TO LEAD EFFECTIVELY A GOSPEL PREACHER MUST
RESPECT THE CHRISTIAN ARMOR - Part II

As a mouthpiece of God, a preacher must choose to wear the armor of God to be successful in doing battle with Satan and his forces.  One cannot lead folks toward Heaven while ignoring or making mockery of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, or the sword of the Spirit, God’s Word (Ephesians 6:13-17).  These items comprise “the whole armor of God” (Eph. 6:11) that any Christian is obligated to proudly wear, but especially must those be so clothed who are in leadership positions.

Can it be that changes have occurred in our society that necessitate a change in the Christian’s armor?  If so, what has “truth” become?  Instead of the word of God (Psalms 119:160) has it now become the latest diatribe of the most vocal and polished false teacher?  Has the “breastplate of righteousness” been replaced with “the breastplate of political correctness?”  Has “the gospel of peace” evolved into “a gospel of peace” modified for anybody and everybody?  Could it be that “the shield of faith,” “the helmet of salvation,” and “the sword of the Spirit” worked fine in Paul’s day, but are now no longer relevant to man’s needs?  Instead of asking some modern scribe who is the subject of several degrees of blindness in modernistic thinking, why not consult the Word of God?  Do you remember the Christian armor being limited to a particular culture?  Where was the Christian armor of Ephesians 6 replaced by one more suited for today’s society?  The truth of the matter is there was but one armor needed and one armor given and all students of the Bible know that God has not authorized a change in armor!

A gospel preacher can be an effective leader and soldier of the cross only by wearing and recommending to others the armor that God has specified.  Modern day armor conceived in the mind of men will not suffice to withstand “the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11).  As one who is in a position of leadership and influence, a gospel preacher will expose any false assurance that will cost one his soul.  One who believes in faith only (cf. James 2:24), once-saved, always-saved or the impossibility of apostasy (cf. 1 Peter 2:20-22), the church of your choice (cf. Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 4:4), and worship according to the will and whims of men (cf. John 4:24; Colossians 2:23) are trusting in the wrong armor.

Marvin L. Weir