All of the pieces of the armor enumerated by Paul thus far have been strictly for defensive purposes. Now he gives us the only offensive weapon – the sword. The word in the Greek is “machaira,” the common sword of the Roman infantryman ranging in length from six to 18 inches. This sword was more like a dagger to be thrust with great precision, thus distinguishing it from the broadsword.
William Gurnall in his classic 'The Christian in Complete Armor' said this about the sword: “The sword was a necessary part of the soldier's furniture, and therefore hath obtained a more general use in all ages, and among all nations, than any other weapon. Most nations have some particular weapons or arms proper to themselves; but few or none come into the field without his sword. A pilot without his chart, a scholar without his book, a soldier without his sword, are alike ridiculous.”
This sword is the “Word of God.” The Bible is compared to a sword in Isa. 49:2 and Heb. 4:12. We need to see the power and efficacy of God's Word and use it aright as the “sword of the Spirit.”
God's Word is all that we need. This is true because there is a sense in which Christ Himself answers to the whole armor (Rom. 13:14 commands us to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ”). Christ is the Living Word. The Bible is the Written Word. Christ is the truth that girds us (John 14:6). He is our righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21). He is our salvation (Lk. 2:30), and He is the Word of God (John 1:1,14).
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Bob Vradenburgh is the senior pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. He has spent 40 years in full-time Christian service: the first 20 years as a missionary and the past 20 years in the pastorate. Bob’s passion is the expository preaching of God’s Word,...
