"By the armor of righteousness."
18. This armor Paul more fully describes in Ephesians and in
Thessalonians. Sufficient explanation of it has been given in the
lesson for Advent. There is the "shield of faith," the "helmet of
salvation," the shoes of "the preparation of the Gospel of peace," and
so on. Paul includes them all under the term "armor of righteousness,"
and, in his epistle to the Ephesians, under the phrase "armor of God,"
to teach Christians to eschew and to forsake carnal, worldly weapons
for these. He would have them know themselves a spiritual people,
spiritually warring against the spiritual enemies enumerated here and
pointed out on the right hand and on the left.
19. On the left hand he places dishonor and evil report, in that we
appear to men as deceivers, unknown, in conflict with death,
chastened, sorrowful, poor and needy. Scorn is hurled in our faces and
the reputation accorded us is that of deceivers. The Christian must
not only be unknown, friendless and a stranger, but men will also be
ashamed of him--even his best friends--in consequence of the reproach
and evil report under which he lies in the eyes of the great, the
wealthy, the wise and the powerful of the world.
He must be as one dying--continually expecting death by reason of the
hatred and envy directed against him, and the various persecutions he
suffers. He must be beaten and scourged; must at times feel the weight
of the enmity and envy wherewith the world inflicts torment. He is
like the sorrowful, for so ill does he fare in the world, he has
reason to sorrow. He resembles the poor in that nothing is given him
but injuries; he possesses nothing, for if he has not been deprived of
all his possessions he daily expects that extremity.
Lest he despair of his hope in God and grow faint, he must be armed on
the left hand against these enemies with a divine armor: with a firm
faith, with the comfort of the divine Word, with hope, so that he may
endure and exercise patience. Thereby he proves himself to be a true
servant of God, inasmuch as false teachers and hypocrites, with all
their pompous worship, are incapable of these things.
20. On the right he places honor and good report, inasmuch as we are
after all true, well known, alive, defiant of death, full of joy,
rich, possessing all things. The Christian will have always a few to
honor and commend him; some there will be to give him a good report,
to praise him as true and honest in doctrine. And there will be some
who receive and acknowledge him, who are not ashamed of him. Life
remains in spite of death oft faced, even in scourgings. He rejoices
when things with him are at the worst, for his heart remains joyful in
God, that joy finding expression in words, deeds and manner. Though
poor in the goods of the world, he does not die of hunger, and he
makes many spiritually rich through the Word. Even though he have no
possessions at all, he suffers no lack but has in hand all things; for
all creatures must serve the believer. As Christ promised (Mk 9, 23),
"All things are possible to him that believeth." For himself, it is
true, he possesses nothing, and gladly he endures his need; but for
his neighbor's sake he can do all things, and all he has he is ready
to place at the disposal of his neighbor whenever need requires. These
blessings also give occasion for a powerful armor, for we must guard
against pride and haughtiness.
21. Thus the Christian is quite untrammeled. His eyes are fixed upon
God alone. Always choosing the safe middle path he steers clear of
danger on the right and on the left. He permits not the evil to
overthrow him nor the good to exalt, but makes use of both to the
honor of God and the benefit of his neighbor. This, Paul instructs us,
should be the manner of our life now while the season of grace
continues; nor must we fail to heed this! This is the true service of
God, the service well pleasing to him; unto which may God help us.
Amen.
_Second Sunday In Lent_
Text: First Thessalonians 4, 1-7.
1 Finally then, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus,
that, as ye received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God,
even as ye do walk,--that ye abound more and more. 2 For ye know what
charge we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of
God, even your sanctification, that ye abstain from fornication; 4
that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in
sanctification and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust, even as the
Gentiles who know not God; 6 that no man transgress, and wrong his
brother in the matter: because the Lord is an avenger in all these
things, as also we forewarned you and testified. 7 For God called us
not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.