THE ARMOR OF GOD AND THE LIES OF THE ENEMY
Footwear of Peace: Forgive and Cut Them Out
Ephesians 6:10-18
#armorofGod
INTRODUCTION… A Most Dangerous Pastime (p)
Sprained ankles and wrists. Skinned knees and elbows. There is also the possibility of breaking wrists or ankles along with an arm or rib depending how one falls. Slamming into walls creating huge bruises. A person could also fall and smack their head leading to more serious issues. Twisted knees. Back issues. Bruised tail bone. Blisters also form on the feet. Ligaments swollen or torn. Then, on top of all of that, normally a person is subjected to bad 70s disco music and pizza that is cheese on cardboard. This is called fun by some people.
Even the guy who invented this regretted his invention. John Joseph Merlin was a Belgian inventor and clock maker who designed these after he moved to London in 1760. Unfortunately, his invention lacked brakes and he lacked any sense of balance. As he attempted to use his invention through a masquerade party while playing a violin, he promptly plowed into a 500-pound mirror, shattered the mirror, broke his instrument, and ended up with severe injuries.
Roller skates are dangerous. Pulling splinters out of a finger is more enjoyable than roller skating. Eating burnt toast is more enjoyable than roller skating. Roller skating is a dangerous pastime that should be banned in all 52 states and in Hawaii. The reason roller skates should be banned is because strapping wheels to our feet is not a good idea under any circumstance. Even the inventor himself was severely injured when he used them. Our feet need to be firm and secure and not rolling round.
All kidding aside, a firm foundation is needed in most things. Building houses, running a marathon, war, investments, education, and so many other areas. A firm foundation is needed practically and metaphorically.
A solid foundation is important and is mentioned in Scripture and specifically mentioned by Jesus in a small parable in Luke 6:
READ LUKE 6:49 (ESV)
“But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”
The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 3 and in Ephesians 2:20 mentions to us that Jesus is the ultimate foundation for those of us who believe in God and is our cornerstone:
READ 1 CORINTHIANS 3:11 (ESV)
“For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
READ EPHESIANS 2:20 (ESV)
“built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone”
My point as we begin this morning is that foundations are important.
SERIES REMINDER
Today, we are continuing a series of messages about a word picture of a Roman soldier that the Apostle Paul uses in Ephesians 6 that is quite popular among devotional writers and I am sure has whole devotional books dedicated to it: The Armor of God. Our plan has been to look at each item in Paul’s description for two weeks and to unpack why we need such spiritual armor in our lives. Verses 10-13 makes it very clear that we have an enemy that wars against us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually and that we need to stand firm against all his schemes which often come to us as lies, deception, false beliefs, worldly philosophies, and even beliefs from other religions.
Thus far, we have looked at the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness along with two schemes of Satan relating to the truth and two schemes of Satan relating to our hearts. We continue today to look at the Apostle Paul’s metaphor of the armor of God and look at the foundation of the soldier at their feet which is verse 15.
Let’s jump in and read from Ephesians 6, and again, we’ll take special notice of verse 15:
READ EPHESIANS 6:10-18 (ESV)
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor 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. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints…”
THE FOOTWEAR
Roman soldiers, during the Apostle Paul’s day, wore footwear called “caligae”. These were heavy military sandals which look like a half-boot half-sandal mashup. These sandals were the sign of a fully equipped soldier and someone who was ready for battle. The caligae are pretty heavy-duty with thick hobnailed footwear. They were worn by the lower ranks of Roman soldiers and possibly by some centurions, who were the bosses of 100 men. A common nickname for Roman soldiers was caligati which meant “the booted ones.”
The open nature of the caligae enabled the soldier to wear them all day. They could march or work or stand in them for hours without any discomfort. It was common that soldiers would march 25 miles. Their feet might hurt, but they would have no blisters. The bottom of the caligae most often had thick hobnails or sharp studs which not only would protect the soldier’s feet over rough ground, but could be used in battle to stomp on enemies.
