A Battle Plan (Pt. 7)
B. Please Note the Adjective: Yes, it’s a strange subtitle. Why is it there? Can you tell me? It is important to our discussion, believe it or not! Allow me to explain. The first reason is simply that I like adjectives and I want to save them. Adjectives describe things. Big house. Red dress. Boring writer! Oops, how did that get there? Anyway, moving on. Adjectives are under threat because of political correctness and wretched ‘equality’ laws. Try going to a police station in the “World of PC”, where adjectives are banned, to give a statement regarding a stolen item and the thief. “Hello officer, I would like to report a theft. My golden ring was stolen by a large white male, with dark hair. He escaped on a blue skateboard. He was wearing blue jeans with a white cotton embossed shirt.” Do you think that the felon would be quickly apprehended?
Back to topic. The second reason adjectives are important is that they build our knowledge and help our understanding. As the first example shows – and you thought I was being silly – our language and communication are impoverished when adjectives are removed. Without these descriptors, we are as the needle in the haystack – lost with little chance of being found.
Allow, please, an illustration which I hope will open the way to understanding. Modern Christians are very good at wrongly dividing the word of God. We have become adept at placing wedges where none should exist. Take ‘Spiritual Gifts’ as one example. What bothers me is the way in which we are made to choose a gift. “What is your gift?” is the commonly heard question. Again, such questions show a lack of understanding with regard to what the Scriptures teach. Let us turn to Galatians 5:22-23:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Here, there are 9 fruits listed. Yes? No! There are 9 fruit listed, but they are the fruit – singular – of the Holy Spirit. If you are born again of the Spirit of God it is not yours to choose which gift you shall exhibit. On the contrary, it is yours, by the fact of regeneration, to exhibit all of these fruit.
Taking this lesson, think adjective and armour. Paul’s instruction (command) in both verses 11 and 13 is to “put on the full armour of God.” We are not just to “put on the armour” we are to put on the full armour! We are not to walk around the armoury in a quiet state of contemplation seeking some arcane clue as to which piece we should pick – the shiniest, the scariest, the piece that best matches our eyes! Such an exercise would be patently futile for we are to be arrayed in them all.
Understand this well – arrayed in them all! This is not the armoury of “Pick N Choose” where one gains “brownie points” for contemplation and thought. This is the King’s armoury where every soldier is under orders to be decked out with all the tackle available. God’s soldiers are to be skilled soldiers. They must be able to defend. They must be able to attack. They must be prepared.
Therefore, if we are to be considered as effective soldiers in Christ’s army; if we are to effect Christian Warfare, we must be kitted out in every piece of God’s armour. Not a piece. Not some pieces. Every piece; without exception!
As an illustration, it is common to hear some Christians described as a “prayer warrior”. This is a good term. Prayer is very much needed. However, if this is all that this warrior does; if this is their only piece of armour (? more later), can this be considered as faithfulness? Some will see this as judgemental or ungracious. It is not. It is nothing more than a challenge based in a Scriptural “ought”. Paul says “every piece”. The Apostle simply does not give us a choice. Therefore, no matter how noble any one piece of armour may be, we cannot rest contented with that one piece. We must strive to put on every piece. We must learn to like it and wear it as a second skin. These pieces must become as one with us.
It is only the “full” armour that offers the soldier the ability to fight and to win. Allow me to paraphrase and modernise. How long will the soldier last if he has his feet fitted with the holiest of sneakers, but has nothing else? He can only run from the enemy for so long before his sneakers blow out. Moreover, this is his only option. What else can he do but run? What of the soldier who has no sword? He can run into battle with a shield and mount some type of defence, but how does he retaliate? How does he strike down his enemy? After all, he can only absorb so many blows before his strength wanes and he becomes susceptible to his opponents sword tip. Then there is the soldier who runs into the fray naked but valiantly wielding his sword. He may well land some hefty blows and wreak momentary havoc. However, without any protection he is vulnerable. It will not be long before an arrow finds its mark. Similarly, every glancing blow will have some impact and will take its toll, precisely because there is no armour and no protection.
Consequently, brethren, we must take heed to the jots and tittles of Scripture – in this case an adjective. We must put on the whole armour of God. Not a piece can be missing. We must have the armour fully. In this alone will Christ our Lord be magnified. In this fullness will our stand be strong, uncompromising, and inspiring. It will be so because this alone is obedience.
