The Sunday School

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 4, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 43.

The Sunday School

International Series.

1897. LESSON VIII.—SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1897.

THE CHRISTIAN ARMOR.

NOTE.—It is recommended that the whole epistle to the Ephesians be read at one sitting and choice passages be learned by heart; that the lesson be taught with practical application to every-day life. Paul while dictating this epistle was a prisoner of Rome, chained to a soldier. The epistle was written in his hired house in the latter part of A.D. 62 or early in A.D. 63. Notice the valuable mine of instruction which Paul opens up for the Christian before giving the final admonition which includes our present lesson.

Lesson Scripture, Eph. 6: 10-20.

10 "Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his 11 might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to 12 stand against the wiles of the devil. For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and hav- 15 ing put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod 16 your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of peace; withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to 17 quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. And take the hel- 18 met of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the 19 Word of God; with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all persever- 19 once and supplication for all the saints, and on my behalf, that 20 utterance may be given unto me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak."

Golden Text: "Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." Eph. 6: 10.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) What admonition does Paul give to his brethren? Verse 10. Note 1. (2) How should the Christian be equipped for his conflict with the powers of evil? Verse 11. Note 2. (3) What will this enable him to do? Same verse. (4) What are the opposing forces which the Christian must meet? Verse 12. Note 3. (5) What only will enable the Christian to stand during the conflicts through which he must pass? Verse 13. (6) When complete in his armor, what is it his duty to do? Same verse. (7) To what is truth likened in the armor of the Christian? Verse 14. (8) What is the office of righteousness? Same verse. Note 4. (9) How are the feet prepared for the roughness of the way? Verse 15. (10) What other important piece of armor is mentioned? Verse 16. Note 5. (11) What protection would this afford? Same verse. (12) What is the helmet with which the Christian is to be provided? Verse 17. Note 6. (13) What is the nature of the sword with which his warfare is to be waged? Same verse. (14) What is necessary in addition to the armor with which he is provided? Verse 18. (15) To what does the "watching" refer? Same verse. (16) What request did Paul make of them for himself? Verse 19. (17) For what purpose did Paul desire the prayers of his brethren? Same verse. (18) What relation did he sustain to the Gospel? Verse 20. (19) What did Paul desire in regard to his ambassadorship? Same verse.

NOTES.

1. Be strong in the Lord.—Be filled with the strength of God by having Christ enthroned within. The only strength that will avail the Christian anything in the time of trial, of conflict, is the strength of the Lord and the power of his might. To be strong in self is to make defeat a foregone conclusion. The "wiles" of the enemy can not be circumvented by any power of human direction or by any human skill. Having Christ within, we have a source of strength that will fit us for all the conflicts in which we must engage.

2. The whole armor of God.—The armor which he provides for us to use. In other words, put on Christ, who is our wisdom, our righteousness, our sanctification, and our redemption. "In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him." Col. 2: 9, 10. He is a perfect defense for us at every point. He is our shield, for he saves us from sin and from death, the consequence of sin. He is our breastplate, for he is our righteousness. He is our helmet, for in him is our hope of salvation. He is our girdle, for he himself is truth. He is our sword, for he is the Word of God.

3. Not against flesh and blood.—That is, it is a spiritual warfare, and literal guns and swords are not employed. It is not merely against the evil influences of individuals, but it is a defensive warfare against the actual influences of Satan and his associates, graduated soul-destroyers. That is why it is that of ourselves our powers are insufficient to make any headway whatever. Satan has the advantage of us in experience, and certainly in power if we rely upon self. But the battle, tho defensive in this particular as regards ourselves, must be an advance movement as regards the souls in darkness around us. Otherwise it is a losing battle.

4. The breastplate of righteousness.—There is no more vital part of the body than that which should be covered by the breastplate. If we have on the breastplate of righteousness, and that not our own but Christ's righteousness, we have a perfect covering, through which none of the fiery darts of the enemy can pierce. The breastplate of the ancient warrior was often an inadequate protection, and was pierced by the foe. Not so with that which is provided for the Christian. Christ's righteousness is absolutely invulnerable.

5. Withal taking up the shield of faith.—The thought seems to be, in addition to these other parts of the soldier's defensive armor, let him take up faith as a shield. Perfect faith in God will be a perfect shield to protect us from all the various missiles which the adversary may hurl against us, especially doubts, skepticism, and infidelity. Without faith these "fiery darts" will strike us in a vital part, and bring about our eternal destruction.

6. The helmet of salvation.—In 1 Thess. 5: 8 Paul says, "And for an helmet, the hope of salvation." Soldiers seldom fight with energy unless they have a hope of victory. The hope of the Christian is in salvation. He who has a firm hope of salvation has a helmet which is proof against the most vigorous assaults of skepticism, evil men, or fallen angels. It is not a hope based on feeling, but an intelligent hope, founded in the promises of God. Hence the helmet covers and protects the brain, the seat of the mind.