6:17
Next we have the helmet and the sword. The helmet protects the head and it is our salvation that protects us. It is crucial that we understand that we have been saved by Christ, we are not trying to earn that salvation. When we are attacked we need to remind ourselves that we are saved. We also need to remind ourselves that we are being saved, ie we are still appropriating, or perhaps better to say receiving, that salvation. God is working in our lives to give us more of the fruit of His salvation (Rom 8:28,29).
But we do not just defend ourselves, rather we attack as well, and our weapon of attack is the word of God. We use God’s word, we do not rely on clever arguments or human wisdom. We should also remind ourselves of the words at 6:12 that our fight is against principalities and powers, not people. People may think we are attacking them, but in fact the goal is to set them free. So if you say something is sinful, then the people who do such things may well object that we are condemning them, that we are guilty of “hate speech”. What we are actually doing is seeking to call them into God’s kingdom.
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