Come, Follow Me: New Testament

September 30–October 13 (Ephesians 6:10–18)

The Armor of God

Paul’s military metaphor helps us see how to protect ourselves spiritually.

armor article

Illustration by Alex Naubaum

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

Ephesians 6:11

Armor

Loins girt—Loins means the area between the hips and abdomen. Girt means tied around firmly. Girt loins don’t have any loose clothing flowing around them that could trip up the legs and feet. Generally, to “gird your loins” means to prepare for action.

Breastplate—A solid covering for the chest.

Feet shod—Shod means wearing shoes.

Shield—A large piece of solid material carried on one arm.

Helmet—A solid covering for the head.

Sword—A weapon that can slice and stab.

Bible Facts

• The ancient Greek word for “whole armour” (panoplia) meant all of the equipment needed to be fully armed to wage effective warfare, including both defensive shielding and offensive weaponry (see Ephesians 6:11, 13; see also Luke 11:22).

• Paul was a Roman citizen, and Roman soldiers had a visible military presence in occupied lands. In addition, Paul wrote his epistle to the Ephesians while in captivity in Rome and was likely guarded by Roman soldiers. So the Roman “whole armour” was likely what Paul had in mind.

• The prophet Isaiah described the Messiah as having a breastplate of righteousness and a helmet of salvation when He would come to intercede for His people and save them (see Isaiah 59:17).

What We Can Learn

Loins girt: When we have our “loins girt about with truth” (Ephesians 6:14), we are prepared to move against evil. We prepare ourselves through personal worthiness, scripture study, and prayer.

Breastplate: A breastplate protects vital organs such as the heart and lungs. Our righteous thoughts and deeds help keep up our spiritual vitality. “He who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:23).

Feet shod: Our feet should be shod with the “preparation of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15). “Your feet … represent your goals or objectives in life. … Preparedness is the way to victory. … The tide of victory rests with him who is prepared” (Harold B. Lee, in “Message from the First Presidency,” Ensign, Jan. 1971, 2).

Shield: With “the shield of faith,” we can “quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians 6:16). Those flaming arrows rain down from all directions, and we need the faith and trust in the Lord that will keep us from the spiritual harm the adversary’s temptations would inflict.

Helmet: “The ‘helmet of salvation’ [Ephesians 6:17] guards our reasoning, intellect, and thoughts” (Robert D. Hales, “Modesty: Reverence for the Lord,” Ensign, Aug. 2008, 39). If we focus our minds on Jesus Christ and His gospel, our thoughts can be kept pure and our eyes single to the glory of God.

Sword: “The sword of the Spirit … is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). The word of God is “sharper than any twoedged sword” (Hebrews 4:12), and the Spirit can “pierce even to the very soul” (Helaman 5:30). With our testimony and the power and peace of God’s Spirit, we can strike against error and conquer the enemy of all righteousness.

“The putting off of the natural man makes possible the putting on of the whole armor of God, which would not fully fit before!”

Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Plow in Hope,” Ensign, May 2001, 60.