Good News Shoes

Ephesians summary - 

The blessings of God in Christ are salvation by grace through faith and that there is no difference between Jews and gentiles. Thus, holiness, not paganism, becomes the new way of life for both Jew and Gentile. That new way brings new responsibilities and the need for protective armor for the constant spiritual battle with evil.

So far we've studied two pieces of that armor, the truth belt which is the truth found in Jesus Christ and his word. These are essential to our defense from satanic attacks. There is also the breastplate of righteousness, which is a righteous character that can only be practiced by Holy Spirit-controlled believers in Christ. We looked at two texts which explained some of those character qualities in Ephesians 4 and 2 Peter 1.  I handed out a small card with those scriptures so that you would have reference to them. There were two aspects that needed to take place in practicing the new character, we must remove the old man and his ways and put on the new man, which is Spirit-controlled.

We saw how that this is a joint effort, God works his saving grace and we work to put on the new character. The holy spirit helps us in this effort.

Tonight we'll look at the shoes. Ephesians 6:15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

Sometimes a short text like this can be difficult to understand because it seems to have various interpretations. This is one of those texts and we’ll see the varying interpretations in a minute.

We don't think much about our feet until something goes wrong with them. Do you remember putting on your shoes this morning? Why did you put them on? I think that there are two maybe three reasons why you put your shoes on. 

They have become part of your wardrobe. 

They protect your feet and help you to be able to stand in rough places

You need something to cover your ugly feet! 

Roman soldier's shoes 

Paul was using a Roman soldier as his illustration. Soldier’s shoes were made of heavy leather and had double souls and nails in those souls to better grip the ground and to give more stability in battle. If you have ever worn soccer shoes then you might know that feeling of stability. 

Nails

The cleats also served to strike terror into the hearts of the enemy as the sound of the oncoming army must have been deafening. Rome ruled the world for 200 years. It was a period called the Pax Romana. But during that same period, there were many times where the armies brought total destruction to societies. In their effort to bring order they killed and conquered their enemies. These shoes were a part of the overall armor that was made for the conquerors. 

What are the Varying Interpretations

• No Need to Conquer but a firm stance on the Gospel

The believer has no need to conquer because Christ has already won the war. We do, however, need to stand firm on the Gospel and defend against Satan's attacks. Paul doesn't tell us to attack but to stand firm and he is ready on the ground that has been won. Since we are to be solid or ready for battle, to bring the peace of the Gospel to those around us, then we must know that Gospel personally. 

• Ready to Fight for Peace

"That you may be ready for the combat, be shod with the gospel of peace, endeavor after that peaceable and quiet mind which the gospel calls for. Be not easily provoked, nor prone to quarrel: but show all gentleness and all long-suffering to all men, and this will certainly preserve you from many great temptations and persecutions, as did those shoes of brass the soldiers from those gall traps," etc. 

• Not Spreading the Gospel but Firmness and Peace in it.

6:15. This verse does not speak of the spreading of the gospel, for Christians, are pictured in Vv. 10-16 as standing, not advancing. Instead, this refers to a believer's stability or surefootedness from the gospel which gives him peace so he can stand in the battle. BKC

Taylor supposes that it means, "Your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel; not iron, not steel - but patient investigation, calm inquiry, assiduous, laborious, lasting; or with "firm footing" in the gospel of peace." 

• Readiness and firmness to Preach the Gospel

With the preparation - Prepared with the gospel of peace. The sense is, that the Christian soldier is to be prepared with the gospel of peace to meet attacks similar to those against which the ancient soldier designed to guard himself by the sandals or greaves which he wore. The word rendered "preparation" means properly readiness, fitness... to be ever ready to go forth to preach the gospel. 

“...a readiness to walk in the gospel of peace." with a peaceful and benevolent temper recommended in the gospel, and which, like the boots worn by soldiers, would bear them safely through many obstructions and trials...

Maybe Paul meant that Christians were to resemble a soldier. The shoe was to preserve the foot from danger and to secure the facility of his march, and perhaps to make him firm in battle. 

Christians were to have the principles of the gospel of peace - the peaceful and pure gospel - to facilitate them; to aid them in their marches; to make them firm in the day of conflict with their foes. They were not to be furnished with carnal weapons, but with the peaceful gospel of the Redeemer; and, sustained by this, they were to go on in their march through the world. The principles of the gospel were to do for them what the greaves and iron-spiked sandals did for the soldier - to make them ready for the march, to make them firm in their foot-tread, and to be a part of their defense against their foes.

The preparation of the gospel of peace signifies a prepared and resolved frame of heart, to adhere to the gospel and abide by it, which will enable us to walk with a steady pace in the way of religion, notwithstanding the difficulties and dangers that may be in it. It is (named) the gospel of peace because it brings all sorts of peace, peace with God, with ourselves, and with one another. It may also mean that which prepares to receive the gospel, namely, repentance. With this, our feet must be shod: for by living a life of repentance we are armed against temptations to sin, and the designs of our great enemy. 

This part of the armor, for the feet, is needful, our feet must be so shod, that our footsteps slip not. To order our life and conversation aright, we are prepared by the gospel blessing, the peace and love of God ruling in the heart, Col_3:14-15. By this only can we tread the rough ways, surmount our difficulties, and hold out to the end.— John Wesley's Explanatory Notes

To be prepared with the gospel of peace means knowing how to handle that gospel. To know when to speak and when to act. To know when to be quiet and when we are to shout the battle cry and take our stand. 

• What exactly must we defend? 

We must be ready, "... for battle by appropriating the gospel, with its focus on peace 

• vertically with God (2:1-10) and 
• horizontally with ourselves and with others (2:11-22).

Let's look at these two áreas. 

• Peace with God and How to Get it - 2:1-10

Paul explains how we get peace with God in chapter two of this letter. It is an amazing text. 

Ephesians 2:1 And to you did he give life when you were dead through your wrongdoing and sins,

• God’s Work
• We were Dead

Peace with God - it is God's work. We were dead in sin. We couldn't help ourselves. You see that happening in this Room. We have people who listen to the same message that you listen to yet they don't move toward salvation. They can't understand the message. The message is this, you can have peace with God. 

2 In which you were living in the past, after the ways of this present world, doing the pleasure of the lord of the power of the air, the spirit who is now working in those who go against the purpose of God; 3 Among whom we all at one time were living in the pleasures of our flesh, giving way to the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and the punishment of God was waiting for us even as for the rest. 

• God Gave us Life with Purpose

4 But God, being full of mercy, through the great love which he had for us, 5 Even when we were dead through our sins, gave us life together with Christ (by grace you have salvation), 6 So that we came back from death with him, and are seated with Him in the heavens, in Christ Jesus;

• God’s purpose

God made peace with us to demonstrate his tremendous undeserved grace. 

7 That in the time to come he might make clear the full wealth of his grace in his mercy to us in Christ Jesus: 8 Because by grace you have salvation through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is given by God: 9 Not by works, so that no man may take glory to himself. 10 For by his act we were given existence in Christ Jesus to do those good works which God before made ready for us so that we might do them.

• Peace with ourselves and others - 2:11 - 21 

Ephesians 2:11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.