Moment With The Master
“Armor of God”
Categories: Moment With The MasterBut let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. (1 Thessalonians 5:8)
The apostle has spoken clearly of the coming of the Lord. Christ will return at an unannounced time. Some will say “peace and safety“ and be unprepared. Thus, we are exhorted to be vigilant.
Such watchfulness is of no avail without the proper armor. The people of God are engaged in a war. The believer, like any good soldier, must engage in the hardships of the battle with the necessary character and armor to win.
Both the breastplate and the helmet are defensive weapons. One of them protects the heart and the other protects the head. Paul connects these two pieces of armor with the fundamental characteristics of faith, love, and hope.
Faith is the principal part of our spiritual armor. Trusting the Lord will give us the courage to fight. It is by faith that we resist the devil, overcome difficulties, and overcome the world. (1 John 5:4,5) The soul that trusts Christ is fixed and steadfast. His spiritual heart is protected.
Paul also uses the breastplate to characterize love. The Bible says we are to love God with all of our heart. It is a longing for fellowship with him, and the desire to please him because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19) Such love preserves us from the selfishness through which evil can enter our hearts. It is the bond of perfection that knits us together and enables us to survive an evil world.
The hope of salvation sustains us with the courage to endure the trials. It is that motivator that keeps us moving closer to God. This hope of salvation will guard our minds from the idle dreams and worldly ambitions that can distract us from what is truly important.
These three vital traits prepare the soldier of Christ to engage in the battle. One day Christ will return. Through faith, love, and hope, the soldier of Christ will be ready.
By George Slover
