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.
