How will our church win?
Somebody said to me this week: Pete, how do I carry my cross, when it keeps turning on my back? Life can feel heavy can’t it? It feels like there’s so much opposition we face as individuals and also as a church.
Paul writes to the Ephesian church as though they felt like this. As though they felt like they were in a constant battle, which is why Paul talks about being in a battle at the end of the book. Why did the Ephesian church feel battered and under attack?
Well, first, divisions within the church: Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor; different people, different backgrounds, different experiences. When I asked us this week: “Should I wear robes in church?” We had all sorts of different feelings about it. That is not, in itself, wrong—in fact it’s predictable. Polish, British, Portuguese, Zimbabwean, Ethiopian. People in our church have completely different life experiences, and those differences feel threatening at times.
Because: the Ephesian church faced false teaching and deception. False teaching was all over the church in the first century. Every book in the New Testament apart from one warns about false teaching. And in the same way, today in Manchester, and in the UK, false teaching in the name of Christ is all over the place. How do you get God to view you positively? Behave the right way? Believe the right things? Or, do you simply do nothing—he’s already positive to you? This difference is not a minor quibble—it is everything. The Ephesian church also felt under attack because of destructive speech and damaged relationships. Paul has to address anger, bitterness, slander, a failure to forgive.
And we also have experienced problems like these.
The Ephesians were being attacked by sexual immorality influenced by the surrounding culture. It was a problem back in the first century, it is still a problem in Manchester in the 21st century. Porn is really, really bad for you. Conflict between spouses is really, really bad for you. When God commands us to live pure lives, focused on others, he does so for our good. Not because this earns his favour. And yet the mistakes we make in these areas, make us feel defensive, like we’re under attack.
And the Ephesians were embattled by fear, suffering and discouragement. Paul was in prison, humiliated, and the Ephesian church looked like such a failure. Someone said to me: “Pete, I don’t feel worthy because of these problems in my life: x, y, z.” Well, when you’ve sorted those problems out: Do you think suddenly you are worthy? That’s not the way grace works—none of us are worthy.
The Ephesian church felt embattled and under attack. And in many of the same ways we feel under attack. And so Paul now addresses this feeling head on in chapter 6. And he says two things, both of them raise the stakes:
1) Our opposition is even more overwhelming than it looks 2) God’s positivity toward you is even more overwhelming than the opposition
Let’s take a look at the first: 1) Our opposition is even more overwhelming than it looks Please look at vv. 10-12 with me:
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Now people read this romantically all the time, in a kind of one dimensional way. This does not excuse the behaviour of other human beings. Everyone here has been mistreated by other people this year. —Paul is not saying that isn’t important. —Paul is not saying that isn’t a reality. —Paul is not gaslighting you.
No, Paul is saying: the problems you face are so much worse than you think.
Earlier this year, when some people were trying to join our church, their car kept breaking down every Sunday. What timing. When someone was going to plant a church with us, some public messages came as a surprise, and they moved on and did something else. What timing. Some of us struggle with chronic sickness, which seems to flare up on Saturday nights. What timing. I have often felt a sense of despair on Saturdays and Sunday mornings before church. What timing. Now I can’t tell you with certainty “This happens because of that.” But I can tell you this: so much of what’s important happens in a realm we cannot see. That realm is populated by beings of incredible power, who are personally hostile toward you.
The way the ancient Greeks imagined it was that the demons were spirits that existed and dwelt in the atmosphere, in the air above us. That’s why Paul calls Satan in chapter 2 “The prince of the power of the air.” Now, he’s not trying to teach us about how the demons exist physically: Paul is saying this: —They do exist. —They’re really powerful. —They hate you. Hell and the forces of darkness are real. They are personal. They are dangerous. And they are hostile.
If you think your problem is simply personal discipline about getting up on time for church, or the sickness that you keep struggling with, or your finances, or people who don’t like you and say nasty things, or some issue with your car, or internal friction with your family… …if these are the opposition you think you’re facing then, Paul says, you massively underestimate just how overwhelming the opposition is.
Our opposition is even more overwhelming than it looks.
