Fully Clothed while Fully Naked
The armor of God depicted in Ephesians 6:10-17 sets before us two conflicting images; the Roman soldier dressed for battle and the Lord Jesus battling for humanity. The battle gear of the Roman soldier is replaced with metaphorical imagery leaving the soldier disrobed. It is imperative that we remember Jesus is fully clothed in God's armor while fully naked on a cross.
The scripture's intent is that we would feel in our souls the impact of these conflicting images. A Roman Soldier adorned in his battle gear sits in contrast to the Lord’s refusal to use violence. Jesus surrenders himself to the powers of empire, religion, and the crowd displaying the idolatry of our deified institutions the political, the religious and public opinion. Unfortunately many folks are too comfortable with the conflicting images and tend to spend time focusing on the Roman Soldiers (sons of empire) who function as oppressive murderers in the name of Pax Romana (peace for the empire). Discussion of Roman battle tactics and their defensive adornment and offensive weaponry should not interest us. The military uniform is foreign to the servant of God. Our battles do not result in death but life.
Like Jesus (in comparison to the Roman Soldier) we battle exposed, naked, our invisible clothing is expressive of our role as peacemakers for the Kingdom of God. The principalities and powers we contend with and challenge are injustice in the systemic structures of government, economics and war. Deified ideologies reign over the earth like cosmic powers that refuse to live in harmony with the Spirit, with the reign of Christ in us.
There is no glorification of the Roman soldier in Ephesians 6. Rather, if you will, the soldier is undressed and clothed with invisible attributes that belong to those who seek peace and do not practice war. Through this conflicting metaphorical imagery the scripture invites the Roman Soldier to the Prince of Peace. You cannot wear two uniforms either you serve God or the empire.
II Corinthians 10:3-5
Indeed, we live as human beings, but we do not wage war according to human standards; for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.
The Armor of God
The Belt of Truth
Metaphorically the belt of truth enables us to stand upright in a crooked world. It is representative of an ethic that holds all human beings to be sacred to the God who expressed his love for the world through a torturous death as an innocent man.
The Breastplate of Righteousness
Metaphorically the breastplate of righteousness guards our heart with this confidence that God is greater than our heart’s feelings of unworthiness.
Feet Adorned with the Gospel of Peace
Our journey is one for establishing peace in a world where war is sacralized and given divine status, where ignorance is our greatest enemy, where the idols of materialism, nationalism, and militarism deceive the masses. The gospel is peaceable and does not bring colonialism, exploitation of resources or women, rather the gospel of peace seeks flourishing for all and not a few or a given nation state.
The Shield of Faith
If we are to understand faith, we must first come to terms with faith as part of our created reality. Faith belongs to God, comes from God, and is creatively sown into the fabric of reality. Faith is not an afterthought nor a consequence of God’s actions, rather faith is the breath of life. Faith exists because God exists. The shield of faith is metaphorically expressive of our ability to live as one who sees the invisible God and there is no ideology capable of being spoken that can pierce the shield of faith.
Helmet of Salvation
Metaphorically the helmet of salvation keeps us sane in an insane world. Knowing that God’s will is the salvation of all humanity enables us to live freely in a world needing saved in the present as we await the world to come.
Sword of the Spirit
A spiritual sword requires a spiritual person whose words and actions speak God into a world of wickedness. it is a sword of mercy for the oppressed, grace for the repentant, and holds the truth of Christ above all powers in the earth.
