Sunday, March 24, 2024

The Shoes of Peace

The Shoes of Peace

Put on your shoes so that you may stand firm!

The purpose of the shoes of peace, first of all, is that we may stand.

For this reason, take up all the armor that God supplies. Then you will be able to take a stand during these evil days. Once you have overcome all obstacles, you will be able to stand your ground. [Eph 6:13 GW]

The shoes or boots of the soldiers were sometimes made of iron, and sometimes of brass.

The Israelites were commanded to eat the Passover with their shoes on their feet, to show that they were ready for their journey. Our Lord commanded his disciples to wear sandals, that they might be ready to go and proclaim the Good News, as the Israelites were to go to possess the promised land. Every Christian should consider himself on his journey from a strange land to his own country, and not only stand every moment prepared to proceed, but be every moment in actual progress towards his home.

The shoes of peace must provide us with a stable footing, that we may walk and wage war against the forces of hell without fear. 

They were essential to the ancient armour. For if the feet or legs were materially wounded, a man can neither stand to resist his enemy, pursue him if necessary, nor flee from him should he have to. The shoes of peace are of equal importance to the armour of God.

The Shoes of Peace

The words used in the original version of Ephesians 6:15 are translated and interpreted in various ways.

Take, for example, the following three Bible translations, speaking of the shoes of peace.

“As your shoes the readiness to announce the Good News of peace.”  [Good News Bible]

“Be ready with the good news of peace as shoes on your feet.”  [Bible in Basic English]

“Your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” [Modern King James Version]

This means that the feet could be shod either with preparation, with readiness, or with the Good News of peace, depending on your understanding of the original Greek.

1.  Some believe that the shoes of peace mean that we should always be ready to walk in the ways of the Good News.

This means that we must have an outward lifestyle that is agreeable to the Good News, that we may walk and war without fear.

It also speaks of promptitude or readiness to:

  1. receive the Good News,

  2. preach the Good News,

  3. profess the Good News,

  4. defend the Good News;

  5. endure criticism and persecution for the Good News,

  6. live the Good News, in the doing of good works,

  7. do spiritual warfare, and/or

  8. to continue in the Christian’s journey heavenward.

In this case, the word preparation may imply that, by a conscientious adherence to the Good News in the receiving of the salvation of Christ and by walking in the way of obedience, the soul is prepared for the kingdom of heaven.

“It was to this that God called you, for Christ himself suffered for you and left you an example, so that you would follow in his steps.” (1Pe 2:21)

2.  Others believe that these shoes refer to the firmness and solidity which the Good News gives to those who conscientiously adhere to its doctrines.

The Good News of the gospel proclaims the peace of Jesus Christ.  A firm and solid knowledge of this Good News forms a sure base or foundation for the Christian soldier. He can stand secure on it. The Good News exemplifies the constant and firm standing of believers. The shoes of peace establish peace between God and man and proclaim peace and goodwill to the world.

The shoes of Jesus took Him to the sick, the disabled, the possessed and to others in need. Therefore if we are scared to go where Jesus went, it shows that we are not on a solid standing with God. If we stand on the Good News of peace, it will show in our lives.

The Good News makes men be of peaceable tempers and behaviour, and it gives peace to distressed minds. It directs the way to eternal peace and proclaims peace by the blood of Christ. The triune God is loving and compassionate to man in all His dealings. Contentions, strife, quarrels, and wars are therefore as alien to the nature and design of the Gospel as they are opposed to the nature of God.

The shoes of peace, therefore, just like the rest of the armour of God, is Christ himself, the Power behind the Good News of Peace.

Next Page: – The Shield of Faith