You can do nothing about this. You don’t even know where Satan is. He could be in your car, he could be doing something to your body. You don’t even know how he does things: How does Satan physically influence the world? I don’t know. And so: You are so much more helpless than you think or feel. Fixing your car will not solve the problem. Establishing your business will not make you safe. Getting a better job will not keep you secure. You can’t just find the right medicine, or answer the allegations, or get in a better habit, or apply a particular technique, or build an unassailable bank account. Against the real opposition: you are useless. Why? Because of v. 12:
we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places
Hell itself is out to get you. And hell is unbelievably powerful. You have no chance against it.
But our rock is not ourselves —it is the confession that Jesus is the Messiah. And he says this about this confession:
on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Which is why Paul makes his second point: 2) But God’s positivity toward you is even more overwhelming than the opposition Just look at v. 13:
13 Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
A Roman legion would be instructed to line up and stand their ground together, as the enemy attacked. Paul is writing to the church in Ephesus, not to individual Christians. This picture is not of a single samurai warrior, walking into battle alone, but of a whole army working together. And the quartermaster has given each soldier all the weapons they need to succeed.
So, Paul goes on in v. 14:
14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, And what is that truth?
Chapter 1 verse 13: “the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation” Chapter 4 verse 21: “the truth is in Jesus” The soldier’s belt pulls his tunic together; so, it’s not flapping about and hindering him, and he’s ready to run, move, and react. So, yes, the forces of hell are real, the opposition is overwhelming: but the existence of that threat is not what makes you battle ready —it is the gospel of Christ that does. God’s unconditional free forgiveness in Jesus. That’s what makes us ready to fight.
Paul continues:
and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
The righteousness that Christ has freely won for you. The righteousness of God himself, given to you not through your obedience to any law, but purely through God’s grace and mercy. The breastplate protects all the soldier’s vital organs. Satan attacks you with lies, discouragements, accusations. In Christ you are perfect: that is what protects you. Now v. 15:
15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
What motivates you as a Christian? We often see our misunderstandings on this most clearly when we think about evangelism. What motivates evangelism?
Should I describe to you how awful hell is, and beg you to go into the street to warn people? Should I describe to you how much Jesus suffered, and guilt you into talking to people to make up for it? Should I describe to you the benefits of a growing church, and so bribe you into badgering your family all the time? Paul says “No!” These are not what motivate Christians. Neither threat, guilt, nor reward motivate evangelism. Nor do threat, guilt or reward motivate growth in holiness. The shoes that make you ready is the gospel of peace. Hell is real. God’s wrath is real. We don’t deny these things. But we must use them the purpose they’re given.
They are not shoes for your feet. You are already at peace with God. He loves you. He’s positive toward you.
V. 16:
16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
Burning arrows spread fire—they cause chaos and confusion. Satan is constantly throwing things at you from afar to confuse and set fires that will spread themselves. The shield of faith protects from the arrow and puts the fire out. You don’t need to catch the arrow. You don’t need to put the fire out. Faith looks away from me to something outside myself. That’s what a shield is—something external to me. Whether your problem is sin, suffering, sickness or accusation: Look away from yourself at Christ—he will put out the fire.
Satan loves firing arrows from a distance, because he’s a coward. Paul finishes with two items of equipment that are particularly helpful in close combat, v. 17:
17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
The helmet protects the most vulnerable part of your body. And that helmet is salvation—in chapter 2 Paul said “By grace you have been saved.” Not “You might be saved, if you repent properly.” Nor “You will be saved, if you obey in the right way.” You have been saved—and this by God’s grace alone.
The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God, because wherever God’s Word is purely preached, there the Spirit is at work. And this is now how the soldiers of Christ advance. By speaking the Word of God to one another and to others.
How will our church win?
Well, Our opposition is even more overwhelming than it looks The problems we have are so much bigger than the problems we see or feel. In the face of the demonic forces in the air, you are useless. But what does Paul say about the air? Chapter 1—Christ is seated far above the heavens. Above every rule and authority you can picture in them. But God’s positivity toward you is even more overwhelming than the opposition So keep coming where God gives you his gifts: to his Word, to your Baptism, to his Supper. And keep passing on these gifts to others by speaking. Because when God speaks his Word to you, hell cannot silence him—and his church will stand.