Useful Bible Studies > Ephesians Commentary > chapter 6

Paul’s word-picture of a brave soldier

Ephesians 6:11

In what is perhaps Paul’s most impressive word-picture, he compares a Christian to a brave soldier. Paul wants every Christian to be like this soldier, whether they are men, women, young people or children. Therefore, this word-picture is not only for church leaders - in fact, Paul has just been giving advice to Christian families, including children and slaves. They all must be brave, like the soldier in the word-picture.

Unlike the soldier, however, their enemies are not people. Christians must deal with other people, of course; and those relationships may sometimes be very difficult. However, a Christian’s true enemy in all these difficult situations is the devil. It is the devil who tries to ruin people’s relationships with God. It is the devil who urges them to do wrong and evil things. It is the devil who wants them to be too weak to stand for God in their daily lives.

The soldier has dressed in his strongest clothes, because he is ready for battle. He carries his weapons, which are his tools for war. He is ready for the enemy to attack at any time.

Christians also must be ready, both for the devil’s attack (1 Peter 5:8-9), but also to defeat and to overcome the devil (Revelation 12:11). They do not do that by their own strength, but by the power of the Holy Spirit who is working in them (Romans 8:11). Their weapons are not the weapons that soldiers use. Rather, they overcome the devil by their trust in God and as they stand for truth. They overcome the devil by their prayers, by their right attitudes and with the gospel, the good news about Christ. They overcome the devil as they trust God’s word, the Bible (5:13-18).

Next part: The great war in the spirit world (Ephesians 6:12)

 

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© 2019, Keith Simons.