Sunday School Class // March 3, 2024
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This is a lesson I prepared for a Sunday School class and is based on the video series “The Basics of the Christian Life by Sinclair Ferguson | Ligonier Ministries” (Lesson 8)
Ephesians 6:10–11 (ESV)
Finally, be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
The Kingdom of God is being built on enemy territory and we are a people that have an enemy. Our enemy is not a flesh-and-blood adversary that will come at us with strategies and weapons based on this material world. Our battle is a supernatural fight against an adversary who is set against God and whose aim is to utterly destroy and kill the people of God. Even though our enemy is still raging against us in this battle, we can have full assurance that the war has already been decisively won. Jesus Christ has brought a definitive victory over sin, death, and the devil through his shed blood on the cross. In this talk, Dr. Ferguson shares about three important aspects that we must all remember as we face this enemy.
Nature of the Battle (v.10)
The battle with our enemy is taking place in the heavenly places and is a true spiritual battle. We would do well to remember that although the battlefield we see and experience takes place in our ordinary life, this is a spiritual war. Our enemy is at war with God and fights more intensely with the people of God. Our enemy takes special care to rage against the children of God as they represent the life and ministry of Jesus in this world. So, our day-to-day life is the battlefield he chooses to attack. Paul encourages us to be mindful of the evil day. This is a day where the desires of our hearts are bent toward sin and temptation is a readily available opportunity. It is the whole armor of God that will allow us to withstand this evil day and find strength in the gospel of Jesus. Through his grace, we will be able to withstand and after everything is done… to be found standing.
Character of the Enemy (v.11)
The power of our enemy is supernatural, not flesh and blood. It would be a mistake to ignore not only the enemy’s power but his presence. We should not fear him but should be mindful and aware of his presence and intent to destroy us. Since he is a spiritual enemy working with spiritual weapons, we must fight him in like manner using spiritual weapons. It will not do to fight our enemy through material means. Our enemy is a deceiver. His means of deception are through his well-organized strategy of which we should not be ignorant. We should be studying God’s Word to become better acquainted with these schemes and the means to fight. Our enemy is also evil in his disposition. He has tripped up every single individual, except Jesus. Our enemy does not and will not play by any set of rules. He will use any means necessary to accomplish his goal of destruction.
Resources for Victory (v.15)
The spiritual armor of God is essential and absolutely reliable. How can we know that this armor is reliable? This is the same armor Jesus wore while he was in human form. In Ephesians, Paul outlines the different aspects of the armor but to see it in action, we only need to read the gospels and watch Jesus go through life fully adorned in the armor of God. Each aspect is important and needed in this spiritual battle. We need the belt of truth to be wrapped around us, holding everything together. We need the breastplate of righteousness to repel the flaming darts of the enemy. This righteousness is not our own. We take up the breastplate of Christ’s righteousness to wear in this battle.
Even knowing all of this, we will often fail in our struggle against sin and temptation. We will sin. We will lose our way at times and succumb to the schemes and strategies of the enemy. Yet, we should not lose hope for there is forgiveness to be found in Jesus Christ. The glorious news of the gospel is that our enemy can only ever rage against us. He can only ever go so far as the Lord allows. Our enemy is not all-powerful. He is still fully under the sovereign, righteous, compassionate, loving hand of our Heavenly Father. We fear not this enemy. We are mindful but we are not fearful. We are the children of God. Children who are truly loved and blessed in the heavenly places.