Christian Living

Acts 19:23-30; Ephesians 6:13-18

GOLDEN TEXT: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”—Ephesians 6:10

THE opening of our lesson relates the great uproar in Ephesus, doubtless stirred up by the Adversary and his agents, over the Christian teaching that there but one God. It was feared that this would undermine reverence for Diana, the goddess of the Ephesians, whose temple was located in their city.

As on similar occasions, Paul evidently realized that in such circumstances his opportunity for continuing public work in that district had ceased, and he departed for Macedonia. He appears never have returned to Ephesus; but when on his homeward journey he came to Miletus, he summoned the elders of Ephesus to meet him there, and had that touching interview with them which is recorded in Acts chapter 20.

The second portion of our lesson contains Paul’s illustration of the truth which he had so ardently accepted and taught, as a complete equipment of spiritual armor, which he urges the brethren at Ephesus to put on. His exhortation is based upon the fact that it is represents “the whole armor of God,” and that it will be urgently needed in order “to stand against the wiles of the devil.”—Eph. 6:10-12

It seems not unreasonable that as Paul dictated these lines in his prison at Rome, he was reminded of the violence of the mob when he had been obliged to leave Ephesus, and thought of it as one of the evidences of these wicked spirits and their power to deceive the people and to oppose the truth. He says (verse 12) that “we wrestle not [only] against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness [margin, or, wicked spirits] in high places.”

Paul’s exhortation seems to apply with special emphasis to the day in which we are living, the end period of the Gospel age. In his Second Epistle to Timothy, said to have been written at Rome just before his beheading, Paul warns against “perilous times” which, he says, shall come in “the last days.” There he gives a description of our day, telling of the grievous defects of character which would be present in those who, at the same time, would have a “form of godliness.” (II Tim. 3:1-5) And in our lesson we are urged to take unto ourselves the whole armor of God, that we “may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

This evil day is one wherein every man’s work is to be tried; it is the “hour of temptation,” which, we are told in Revelation, would come upon the church of Laodicea, the period in which we are living. (Rev. 3:10) These times are peculiarly perilous to Christian faith, because of the many subtle and delusive forms of error which have been springing up to hinder the progress of the truth.

Probably never before this “evil day,” since the days of the apostles, was it possible to put on the whole armor of God; and never before was it so much needed. During the last seventy years a special illumination of God’s Word has been granted to his people; the promised “armor” has been provided, and we have been exhorted to make it our own, and warned that it would be impossible to stand without it. Some—comparatively few—have heeded the counsel. Carefully they have buckled on every part, and as a consequence, today they stand completely clothed with the truth. Their loins are girt about with it; their feet are shod with it; and it covers their head (their intellectual faculties) as a helmet of salvation—salvation from the snares and delusions of error. These also have on the breastplate of righteousness—justification through the righteousness of Christ, and a righteous character which the truth has developed in those who have received it into good and honest hearts. In their hands they bear the sword of the truth, which is the Word of God, and which they are now able to use with skill and energy in defense of the teachings of Christ. The truth, too, has provided them with a shield of faith, a sure defense against all the fiery darts of the great Adversary.

Thank God for such an armor! Let us put on and keep on—the whole armor of God. Let us be sure that we retain it all. God will allow those to lose the truth who do not love and treasure it. If we would escape the delusions of this evil day let us see to it that we are in deed and in truth lovers of righteousness, of God’s plans and methods. Let us receive the truth in meekness, hold it with humility and thankfulness and serve it with energy and zeal.—II Thess. 2:11-15

QUESTIONS:

Under what circumstances did Paul discontinue his ministry at Ephesus?

Of what does the whole armor, described by Paul, consist?

How may we put on this armor, and retain it?

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