Monday, July 30, 2012

No chinks in our Armour

UV 478/10,000 No chinks in our armour I Thessalonians 5 v 8 1Th 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. The difference between people with faith in Christ and those who do not have such faith is compared to the difference between day and night. We should not be involved in drunken revelry or violence, strife or bitter rivalry with others. We are expected to be sober and not abuse our bodies with any substance, whether tobacco or alcohol or drugs. We are to exercise self control and restraint in all matters. We are to subject ourselves to discipline as a soldier is subjected to. St Paul wrote that we should not get mixed up with the ways of the world even as a soldier does not interfere in civilian affairs. We are to wear the full armour of God or the armour of light. Our faith and our love will defend us against any attacks. The breastplate of faith is also called the breastplate of righteousness. Our hearts are protected by our faith, our love and our earnest efforts to be Christ-like while our heads are preserved by our hope of salvation. The military metaphor of armour drives home the point that without faith, love and hope, we are as vulnerable as a soldier who goes into battle unprepared and not covering himself with armour. Our faith and our hope makes us victorious in the battles of life. Our hope in Christ makes us warriors and not worriers. Unlike the heavy metal armour that soldiers of yesteryears used in battle, our armour sits lightly on our shoulders and bodies- being spiritual accoutrements, these do not weigh us down. The very fact that scripture talks about spiritual armour goes to show that we can all expect blows in life, hard blows that can bludgeon us if we are not wearing the helmet of hope in Christ. A few hard knocks on our armour may bring us to our feet but we should rise again to fight on. We can expect the piercing thrust of the sword, the lance, the spear and the arrow but our breastplate of faith, righteousness and love makes our defence impregnable. To complete the ensemble, we have the weapons of offence that we ourselves carry- the sword of the Word of God and the power of prayer that makes us invincible. The hope of salvation or eternal life enables us to overcome that which every warrior fears- death itself. It is this aspect of our faith that makes us more than conquerors. Prateep V Philip

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