The Gospel of Peace

1. The Gospel of Peace – 13th May 2017
“…and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”
(Ephesians 6:15).
Paul wrote about“havingshodyour feetwiththe preparationof the gospel of peace” asabove in
Ephesians6:15. What do shoeshave to dowithone’s armor? Duringthe time of the apostle Paul,the
shoeswornby the soldiersof the RomanEmpire were called caligae.Theywere specificallydesignedto
keepsoldiers’feethealthyduringthe rigorsof longforcedmarches andwere verydifferentfromthe
sandalswornby mostof the populace. The shoeswere constructedfromthree layersof leather,which
were pulledupandlacedaroundthe ankle.The caligaehelpedprotectthe solderagainstblistersand
footdiseases.In addition,small spikesorironhobnailswereoftendrivenintothe solesof the shoesin
orderto give firmfootingonuneventerrain.
A soldier’sshoesformedthe foundationof hisarmament.Inthose days,the footsoldiersof the empire
reliedonwalkingastheirprimarymeansof transportation,sothe abilitytomove easilyandcomfortably
was a necessityforthem.Inaddition,theyneededtobe able tostepaboutin battle withoutthinking
aboutwhere theyplacedtheirfeet.Theyneededsolidfootingin ordertoconcentrate onthe battle at
hand. The word preparation usedinEphesians6:15come fromthe Greekword hetoimasia.Vine’s
CompleteExpository Dictionary of Old and New TestamentWords explains hetoimasia inthiscontext:
“The Gospel itself isto be the firmfootingof the believer,hiswalkbeingworthyof itandtherefore a
testimonyinregardtoit.”The GreekSeptuaginttranslationof the OldTestamentusesthe same word,
hetoimasia, toconveythe meaningof a firmfoundation.Justasrighteousnessandjustice underpinthe
throne of God, the gospel message alsoprovidesthe solidfootingaChristianmusthave.The person
withthat solidfootinghasasoundfoundationforfacingthe spiritual battlesinlife.
What isthe gospel? DuringHisministryonthisearth,JesusChristmade multiple referencestothe
gospel message.Anexamplecanbe foundin Matthew 4:23, “AndJesuswent aboutall Galilee,
teachingin their synagogues,preachingthe gospel ofthe kingdom,andhealingall kindsof sickness
and all kindsof diseaseamongthe people.”WhatdidJesus meanwhenHe spoke of the gospel of the
Kingdom?
The word gospelistranslatedfromthe Greekword euangelion,andit means“goodnews”or “good
tidings.”“AfterJohn wasput in prison,Jesus went intoGalilee,proclaimingthegoodnews of God.
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“Thetime has come,” he said.“The kingdomofGodhas come near. Repent andbelieve the good
news!”(Mark1:14-15). Jesuscame to tell people the goodnewsof acomingKingdomof God.It was a
message thatincludedacall to action. The gospel message thatJesusbroughtwasabouta coming
governmentof Godon earthand whatwe shouldbe doingto prepare forit! Jesusgave a directive toHis
disciples,whose feetwere to be firmlyplantedinthe gospel.
The good newsof His comingKingdomwastobe sharedand spread to as many.“When Jesushad called
the Twelve together, he gave them power and authorityto drive out all demonsand to cure diseases,
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andhe sent them out to proclaimthe kingdomofGod andto heal the sick.” (Luke 9:1-2).The disciples
carriedout Hiscommand!“So they set out andwent fromvillageto village,proclaimingthegoodnews
and healingpeopleeverywhere.”(Luke 9:6). Hisfinal commandto Hisdisciples before theysetoff
containsthe same instruction.“He saidto them, “Gointoall the worldand preach the gospel to all

2. creation. 16
Whoeverbelievesand is baptizedwill be saved,but whoever does not believe will be
condemned.’”(Mark 16:15-16). Infact, the feetof those disciples,whowere deliveringthatmessage of
peace, andmost oftentheyhadto walkto whatevertheirdestination, are figurativelydescribedas
beautiful:“Andhowcananyonepreach unlessthey are sent? As it iswritten: “Howbeautiful are the
feet of those who bringgoodnews!”(Romans10:15).
So why isit referredasthe Gospel of peace?There are many propheciesinthe Bible aboutthe world
that will existwhenthe Kingdomof Godhasbeenestablished,andpeace isthe operative wordto
describe the worldthat ispictured. AsChristianswe will havetoface a “day of Judgment’andthose who
fail ‘this’will sufferaneternityof damnation aswe can readfrom Revelation20: 12-14,“And I saw the
dead, great andsmall,standingbefore the throne, andbooks were opened. Another bookwas
opened,which is the bookof life.The dead were judgedaccordingto what they haddone as recorded
in the books.13
The sea gave up the deadthat were in it, anddeath andHades gaveup the deadthat
were inthem, and each person wasjudged accordingto what they haddone. 14
Then death andHades
were thrown intothe lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.”
Whenone is foolishenoughtobenefitfromthe “free gift”of salvation,the endresultisaneternityof
sufferingandthatisabsolute andnon-ending... NOpeace atall! But throughthe Good newsof salvation
that Jesusbrought,we have the God givenpossibilityof beingsavedfromsinandthus availsus an
eternity of absolute peace inHispresence. Therefore the reference toaGospel of peace…In our world,
we have come to thinkof peace as a time whenthere are noactive worldwarsbeingwaged.The world
that will existwhenthe Kingdomof Godhasbeenestablishedwillbe aworldwhere the instrumentsof
war will be destroyedandreal peace willexist!Whatbetternewscouldthere be?
Therefore itisimportantforus tobe concerned as to where be our footing? A solidbeliefandgrounding
inthe gospel of peace bringshope toa Christian’slife.Thathope should keepusunmovedandpointed
towardour goal as we can understandwhenwe read Colossians1:21-23,“Onceyou were alienated
from Godandwere enemies in your mindsbecauseof your evil behavior. 22
But nowhe hasreconciled
you by Christ’sphysical bodythroughdeath to present you holyin hissight,withoutblemishand free
from accusation— 23
ifyoucontinueinyour faith,establishedandfirm,and do not move fromthe
hope heldout in the gospel.This is the gospel that you heard andthat has been proclaimedto every
creature under heaven,and ofwhich I, Paul,have become a servant.”
Whenwe read aboutwars,we observe thatenemiesof the RomanEmpire wouldsometimesplace
sharp,spikedobjectsonthe groundinfrontof thembefore abattle.Anyattackingsoldiernotwearing
shoessubstantial enoughforthe attackwouldsoonfindhimself crippledorkilled.Thoughthe shoes
were notby any meansthe mostwell-knownpartof the soldier’sarmor,theywere vital.The same is
true where the armor of God is concerned. There isa famousquote:“If you’re goingtotalkthe talk,you
alsohave to walkthe walk.”How are your feetpreparedforthe walk?A Christianwearingthe armorof
God will have hisorher feetpreparedandshodinthe gospel of peace! “…andwithyourfeet fittedwith
the readiness that comes fromthe gospel ofpeace.”(Ephesians6:15).