As you can imagine, a soldier’s footwear formed a firm foundation for his military weapons and equipment and all their tactics. Soldiers needed firm footing in order to concentrate on the battle in front of them, beside them, and in dire circumstances… behind them.
THE FOOTWEAR OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE
As the Apostle Paul lays out the spiritual metaphor for us, honestly, he gets a little confusing with his wording. Verse 15 reads literally: “and having shod yourselves as to the feet in readiness of the gospel of peace.” It is a little confusing, especially in english. When we dig into the original language, we see that Paul uses words to indicate that the feet are the foundation or base of the soldier and those feet are fitted with the Gospel of Peace. The Gospel of Peace is our caligae that enables us to endure trials and persevere in rough times and move through the spiritual battles in which we find ourselves. The Gospel of Peace enables us to stand firm and is our foundation.
There are two words or phrases that are important for us in verse 15. First, is the word “readiness” which we will talk about next week. Second, the phrase “Gospel of Peace” jumps out of the verse and teaches us that one of the cores of the Gospel is peace. Peace in the Biblical context means a right relationship, a lack of upheaval, blessing, and an absence of conflict all rolled into one. The New Testament word means tranquility, an absence of war or rage, and also assurance of salvation and safety. Peace is a broad and deep word in the New Testament and to be honest, is in the Old Testament as well.
The good news about Jesus Christ means that we human sinners can have peace and forgiveness and a clean slate with our holy God (Ephesians 2:14, 2:17, 2 Thessalonians 3:16, Hebrews 13:20-21). Sin separates us from God, but Jesus came that we might be reunited with Him (Romans 5:1, Colossians 1:20). Forgiveness brings peace. A clean slate brings peace.
The good news about Jesus Christ means that we can also have peace within ourselves (Philippians 4:7). Guilt and shame and blame and anger and disappointment are covered over in us by peace that God gives by the blood of Jesus Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Peace is the opposite of guilt and shame and blame and all those other feelings that war inside us… Jesus gives peace.
The good news about Jesus Christ motivates us towards peace because we are forgiven that we also forgive those around us (Romans 14:17, Hebrews 12:14). As far as it depends on us, we seek to live peaceably with the people around us (Romans 12:18, 2 Corinthians 13:11). We are people whose peace with God should extend out from us in all our relationships.
Jesus Christ speaks about peace often. The reason that peace is a core of the good news and the reason we can call the good news about Jesus Christ the Gospel of Peace is because peace was one of Jesus’ motivations and a direct result of His death on the cross.
READ MARK 9:50 (ESV)
Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.
Jesus commands us, in an ironic turn of phrase, to be salty and be at peace with one another. I say that is ironic because if we were to call someone ‘salty’ in today’s language, we would be saying they were the opposite of peaceful and full of snark or harsh words. We are to be at peace with each other.
READ LUKE 1:76-79 (ESV)
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways, 77 to give knowledge of salvation to His people in the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
In Zechariah’s song in Luke 1, he sings about the peace that will come because of Jesus Christ whose way and ministry will be prepared by his own son. Jesus Christ would bring salvation and forgiveness of sins and show mercy and give light and guide in God’s way… let’s just call all of that the Gospel of Peace even as Zechariah calls it the ‘way of peace.’
Jesus says even more in John 14 and John 16:
READ JOHN 14:27 (ESV)
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
READ JOHN 16:33 (ESV)
I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
I hope you are seeing that the Apostle Paul calls the footwear and foundation of the Christian the ‘footwear of the Gospel of peace’ with good reason. Our foundation as believers in Jesus Christ… our unshakeable foundation for us to stand firm… is in the peace that God gives us through Jesus and that is peace between us and God, in ourselves, and with us and the people around us.
TRANSITION
Verse 11 shares with us that there are “schemes of the devil” swirling around us and in play. Verse 12 reminds us that there are “cosmic powers over this present darkness” and we have “flaming darts of the evil one” (verse 16) coming at us. The Gospel of Peace is our foundation. You and I had better believe that Satan has some schemes and darts and attacks leveled against our foundation. If he can take out our foundation, we fall, we slip, we end up defeated. What scheme might we find against our foundation of peace?
