Thursday, December 6, 2012

Ephesians 6:17


Copyright Ó 2012 J. Neely
Ephesians 6:17

17 And [kai] take [dechomai] the helmet [perikephalaia] of salvation, [soterion] and [kai] the sword [machaira] of the Spirit, [pneuma] which is [ho esti] the word [rhema] of God: [theos] KJV-Interlinear

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. NASB

Whole or complete armor, refers to the complete and covered protection of a soldier in battle.

In these verses there are described six pieces of armor in the spiritual battle dress of the believer.

Belt of truth;
Breastplate of righteousness;
Footwear of peace;
Shield of faith;
Helmet of salvation;
Sword of the Spirit.

While earthly articles of protection may and will fail, legitimate spiritual articles of protection will never fail.

The helmet protects the head.  The head houses the brain and thus the soul of the individual.  The spiritual helmet can never fail nor be defeated nor removed from the soldier.  Thus the helmet represents salvation what no matter what happens in life, no matter what assaults are hurled at you, your salvation can never be lost or destroyed.

The sword of the Spirit is defined as the word of God.  The sword, is a short double edged weapon that was used very effectively by the Roman army, and is used here to demonstrate the effectiveness of the use of doctrine, when applied in the hand of the trained soldier.

Now note one thing here.

Nowhere is there mentioned human reason.  Nowhere is there mentioned human opinion.  Nowhere is there mentioned human sincerity.  Nowhere is there mentioned human philosophy.

So, if you think that you can meet the problems and challenges of life, even the temptations and enticements of life, with human intellect or reason, then you are sadly mistaken.

Unbelievers lack any and all spiritual resources and therefore can rely only on their human reason. They all fail.

Believers who reject or otherwise ignore doctrine, are no better off than unbelievers as far as their resistance to the temptations of the world goes.  Likewise they fail.  And this includes a lot of people who think they can reason their way through life from the source of their own beliefs and opinions and works.  They cannot.

Bible doctrine is truth.  Everything else is not.

If something is not truth then it is a lie.

The only way that you can know truth and discern between the truth and the lie, is by learning truth and understanding truth and applying truth in your life. And the only way to learn is through a daily study. 

The daily aspect simply means that since you live from moment to moment in this world during your entire life, and since this is the devils world, then your risk from evil is constant. 

Therefore your protection likewise must be constant. 

Thus the daily study.  Thus the daily or several times throughout the day, self-review of your life so you can confess and maintain your residence in fellowship.

Thus with residence in fellowship, then your spiritual life function and your spiritual array of protection is active and likewise functional, and strengthening more and more, every moment that you are living within the boundaries of your spiritual life.  That is your entire array of spiritual armor.

It is doctrine that protects you, not your personal reason.  It is doctrine which enters into your soul by means of the Holy Spirit, that edifies, not your academic intellect.

It is your depth of knowledge and understanding of doctrinal principles that construct and strengthen faith, not popular social norms and standards.

There is but one way to develop your spiritual life in all of its aspects, and that is by means of a consistent and legitimate daily study of Bible doctrine, by means of instruction, while in fellowship.

And that is Gods primary will for you and your life.

If you are not following that pattern of life, then you are not, repeat, not complying with Gods will.