. 1:14). God raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion (Eph. 1:20) which are the very rulers and authorities and powers that wage war against us, listed again in Ephesians 6:12.
With His Mighty Power
Ephesians 6:10 tells us, “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”
Our first instinct is often to run in our own strength, to make our own weapons for spiritual warfare, to come up with our own strategies. But they are no use for us. We have been made fit for particular armor. In fact, any other armor will only leave us vulnerable, despite how impressive it might look. You must be strengthened with someone else’s strength. You must put on someone else’s armor—the armor of Christ—and fight with the strength that he supplies by the Holy Spirit, together with his people.
It’s easy to attempt fighting in our own strength, putting on our own faithfulness as armor. When we do this, we think we’re doing better than we really are, and we aren’t so much in need of God’s grace and help. In that moment, we need to repent, put off faith in our faithfulness (which is really self-righteousness), and put on faith in the faithfulness of Jesus Christ who gave us his own righteousness to wear.
Ethan Wormell serves as Pastor of Forestdale Church in Sandwich, MA, where he lives with his wife and son. In 2021 he graduated of Westminster Seminary California (M.Div). Prior to that he served on active duty in the United States Marine Corps.
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