Ephesians 6:10-11; To stand connotes strength, stability, and success in a conflict or difficulty.

Class Outline:

Thursday March 24, 2022

 

To put on the armor of God is to put on the armor of light, to put on Christ, to put on the virtuous heart, and to put on the new self. This cannot be done without simultaneously putting off the old self with its lusts and sins. Therefore, success in the spiritual life isn’t a procedure but a desire from a conscience that has become convinced through the word of God and its application.

 

To adopt one master and reject another is a matter of desire when a person is free. And Christ has set us free. We are not to use our freedom as an opportunity for the flesh (GAL 5:13).

 

ROM 6:16

Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?

 

Resisting sin and doing good both demand strength. If we will diligently do both (the one can’t be done without the other) then God promises us the strength to accomplish it. On our part the question is how strong is our faith which is the same question as what is your strongest desire.

 

The new self is created from nothing by God in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

 

EPH 4:17-24

This I say therefore, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; 19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality, for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20 But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside [infinitive] the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on [infinitive] the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

 

As with Rom 13 and Col 3, the putting on is set beside the putting off. The Bible is clear that we can’t put on the new self while we keep the old self or even part of the old self on. God rightly demands complete commitment (which does not mean constant sinlessness). We can be committed wholly and still make mistakes and we can be uncommitted and make mistakes. When committed we will do everything we can to limit those mistakes and keep them short-lived. When uncommitted we won’t care all that much about sin until it really starts to hurt us, which it will inevitably do.

 

We have studied “be strong” and “put on” and now we move to “stand firm” (the main idea).

 

EPH 6:10-11

Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

 

“stand firm” is an infinitive and therefore it lacks a time element.

 

“stand firm” (infinitive) We are to be ready to stand firm for we can never predict when one or more of the devil’s schemes will come upon us.

 

Paul likely meant to convey the lack of time by using the infinitive since he uses the same verb as a command (imperative) in vs. 14.

 

We’ve already seen the areas in which the NT tells us are opportunities for the devil. They were lying to one another, prolonged anger, lack of forgiveness and the desire to elevate oneself above others.

 

I would think that the devil’s schemes are also meant to tempt us to sin. Certainly we could not discern if a temptation was from the flesh, the world, or from Satan, or from all three, but that is not an issue since our response to temptation, no matter what the source, is the same - staunch resistance with active faith in God’s word.

 

We can never tell when a scheme is coming. We have to be ready and alert at all times.

 

Evil rarely looks evil until it accomplishes its goal, it gains entrance by appearing attractive, desirable, and perfectly legitimate. It is a baited and camouflaged trap. Paul writes in 2CO 11:14 that Satan masquerades as an angel of light.

 

To stand connotes strength, stability, and success in a conflict or difficulty.

 

We have to stand firm, and if we fail, we have to rely on God’s forgiveness and pick ourselves up and through confession and repentance (turning, change of mind), establish our strength again. One of the schemes of the devil is to get us to live in shame. And while there is nothing wrong with feeling inner shame temporarily over sin, and which temporary shame is likely beneficial to a certain point, we must not allow it to continue. We are new creatures in Christ, we are forgiven, and there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (ROM 8:1).

 

ROM 7:24; 8:1

Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free … There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

 

Christ told us that a divided house cannot stand. To stand firm in God’s strength, wearing His armor, our hearts must not be divided - complete submission to God’s will.

 

Early on, weeks or months after the resurrection, the religious leaders imprisoned the apostles and attempted to intimidate them to not teach the gospel (ACT 5:17 ff.) by putting them in jail. An angel of the Lord released them from prison, but instead of going into hiding, they were to go right back to the temple and stand there preaching the good news. Fear and intimidation are also schemes of the devil.

 

We can stand because God has gifted us with the power of eternal life, which has a divine way.

 

ROM 5:1-5

Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.