Shoes of the Gospel of Peace
(Ephesians 6:15)
Those who are reconciled with God are always confident in spiritual battle, because they believe, “God loves me, He will not abandon me. He fights for me.”
The Soldier’s Shoes
This is like the confidence of a soldier wearing shoes perfectly suited for battle. If the soles are too thin, he will hesitate when he steps onto a path of jagged rocks during the march. If his shoes keep coming off, he won’t be able to fight properly in hand-to-hand combat. On the other hand, if he wears shoes well-prepared for battle, even that alone will strengthen his confidence. It is for this very reason that the Lord commanded us, “Having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace!”Reconciliation with God
“The gospel of peace” does not simply refer to a gospel that offers psychological comfort. Here, “peace” refers to a once-broken relationship with God that has been reconciled through the sacrifice of Christ. God cannot tolerate sin. Without the merit of Christ, the moment we stood before Him, He would have dashed at us in wrath because of our sin. But that charge was directed toward Christ on the cross, and the wrath that was meant for us was turned away. This is the reconciliation the gospel has brought to us.Repentance and Its Fruit
To enjoy this reconciliation, we must obey the gospel and repent. Those who have truly repented live with a repentant heart throughout their lives, just as a soldier always wears his shoes in preparation for an attack that may come at any time. This does not mean listing every sin we’ve committed, nor trying to raise some graph of righteousness that has dropped because of sin. Our very nature has fallen into sin. We must acknowledge this and continue moving toward a changed life. Those who repent in this way cherish, above all, reconciliation with the Church and with fellow believers. This is decisive proof that they are reconciled with God.
Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim
Comments powered by Disqus.