SCHEME OF THE DEVIL: FORGIVE AND CUT THEM OUT
WARNING/CONFESSION
Confession: I got to this part of the sermon and, honestly, I began to struggle. I began to struggle because the scheme that I chose to speak on is ‘forgive and cut them out.’ This is a thought in our society that fuels every divorce and ‘cancel culture’ and every article you have ever read about ‘toxic people.’ It feels right to forgive someone and move on away from them. It feels healthy and good and emotionally right.
Also, there are the situations where this seems physically or emotionally necessary like physical or sexual abuse. I would never want someone to stay in a home or in a situation where they are preyed upon by someone else and so my mind went there and it seems right to ‘forgive and cut someone out’ in that situation. There are also situations where someone is unhealthy for you and you need to get away from them and so moving on from a friendship or dating relationship is a good thing.
‘Forgive and cut them out’ seems good. The problem is that the schemes of the Devil often sound good and are true half-way, but in the end are selfish or destructive. To figure this out, we need to go to the Scriptures and let the Lord lead our hearts; not our society.
FORGIVENESS IN PHILEMON
To process this scheme of the Devil as it relates to forgiveness, I personally always look to the book of Philemon for the standard in forgiveness in the Bible. Philemon is the most instructive book about forgiveness and also the most frustrating because I do not like what it says. Let’s read from some of Philemon.
READ PHILEMON 7-21
7 For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you. 8 Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, 9 yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— 10 I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. 11 (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) 12 I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. 13 I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, 14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord. 15 For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, 16 no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. 17 So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. 18 If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. 20 Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.
The theme of this little book is forgiveness and the appeal for forgiveness is not based on law or principle or theology or biblical texts or logic or emotional safety or anything else, but the appeal is on the basis of love and what Christ has already done for us. The Apostle Paul takes the high ground. Paul knows that Philemon is a godly man. He knows he is a spiritual man. He knows he is a man whose heart toward God is right. Paul loved Philemon. In fact, in verse 1 (which we did not read) he calls him “agapetos,” which means “beloved” or “dear friend.” In verse 7 he says, "Your love has given me great joy and encouragement." There was a bond of love and connection between these two men. There was no need to command because of their connection and friendship.
Imagine the scene. As Philemon is reading this letter, there standing before him is Onesimus, the runaway slave. Here is Onesimus. Onesimus is the guy that has elicited out of Philemon’s heart all kinds of hostility and anger. He felt betrayed. It does seem like from a few things Paul says perhaps in Onesimus’ exit that something was stolen. Philemon feels violated. Now he is looking eyeball to eyeball with Onesimus again. The Apostle Paul says… forgive him. Forgive him for love’s sake. Forgive him because the man who led you to Christ asks you to.
THREE KEYS OF FORGIVENESS IN PHILEMON
What action is Paul asking Philemon to take? Forgive! Starting in verse 10 we get into the nitty-gritty of forgiveness and the appeal that Paul is making of Philemon. There are three key actions that Paul asks Philemon to take that also informs us about what is involved when we forgive others. As I look at these, they are the opposite of ‘cutting someone out of our life’ and to be honest, are the exact opposite of that.
RECEPTION
First, Paul was asking for reception. Reception? What do I mean by that? Well the first element in forgiveness is taking the person back. Let them into your life. Depending on the situation, that is most likely a tall order.
Just take him back. Paul asks Philemon to take him back for three reasons. He is repentant. He is transformed. And he is proven faithful. These are actually important as we think about this issue. These three unfold in the very simple verses as Paul talks about the runaway. He's saying you need to take him back because he's ready to be taken back. Forgiveness begins with reception. Close the gap. Cross the rift. Heal the wound. Let Onesimus back into your life.
