The Book of Ephesians: Shoes of the Gospel.

“And, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.” (Ephesians 6:15 (ESV)

Isaiah 52:7 says, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”

The good news spoken by the Prophet Isaiah is the same good news spoken by the Apostle Paul. The good news both had in mind is the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The image both men had in mind was that of a messenger who brings good news to others. What better news is there than the good news that Jesus Christ has provided not just a way, but rather the only way sinners can be restored to fellowship with the One, True, Holy God. It is solely through Jesus’ incarnate virgin birth, sinless life, substitutionary death on the cross and bodily resurrection that He provides justification, redemption, adoption, propitiation, and reconciliation. All of these blessings of salvation is by God’s grace alone, through God given faith alone.

Paul calls the gospel the gospel of peace. That brings to mind Romans 5:1-2 which says, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. ² Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

Peace (εἰρήνη; eirene) refers to tranquility and harmony between God and sinners when once there was turmoil discord. This peace is solely through the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Dr. R. C. Sproul comments, “Most ancient warfare consisted of hand-to-hand combat between soldiers after long marches to the battlefield. Thus, Roman soldiers required footwear that could sustain their feet as they marched and give them solid footing in a fight. The halfboot called the caliga met these very needs. For spiritual warfare, the gospel of peace fulfills the same purposes for the soldier of Christ. The announcement that God reigns and has reconciled Himself in Jesus to believers sustains us in the long march of the Christian life. It allows us to keep going even when things are so bad that we doubt whether the Lord really is looking out for us.”

Philippians 3:11-14 says, “¹¹ that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. ¹² Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ¹³ Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Press on, dear ones, with the sure footing of the gospel of peace. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!