This assumption, however, misses the fact that each of the pieces of armor that Paul describes has a rich background in the Old Testament, where they quite literally describe “God’s Armor”: the armor that God himself dons to rescue his people. It is the Old Testament and not the Roman legionary that provided Paul with his inspiration—and if we miss this background, we may easily misinterpret and misapply the various pieces of the armor.
By Iain M. Duguid
Myth #1: Life is a picnic. Even though all the evidence is to the contrary, we often seem to believe that life here on earth is—or at least ought to be—easy. In reality, however, life is hard—often very, very hard….
That is, of course, exactly what the Bible leads us to expect. According to the Bible, the Christian life is not a picnic but a battle, an armed struggle against a powerful adversary. To engage in that battle properly, we need a spiritual makeover in which our flimsy, inadequate natural attire—the spiritual equivalent of a t-shirt and flip-flops—is replaced by suitable armor and weaponry. Without that armor and weaponry, we will be unprepared for what faces us.
Research
Angels, Demons & Spiritual Warfare
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Book Recommendation
It seems presumptuous to speak of understanding God and his ways. And yet, he has graciously revealed himself to us! It’s not an exhaustive revelation, but it is a true and sufficient revelation. God’s self-disclosure is sufficient to humble us and make us aware of our need for his grace. It’s enough to bring us to our knees, to drive us to repentance, and compel us to worship. Order here