And your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. Ephesians 6:15
On their feet, Roman soldiers wore an elaborate military boot called the caliga. Caliga were heavy sandals with thick soles studded with hollow-headed hob-nails. These boots were strong, allowing the soldier to stand firmly and cross safely on almost any terrain. Caliga were comfortable enough to allow the soldier to march at least 30 kilometers (and sometimes as much as 100 kilometers) a day. The caliga were vital pieces of the soldier’s combat wear, and without them he would be unable to stand firmly or travel quickly. As Christian soldiers, we do not wear caliga; we wear the preparation of the Gospel of peace.
Why is it called the Gospel of peace? Because only through the Gospel message can sinful man find peace with God. God has already worked out the terms of peace, and has provided the grounds for peace, in the person of His Son, Who has satisfied all of the requirements for bringing us into God’s presence. All that remains is for sinners to accept God’s terms, abandoning our own rebellion and animosity toward God. The Gospel message is a message that brings about peace with God, and grants to us the peace of God. Don’t ask me to explain the peace of God, because Philippians 4:7 tells us that it passeth all understanding. But we who have the peace of God must be prepared to pass on the Gospel message to others who need to hear it.
The first word in Gospel is Go. The Great Commission that the disciples received from the Lord Jesus after his resurrection was Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). Just as the Roman soldiers’ caliga enabled them to take the authority and power of Rome to wherever Rome directed, so the preparation of the Gospel allows us to obey the Great Commission. Just as the soldier securely fastened the caliga to his feet, so we must securely fasten the Gospel message into our minds and our thoughts, so that we can pass it on. We need to know the message, love and appreciate its simplicity and power, and be able to pass it on. We need to memorize the great Gospel texts, learn the great Gospel illustrations, and love the glorious invitation that God extends to us. Not all of us are going to be preachers of the Gospel, but all of us need to have the preparation of the Gospel of peace.
The preachers are well shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace. So are those who take their turns speaking in the weekly meetings of each local Assembly. Everybody else needs to not only know the Gospel, but to support it, through a faithful testimony, through Gospel tracts, through prayers for the preachers and missionaries, and through support for those Gospel workers.
We are not prepared for the Christian warfare if we are not shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. -Jim MacIntosh