基督徒的武裝

概要

基督徒用信心的盾牌,緊緊依附於基督的話語,抵禦魔鬼的中傷;用上帝的話語作攻擊的利劍,戰勝魔鬼。



以弗所書6:16-17
16 此外,又拿著信德當作盾牌,可以滅盡那惡者一切的火箭;17 並戴上救恩的頭盔,拿著聖靈的寶劍,就是上帝的道。

信心是盾牌,抵擋魔鬼的進攻
我們必須預備戰鬥,最需要的是一個好的、堅固的盾牌。信心就是這樣的盾牌,正如使徒指示的那樣,因為他用這盾牌,緊緊依附於基督的話語,回答魔鬼說:「我雖是罪人,沒有做到我該做的,做的也太少,但是有一個人,他聖潔又完美。他把他自己給了我,為我死。天父藉著把他給我,就把他的聖潔和公義也給了我。魔鬼,你不能指責我。我的心平安,因我緊握著他。我的生命和行為必然如他一般完全。」

上帝的話語寶劍,進攻魔鬼
鋼鐵鑄造的劍並不能幫助我們對抗魔鬼,必須是聖靈的劍。保羅說:「聖靈的寶劍就是上帝的道。」這是最後,最強的武器。它對準魔鬼的要害,戰勝它。
這武器不只是足夠保護我們自己,抵禦仇敵。當攻擊魔鬼我們時,我們能夠站立得穩,不致被擊敗。這是防守。
我們必須有能力進攻,就是說:追逐敵人,令其逃跑。同理,雖然再多的信心和盼望作我們的盾牌和頭盔,但如果我們不拔劍,攻擊魔鬼,就不能打敗它,追擊它,獲得勝利。——馬丁路德(WA 34.2:402ff)(1531年講道)


Christians, Arm Yourselves

Ephesians 6:16-17
16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

We must prepare for battle, and what we need most is a good, strong shield. Faith is such a shield, as the apostle indicates, as he takes it and clings to the Word of Christ, and answers the devil, “Though I am a sinner, though I have not lived as I ought and have done too little, yet there is the man, holy and pure, who gave himself for me and died for me and was given to me by the Father to be mine, with his holiness and righteousness. You must leave me un-accused and in peace. I hold fast to him. My life and deeds must remain as best they can.”
“And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” This is the last, but it is the strongest and the right weapon for sitting the devil and overcoming him. For it is not enough to have defended ourselves against the enemy and to be able to stand against him when he attacked us so that we are not defeated; that is called defense. we must also be able to take the offensive —that is, to pursue the enemy and put him to flight. Similar, here it is not enough to ward off the devil with faith and hope as our shield and helmet, but we must draw the sword, hit back at him, hunt him down, and make him flee, thus gaining the victory ourselves. And that sword, he says, is the Word of God. For a sword of steel and iron would avail us nothing against the devil. It must be the sword of the spirit. —— Martin Luther (WA 34.2:402ff)(Sermons from the year 1531)


photo is from pinterest.com.
English text is taken from Day by Day We Magnify You, Revised Edition, Augsburg Books, 2008, p. 382, ISBN #9780806680149