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D a i l y D e v o t i o n a l S t u d i e s in t k e
N e w T e s t a m e n t
n &
By R. A. TORREY
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TUESDAY, September 1. Eph. 6:15. If the warrior is to stand, his feet must be protected, and so he must shoe his feet (R.V.) “with the preparation (rather, equipment) of the gospel of peace.” (c.f. Is. 52:7; Nahum 1:15). “The gospel (or glad-tidings) of peace” is “the glad tidings” that Jesus Christ has made peace between sinner and God by His atoning blood (Col. 1:20; Rom. 5:1, 10; Eph. 2:17). Unless we are perfectly clear about this, that Jesus Christ has made perfect peace with God by His finished work on the cross, the Devil will hit us in the feet, in our very undermining, at any moment, and down we will go. This is why many fall in the fight, they are not clear about this fund on mental truth of the Gospel, that Jesus has for ever made peace for the believer with God by the reconciling blood of the cross. If we are clear at this point, we can always stand, assured of our acceptance with God, and thus always be ready to fight and defeat Satan. WEDNESDAY, September 2. Eph. 6:16 “Withal” (more literally, in all, the all is plural and means in all our con flicts and in every turn of the battle) we must “take up” (see R. V.) “the shield of faith.” The word here trans lated “shield” does not mean the little round shield of Roman warfare, but the large oblong shield two and one-half feet by four feet in size, covering the whole person: “faith” covers us at every point. By “faith” is meant unwaver ing reliance upon God and His word. Nothing will protect from all Satan’s darts like that. (See Heb. 11, the entire chapter). Satan’s darts, like those of ancient warfare, come flying through the air all ablaze, and Very terrifying and hurtful; but with the shield of unquestioning “faith” in and reliance upon God and His Word we “shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the Evil One ” (cf. Jno. 14:1 R. V.). if we would be unhurt by Satan, we should not look in at self, but out and up at God. (Ps. 25:15; Num. 13:33 cf. with Num. 14:6-9). God has provided this shield; all we have to do is to take it
up (see R. V.). it lies right at the feet of every one of us. God has laid it there for us to take up. Have you taken it up? Will you now take it up? Note the name of Satan used in this verse “the Evil One” (R. y .). This name sets forth the essential character of the Devil, or Satan, he is “the Evil One,” i. e., he is the personal embodiment of moral evil. Just as God (and Jesus Christ) is “the Holy One,” the per sonal embodiment of unmixed holiness, so he is the personal embodiment of unmixed evil, there is no truth or moral goodness in him (cf. Jno. 8:44- 1 Jno. 3:8). THURSDAY, September S. Eph. 6:17. In “the whole armor” (or, panoply) which God has provided for us in our conflict with the' Devil and his mighty hosts, He has provided a protection for the head as well as for the “feet” and for the breast, or “helmet.” This we. have simply to “receive,” not “take”, as it is mistranslated in both A. V. and R. V. God provides it for us, offers it to us, urges it upon us. All we have to do is simply “receive” it, as an altogether free gift of God’s abounding free grace. And what is this " h e l m e t ” ( “about-the-head- piece”)? “Salvation.” The word here translated “salvation” is not the word ordinarily used in the New Testament for “salvation,” though it comes from the same root, and is closely related to it. It is found only here and in three other places (Luke 2:30; 3:6; Acts 28:28.) It emphasizes in all the places where it is used the thought of “salva tion” as centering in the person of Christ and as perfected at His coming again. This is still more clearly brought out in 1 Thess. 5:8, where we are told that the “helmet” is “the hope of salva tion, i. e., not merely the “salvation” which we already possess in the for giveness of our sins, etc. (v. 15; Eph. 1:7; 2:8 R. V:), but the perfected sal vation of “spirit, soul and body” that is to be ours when the Lord Jesus comes again (cf. Phil. 3:20, 21; 1 Peter 1: 4, 5; Ro. 8:23-25; 1 Thess. 5:23 R. V.) If we believe in that salvation “receive” it, claim it for our own, all of the
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