Forgiveness starts with reception. It starts in opening up our lives and letting the person back in. It starts with forgetting the grudges and forgetting the offenses and just opening our lives and letting them in and saying
“Yes, if you're sorry I take you in”
“Yes, I can see that you're not the same person you were that did that”
“Yes, you have value and I acknowledge it"
The person that you forgive who is not repentant I believe is another story entirely. You must still forgive them, but a relationship may not be possible. That kind of forgiveness is very one-sided, but where there is repentance and change and value, we must take them back.
RESTORATION
Second, Paul is asking for restoration. Paul suggests that not only should Philemon open arms and take Onesimus back, but he also needs to put him back into service. Verses 15-16 are very fascinating, " For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, 16 no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord." What a statement! Paul says to Philemon that he would not lessen the guilt of Onesimus, obviously what Onesimus did was wrong, but he wanted him to consider that maybe God had a purpose and has worked it out for all our good. Paul tells him that he lost a slave, but gained a brother. God allowed it. A temporary separation to lead to an eternal relationship.
I cannot help, think that this is another important aspect of actually forgiving someone. The person that is forgiven is placed back into the role or relationship status if at all possible. Restoration is part of letting go and giving up the right to get back at someone or make them suffer for what they have done. Forgiveness says:
“Yes, you can be my cousin again”
“Yes, you are welcome in my home again”
“Yes, I will eat a meal with you again”
“Yes, I will say your name without spitting”
“Yes, I give you back trust at work.”
RESTITUTION
Third, Paul also speaks about restitution. There has been wrong done and that wrong needs to be dealt with. How will it be dealt with? Obviously when Onesimus bolted he caused Philemon great distress. If the price of a good servant was 500 denarii and the normal wage was 1 denarii a day, he would have to work for 500 days to make up for the loss. Not only that, it seems apparent that when Onesimus left he took some of the possessions and money of Philemon in order to fund his fugitive life.
How is the Apostle Paul going to deal with this? Onesimus has nothing to pay with. He probably has come back with empty pockets. So how is he going to deal with restitution? In verses 17, Paul says, "So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me." He says just treat him the way you'd treat me. Welcome him as you would welcome me. Forgive him as you would forgive me. Just take him back just the way you'd take me. Then in verse 18 Paul adds. "If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account." Restitution is always an essential component of forgiveness. It would have been right for Philemon to say you'll pay me back what it cost me to replace you. Onesimus messed up! That would be justice. That would not be wrong.
Neither is it wrong to be gracious! Neither is it wrong to say… “I know you were an ungodly sinful man and I understand that behavior suited that kind of nature. Now that you're a transformed person I no longer hold you responsible for that which you did in your unredeemed status, I graciously forgive you.” That would have been a wonderful and gracious thing to do, but Paul says whatever he owes you I'll pay because he has no money. Paul says in verse 22, "Prepare a guest room for me." The assumption would be when Paul gets there the account would be settled. Sometimes restitution can be done, but other times it is just sheer forgiveness and just the grace of God.
APPLICATION
Here is the bold truth about forgiveness according to God: It does not mean you cut people out. It does not mean you forgive and forget them. Forgiving and cutting people out of our lives is peace as the world describes it, but is not peace as God describes it. Falling into this scheme of Satan means our feet are taken out from beneath us because we are settling for false peace… lack of conflict… rather than Godly peace which is right relationship. We should not be people who forgive half-way because our God does not forgive half-way and we are thankful for that! God forgives us and receives us and restores us and accepts our repentance just as the Book of Philemon describes. God does that for us. May we do that for others. This is a hard teaching.
PRAYER
INVITATION
I would like to remind you about something I said earlier as we close with an invitation time. The good news about Jesus Christ means that we human sinners can have peace and forgiveness and a clean slate with our holy God (Ephesians 2:14, 2:17, 2 Thessalonians 3:16, Hebrews 13:20-21). Sin separates us from God, but Jesus came that we might be reunited with Him (Romans 5:1, Colossians 1:20). Forgiveness brings peace. A clean slate brings peace. Jesus is the way for you to have… not false peace… but real peace. Won’t you choose Him today?
