The Shield of Faith

[shepherdsword]

I am doing a brief series on the armor of God as listed in Eph 6. I will go through each piece in the coming months looking for discussion, feedback and additions. Here are some of the others:

Helmet of Salvation
The Sword of the Spirit


Roman legionaries carried the scutum, a large curved shield made of layered wood, usually covered with canvas and leather, with metal fittings. The leather and layered construction already made it fairly resistant to fire and arrows. A flaming arrow usually would stick or smolder first, not instantly ignite the shield. Many times they would wet the shield to help quench the flaming arrows shot at them.

So it is with us. We hold up our faith and wet it down with the anointing of the Spirit. We are thankful in every situation knowing this:

That EVERY situation is working together for our good.

Ro 8:28-29 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Nothing we are facing can separate us from the love of God.

Ro 8:31-39
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written:

"For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We are commanded to be anxious for nothing:

Php 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Be mindful that without faith it is impossible to please God

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Discuss!

 

[Episkopos]

Hey Shep. The first thing we read about in the additives of faith in 2 Pet 1...is "arete" which could be translated as "manliness" or standing firm. The Greek cities knew this word as one of standing courageously with one's fellow citizens in defense of the city...locking shields to keep out the enemy. I think this is significant in that faith takes courage (or virtue) or else it is of no use in the day of battle.

I think it was Churchill that said that without courage, every other virtue was of no use.

All the Greek heroes of old were celebrated for their "arete"..with monuments erected in honour to that. One of which is to Leonidas and the 300 Spartans who held firm at Themopylae.

All that was required for a Greek citizen was to stand firm with his fellow citizens, and not run away. So our faith should make us stand firm with courage in the face of the enemy. Maybe that's why it's first on Peter's list.

 

[Armour of God]

Ahhh the shield of faith.
Probably my favourite part of the armour of God. Keep it between you and the evil to block his attacks.

 

[Wrangler]

I am doing a brief series on the armor of God as listed in Eph 6.

A noble goal. The Armor of God reassures us of our authority over the Adversary's schemes. It's one of my very favorite parts of Scripture. (The book of Ephesians is my favorite NT book).