SOLDIERS OF CHRIST

"...and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace." -Ephesians 6:15 [KJV]

Soldiers of Christ, you are not only commanded to stand against every enemy, but to march on: to follow the Captain of your salvation, in the way to eternal glory. Here you must expect the enemy will strive to retard your march. He will strew the road with difficulties and entanglements—with briers and thorns—make it rugged, and almost impassable, as though every step was upon sharp stones and goading spikes. Your feet must be shod, or you will halt when you should march: turn back when you should go forward. 

"No one can make a shoe to the creature’s foot, so as he shall go on easy, in a hard way, but Christ. He can do it to the soldier’s full content. How doth He it? Truly, no other way than underlaying it: or, if you will, lining it with the peace of the gospel. What though the way be set with sharp stones? If this shoe go between the Christian’s foot and them, they cannot be much felt.” -Gurnal’s Christian Armour

Shod with the preparation. Dr. Gill observes, this word signifies a base or foundation. Says St. Paul, “other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (I Corinthians 3:11.) Christ was laid as the only foundation of a sinner’s peace, in the everlasting council and covenant by Jehovah in Trinity. Peace is preached by Him in the gospel of peace. When the heart has a solid, scriptural, experimental knowledge of this by faith, it cries out with joy, “He is our peace” (Ephesians 2:14.) “We have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1.) 

This peace in the heart, becomes, as it were, shoes to the feet, to enable the Christian soldier to trample upon every difficulty and danger, and to run the way of God’s commands with love and delight. For saith the Lord, “Thy shoes shall be iron and brass”: Proof against every obstacle, and preservation from every hindrance in the way. “And as thy days so shall thy strength be” (Deuteronomy 33:25.) 

Thy days are all in Christ. Thy strength to walk on is from Him. Thy Captain, O soldier, sees thy every conflict, eyes thee in every difficulty and danger, and according to His rich love and marvellous grace, has given thee exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be partaker of the divine nature (see II Peter 1:4.)  

Therefore, March on, nor fear to win the day, Tho’ death and hell obstruct the way. As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him, rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6, 7. 

 

The gospel brings the joyful news, 

Of peace with God thro’ Christ: 

This as it were supplies with shoes 

To stand, and foes resist. 

When peace of God prevails within, 

We march on steadily, 

Defying Satan, world, and sin, 

Complete in victory.

 

-preacher Wm. Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)

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