Ephesians 6:16
Above all, taking the shield of faith,
wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Already,
the armor has contained truth, righteousness, and the gospel of peace. But
above all, we are to have the shield of faith. It reminds me of some notes from
my study of Ephesians 4:27 ("Neither
give place to the devil."):
Ephesians 6:16, "Above
all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the
fiery darts of the wicked."
Faith quenches the devil's darts. If we are bowing down
under the weight of his attack, perhaps we should cry out to God to increase
our faith.
1 Peter 5:8-9 is not the next passage in this context, but
applies to Ephesians 6:16, "Be
sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,
walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith,
knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in
the world."
Again, the attack of the devil is linked to our faith. We
are to resist (oppose, stand against) while stedfast in the faith. If we are
not steadfast in faith, we have no shield by which to resist.
Faith
in God is a gradual process. We begin by faith for salvation:
"Therefore
we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the
law." (Romans 3:28)
"Therefore
being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ:" (Romans 5:1)
"Knowing
that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus
Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by
the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the
law shall no flesh be justified." (Galatians 2:16)
"But
that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for,
The just shall live by faith." (Galatians 3:11)
"Wherefore
the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be
justified by faith." (Galatians 3:24)
"Ye
see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."
(James 2:24)
Then, we add to our faith for justification by living by
faith:
"For
therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is
written, The just shall live by faith." (Romans 1:17)
"(For
we walk by faith, not by sight:)" (2 Corinthians 5:7)
"I
am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in
me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son
of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians
2:20)
"Now
the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no
pleasure in him." (Hebrews 10:38)
Do we have the shield of faith? Have we accepted Christ as
our Savior?
And then, if we have that shield, is it still in front of
us, protecting us fully? or have we let it slip down a little because we are
now living as carnal believers?
Faith - NT:4102 pistis (pis'-tis); from NT:3982;
persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the
truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly, constancy in such profession; by
extension, the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself:
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