ASSURANCE OF SALVATION

STRONG IN THE LORD

In Ephesians 6:10 – 18, Paul teaches us how to stand firm in the presence of the devil’s persistent opposition. From the Bible we understand that this opposition includes both deception and accusation, and is aimed at undermining and destroying our faith. It is to the devil’s advantage to keep us thinking that we can lose our salvation – to keep us thinking that our continued salvation depends on us and not on our Lord Jesus Christ; and so to rob us of the spiritual peace and joy promised by the gospel.

So Paul instructs us:

‘Be strong in the Lord …’ – reminding us that our salvation, from beginning to end, does not depend on our strength, but on the Lord.
‘…and in his mighty power’ – the power of God that Paul prayed we would understand: that the same power of God that raised Jesus from the dead, is the power that saved us permanently. (See this previous meditation. )

‘Put on the full armour of God’ – not any armour that we have to produce for ourselves, but the armour that God has provided for us. (Excuse the Australian spelling of ‘armor’.)

‘Stand firm …’ – this is the goal of Paul’s instructions, that, as a result of putting on the armour that God provides, we will still be standing at the end … ‘so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.’

‘…with the belt of truth buckled round your waist…’ – that is, God’s truth that we believe, the opposite of the devil’s deception. (Note that in John 8:42 – 47 Jesus exposed the deceptive nature of everything the devil says – that deception is the devil’s ‘native language’.)

‘…with the breastplate of righteousness in place’ – that gift of ‘righteousness’ (that ‘not guilty’ declaration) that comes from God, by faith, apart from law (Romans 3:21, 22).

‘…with your feet shod with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace’ – Paul has already spoken of the peace with God established by the gospel (2:11 – 18). That peace with God keeps us stable and confident regardless of the devil’s attempts to knock us over – just like the Roman soldiers’ sandals had spikes under their soles to give them stability when fighting on rough ground.

‘take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one’ – the Greek text has ‘of the faith’ – that is, the whole content of truth taught by Jesus and the apostles. By it the devil’s deceptions are refuted; by it the devil’s accusations are rendered invalid.

‘Take the helmet of salvation’ – all the many aspects of the complete salvation that we have in Christ Jesus. See these studies on Salvation in Colossians, Salvation in Ephesians, and Salvation and the Work of Christ.

‘…and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God’ – this is the rebuttal of the devil’s specific deceptions and accusations with specific truths from God’s word, as Jesus did when tempted by the devil (Matthew 4, Luke 4).

With all of this in mind, Paul gives us two instructions: (1) to be alert, and (2) to always pray for all the saints – 6:18.

When we go back in Ephesians, and read what Paul prayed for the church, we find that his prayers are focused on our knowing the truth about the guaranteed salvation that we have in Christ.

He prayed that we:

… may know God better – Ephesians 1:17;
… may know that hope to which he has called us – 1:18;
…may know the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints – 1:18
…may know his incomparably great power – 1:19 – 2:10.
…may have power to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ –3:18;
…may know this love that surpasses knowledge – 3;19;

And, as a result of all of that ‘be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God’ (3:19). We will not doubt our salvation. We will not diminish the cross-work of Jesus Christ. Rather, knowing all of this, we will be so full of confidence in God that he will, by that confidence, by that assurance, by that trust, be glorified by us (Ephesians 3:20, 21).