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- Defensive Armor for Today’s Living
This sermon was preached last week by the Rev. Dr. Kevin Frederick, the president of the American Waldensian Society, at the First Presbyterian Church in Lenoir, North Carolina.
On July 4, America will commemorate its 250th anniversary. All year long, there have been various activities and events to mark this national birthday. For weeks now, I have been asking myself, how can I commemorate this anniversary as a faithful citizen and a committed Christian?
To answer this question, I have been exploring a passage in Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus. In Ephesians 6:10-20, Paul says, “Be strong in the Lord, put on the whole armor of God. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over the present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil.” This passage provides key insights into how we can engage our faith in ways that serve the wellbeing of our nation.
Every one of us faces the powers of evil daily: Identity theft, credit card abuse, reckless drivers, internet assault, domestic violence, bullying, wars and rumors of wars, assaults to our democracy, and the list goes on and on.
If we face these evils without the strength of our faith and the support of the faith community, then we face evil ill-prepared. Evil forces are so powerful that we cannot face them alone.
Paul says, put on the Belt of Truth and the Breastplate of Righteousness. When biblical truth is foremost in our minds, we are able to defend ourselves and our loved ones from the manipulation and coercion that seek to rob us of our resources and our identity. Biblical truth tells us of the value of each individual and the need to seek justice for anyone who is victimized by evil. Putting on the Breastplate of Righteousness means being guided by biblical morality in our relationships. It also suggests that we conform our actions to the two great biblical commandments that we love God with all our heart, soul, and strength and that we love our neighbor as ourselves. When we act righteously, we relate to others as belonging to God and being worthy of respect.
Lace up your Sandals for the Gospel of Peace. The Gospel of Peace can only be truly effective in a person who is guided by the humility of Christ. Leaving my size thirteen boot print on the backside of a neighbor is not wearing the right footwear. The Gospel of Peace communicates that relationships with adversaries are restored through the actions of showing love, rather than retaliation. The Gospel of peace teaches us to walk in the shoes of our neighbor and see the world through their eyes. Being shod with the Gospel of Peace means we seek to build bridges with adversaries. We actively search for what we can agree on before we challenge their thinking. Our nation and our local communities need disciples who walk the walk of the gospel of peace especially when applied to the polarized relationships which surround us these days.
Raise the Shield of Faith and wear the Helmet of Salvation. When faith is a shield it blunts the attacks of hurtful words, malicious lies and distortions intended to weaken the resolve and the confidence of the Christian. Faith in God and Christ can support us and ward off the impact of evil as it seeks to destroy us. Lean into that shield and hold it close.
Arm yourself with the Sword of the Spirit: We are called to wield that powerful word as we speak truth to power. God’s living word cuts through all manipulation and reveals the clear distinction between human will and the will of God. Keep in mind that humility is not weakness or failing to speak out. We are called to speak the truth in love while maintaining a basic respect for the other person. That is being guided by the humility of Christ.
What role does the church play today in church/state relationships? Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote in a sermon that “the church must be reminded that it is neither the master nor the servant of the state. At times it must be the critic of the state, but it can never become its tool. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club with no moral or spiritual authority.”
I want to suggest that being a critic of the state whenever its actions or policies promote harm to our democracy and its citizens is not only an essential biblical act but also a patriotic gift on the part of Christians to this or to any nation of which they are a citizen.
I speak now from thirty years of studying and teaching relational ethics. When we act on the convictions of our faith and communicate the justice and righteousness of God for human relationships, we are boldly proclaiming a message that our country needs to hear. In a time when some of our family members and neighbors proclaim nationalistic hubris and exclusionary politics while other neighbors and family members retreat from the news of evil events into a cocoon of apathy and hand-wringing fear, the world needs fully armed Christians to speak truth to power about the value of every human life, to stand with those who are suffering from any form of tyranny.
Here are three examples of what I define as political evil.
Example 1. The vindictive and retributive efforts of President Trump to use the federal justice system to punish political adversaries. These efforts are evil.
Example 2. The pardon of the insurrectionists who stormed the National Capitol in January 2021, injuring 147 police officers and resulting in the deaths of three officers. Those insurrectionists had threatened to kill members of Congress as well as Vice President Pence. They extensively damaged federal property and desecrated the halls of Congress. In the end, 1500 insurrectionists had been criminally convicted but all were pardoned last year by President Trump. Each of those pardons was dangerous and evil.
Example 3. A so-called ‘agreement’ has been reached between the president and the United States Department of Justice to set aside 1.776 billion dollars in what’s called “the anti-weaponization fund.” Those dollars are designated to go to those same insurrectionists. The gift of these hard-earned taxpayer dollars would financially reward those who broke the law and participated in an attempt to overthrow our constitution and the pillars of our democracy. Last week, former Vice President Mike Pence addressed this issue calling it “deeply offensive to millions of Americans.” That whole scheme is ethically and morally evil.
Whatever the issue, the Apostle Paul and the ancient prophets remind us that members of the community of faith are called to speak out prophetically for God’s justice when justice and freedom are threatened.
Paul tells us to keep alert and to educate ourselves concerning the evil intentions of others. Staying alert to evil requires constant vigilance and education. We are called to be intentional about remaining informed.
Finally, Paul encourages us to always pray in the Spirit. Prayer will not necessarily keep terrible things from happening either in our lives or in our world, but prayer can help us know how to respond when evil occurs.
Friends, put on the whole armor of God. Protect yourself with the belt of truth, guard your vitality with the breastplate of righteousness, lace up your sandals with the gospel of peace, raise the shield of faith to defend yourselves, wear the helmet of salvation and wield the sword of the spirit. Keep alert and educate yourselves and always pray in the spirit. Celebrate the national birthday of this country we love but remember there is always much work to do.
In the name of the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer God.