During a recent morning read of the Word, I stumbled into a verse which had never slowed me down much on previous readings. Mostly, I just breezed through the section to get on to what was next which is something most readers of the Word have done from time to time. Why it grabbed my attention this time is just part of the mystery which goes with reading the Scripture. It is a simple phrase which creates a militaristic image, something some readers would shun or want to put in another context.
In a description of himself as a servant of God, he wrote, "...with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left..." (II Corinthians 6:7) Several thing are obvious. Both hands are full. The right hand would surely hold the offensive weapon and the left would hold the defensive one. Paul surely had the Greek soldier with his sword and shield in mind. The one making the weapons necessary is not of flesh and blood, but the very power of evil which constantly seeks to undermine and destroy the work of God in the world.
In another place in another letter, the matter is made even more clear. "Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil...Stand therefore...take the shield of faith...Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." (Ephesians 6:10-17) To put the Christian journey in such an adversarial context is not the most popular of views and many find it an outdated one and unacceptable as well. But, there is one important thing which must always be remembered about the written Word. What it says is not what we want it to say, but what God wanted it to say.
In a description of himself as a servant of God, he wrote, "...with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left..." (II Corinthians 6:7) Several thing are obvious. Both hands are full. The right hand would surely hold the offensive weapon and the left would hold the defensive one. Paul surely had the Greek soldier with his sword and shield in mind. The one making the weapons necessary is not of flesh and blood, but the very power of evil which constantly seeks to undermine and destroy the work of God in the world.
In another place in another letter, the matter is made even more clear. "Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil...Stand therefore...take the shield of faith...Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." (Ephesians 6:10-17) To put the Christian journey in such an adversarial context is not the most popular of views and many find it an outdated one and unacceptable as well. But, there is one important thing which must always be remembered about the written Word. What it says is not what we want it to say, but what God wanted it to say.
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