Eld Chew Chong Kiat

Ephesians 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

1. Introduction

All children of the light are in a spiritual battle that requires a spiritual armour that God alone can provide. Without this armour, we will surely be defeated, and it behooves every child of God to discern each piece and to put them on diligently.

We must first put on the belt of truth by being sincere, genuine, committed and truthful in battle. Next, we put on the breastplate of righteousness which includes the perfect righteousness of God imputed to us when we believed, and the life of righteousness, which together protect against the attacks of Satan. We shall consider next the shoes worn by the soldier of Christ. 

2. The Use

To have your feet shod is to be fitted with shoes.  As Paul looked upon the armour of the Roman soldiers guarding him, he drew a comparison between the shoes and the gospel of peace. 

The shoes of a soldier do two things:

1. Defend the feet against stones, traps and sharp sticks, which the enemy will lay secretly to obstruct the advancing enemy, because those who tread upon them will become unfit for the journey.
2. Give a firm footing, like shoes fitted with nails or spikes.

Paul made comparison between the effects of shoes on a soldier and the effects of the gospel of peace on the Christian.

3. The Meaning

The gospel of peace defends the Christian against the attacks of Satan and gives a firm footing in his pilgrim journey.

All sinners are in sin and darkness, under the wrath of God, and enemies of God. Through the gospel, sinners who repent and believe are reconciled to God and they will experience peace with God and will be adopted to be His children.

Ephesians 2:14-17 “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [between us]; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, [so] making peace;  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:  And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.”

Romans 5:1 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The sinner who experiences in his heart the peace of God that passes all understanding, through the gospel of peace, has been delivered from the bondage of sin. He will find courage and zeal to fight the spiritual warfare with this conviction: “If God be for us, who can be against us.” (Romans 8:31) He is assured by God’s promise to save to the uttermost and be with him alway unto the end of the world (Matthew 28:20). When he goes forth in this might and assurance, he is made ready for the battle by this gospel of peace.   

Jesus, before He left His disciples, pronounced the peace of God upon them. John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” He further added: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) This implies that all Christians need this peace in battle.

4. The Application

So, what do we do with this gift and piece of armour that God had prepared for us? We are to be in a state of preparedness, readiness and fitness through the gospel of peace. Are you experiencing this peace brought about by the gospel that you once believed and continue to believe?

When you have experienced this peace, then are you ready to bear this gospel of peace to unbelievers of the saving grace of Christ. As it is written in Isaiah 52:7 “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” 

It is important to note that preaching the gospel will not cause you to stand. Paul said in 1Corinthians 9:27 that there is a possibility that after you have preached to others, you may find yourself to be a castaway. This gospel of peace is to be applied first to yourself daily, moment by moment, to enable you to stand in the evil day. In so doing, you will sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready to bear the gospel to others. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and [be] ready always to [give] an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” (1 Peter 3:15). Paul was ready to preach the gospel even to his death because he deeply experienced the effect of the gospel of peace. (2Timothy 4:6)

We need this peace to serve God, and the same confidence that despite all the troubles we have to endure we shall never perish, for God promised to be our help. We are on the Lord’s side and made ready for the battle. We can constantly be in this state of readiness by contemplating upon the fact that God is for us and who can be against us. We need not fear what man can do to us if we are accepted of the Father. We can tread on life’s pilgrim pathway with firm-footedness. This knowledge will defend us against the attacks of the evil one. Amen!