Friday: Further Thought ~ Waging Peace
Further Thought:
“An army in battle would become confused and weakened unless all worked in concert. If the soldiers should act out their own impulsive ideas, without reference to each other’s positions and work, they would be a collection of independent atoms; they could not do the work of an organized body.
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
So the soldiers of Christ must act in harmony. They alone must not be cherished. If they do this, the Lord’s people in the place of being in perfect harmony, of one mind, one purpose, and consecrated to one grand object, will find efforts fruitless, their time and capabilities wasted. Union is strength. A few converted souls acting in harmony, acting for one grand purpose, under one head, will achieve victories at every encounter.” — Ellen G. White, Spalding and Magan Collection, p. 121.
What is the significance of Paul’s labeling himself “an ambassador in chains” (Ephesians 6:20, ESV)?
Ambassadors often played challenging roles during wartime, so Paul’s self-description fits the context of his military metaphor. Ambassadors were to be treated with the respect due the person or country that sent them. So there is stark contrast between Paul’s status as ambassador for the Supreme Ruler of the cosmos and the utter disrespect signaled by his chains (literally, “chain”). However, since ambassadors would wear a “chain of office,” Paul’s mention of a “chain” may be “spiced with irony,” in which he sees his chain as “a decoration to be worn with distinction.” — David J. Williams, Paul’s Metaphors: Their Context and Character (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1999), p. 152.
Discussion Questions:
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I just want to backtrack a couple of days because the author threw the sword, shield, and helmet all into one day's lesson, and I only had time/space to discuss the sword.
A helmet protects the brain and is probably the most important part of a soldier's defense. You can function, at least partially, without an arm or a leg, but once the brain stops, everything stops. In Australia, it is compulsory in most states for cyclists to wear a helmet. Surprisingly there is not much resistance to this nanny-state law. And most cyclists comply. Cycling helmets are colloquially known as "skid-lids" - an appropriate name - describing the circumstances where it becomes useful (and where for one brief moment you wish you had it on when you decide to evade the law) They also serve a very useful unintentional purpose. In late winter and early spring, our delightful Australian Magpies turn rogue as they defend their territory and attack cyclists with reckless and fearless abandon, usually from behind. Consequently, you will see cyclists wearing helmets with all sorts of strange antennae and often with faces painted on the back to ward off Australian Magpie attacks.
Paul uses the helmet to represent salvation and that is the apex idea of Christianity. The point that I want to make is that salvation is not just something that is hoped for in the future. It is something that is happening right now. The Roman soldier would not think of going into battle without his helmet, and an Australian cyclist would not think of going riding without their skid-lid, especially in Magpie season. Likewise, a Christian lives their salvation in their battle with evil. Salvation is not a reward for good fighting. It is a defensive armament in the battle between good and evil now.
There is only one way to wage peace, working in harmony and steadily as an army, as different parts in one body: connection with the most faithful Love. Love, which is God, demonstrated to the whole Universe through the death of His Son, is the answer to all needed protection. So, to fight in unity and be victorious requires everyone's primary, single, and persistent strategy as the most intense search for this Love every day, hour, minute, second. Communion, prayer. No time to waste! No moment to pass! No breathing is worthy away from the Source.
My thought of this weeks lesson in summary, is putting on the waist band of truth, the breast plate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, taking up the shield of faith, and using the sword of the Holy Spirit, the word of God, all is very much preparing for, or if you prefer, practical living. Living out all these God given protections is the way to spread the peace we have found in the gospel of Christ. Yes we need to put on our shoes when going out to let others know of the peace we have found in accepting and putting into practice these gifts from Christ.
After having said we find how to live with truth, and righteousness Monday through Christ teachings, don't get me wrong, I believe we also find how to use and put on the armor of God in Paul's, John's, Luke's, Peter's, Jude's writings, as well as the Old Testiment.
2 Timothy 3:16.
1 Peter 3:15.
Proverbs 30:5.
Yes with prayer and supplication, with a thankful heart, for His forgivness, protection, grace, faith, hope, and trust in Christ He has bestowed on us, because we have chosen Him.
Calling the purpose of our Christian life - ‘waging peace’ -, has greatly contributed to seeing every encounter with peace in heart and mind. Considering myself to be an ambassador who maintains peace to avert confrontations is another aspect which has enriched my perspective about how best to interact with others.
As long as we live we are engaged in this spiritual warfare, and each discussion question is important to contemplate and reflect on to find an answer to. Learning to wear God’s full armor is paramount in order for us to stand strong in our faith.
Should we experience ‘chains/restrictions’ which discourage or actually inhibit the exercise to freely express or engage in what our faith require of us, we can remember that man’s ‘chains’ cannot stop us from expressing the power of God's Love - waging peace by expressing compassion and understanding through kindness to our fellow man – friend or foe!