The Armor of God: A Metaphorical Guide to Christian Faith

Depending on how much time you spend in church — or previously spent in Sunday school — the passage "the full armor of God" might be more or less familiar to you. For our purposes, we'll start from the beginning and cover all the relevant ground to get you up to speed.

In the New Testament, the "the full armor of God" phrase comes from Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians, often just shortened to "Ephesians." That's the tenth book of the New Testament, for those keeping score.

While scholars don't agree on the actual authorship of this passage (there are a lot of debates around who wrote the Bible), it remains an influential example of the spiritual guidance of the Apostle Paul.

Below is the passage explicitly mentioning "the armor of God" in the New International Version of the Christian Bible.

To best make sense of the "full armor of God" passage, we can break it down piece by piece. Thankfully, Paul (or whoever the original author was) gives us a neat little inventory of this suit of Holy armor.

1. The Belt of Truth

The first item is the "belt of truth buckled around your waist." This isn't likely to be the kind of belt most are familiar with today, since the soldiers in this era didn't wear pants with belt loops.

Instead, Roman soldiers would have used this belt to keep their tunic closed, as well as to hang their weapons, such as a sword or dagger.

The belt, in other words, helps keep the whole ensemble together. It could be referencing chastity, in the sense of being properly dressed and covered, both as a signal of modesty and as a means of defense.

2. The Breastplate of Righteousness

Second on our list is the "breastplate of righteousness," which is another reference to the garb of a solider. A breastplate protects the chest and the organs inside the chest: heart and lungs, to give two vital examples.

By keeping the heart protected a secure, the wearer of holy armor can be more confident of their faith. A breastplate might also be decorated with an insignia of some kind (such as a cross), which would proclaim one's devotion to their religious convictions.

3. Feet Fitted With Readiness

This item is a little less distinct, since it doesn't exactly specify what makes "feet fitted with readiness." We can assume they are sandals or (as is commonly the case) shoes. Either way, we're dealing with a solid foundation, of being rooted securely in place and having our feet protected.

Spiritual conflict can be destabilizing. The rest of the line continues "with the gospel of peace," which is a reference to the teachings of Jesus Christ.

This is an interesting inclusion of pacifistic imagery in an otherwise fairly martial inventory, which could help remind readers that this is a spiritual battle; by sticking to Jesus' teachings, believers will be ensured of salvation and the eventual peace of heaven.

4. The Shield of Faith

Next we have the "shield of faith," which is fairly straightforward. Once again, the reader is being urged to be faithful and to trust in their beliefs, which will carry them through the hard times when they are tested. So far, these items are all defensive in nature, and the shield of faith is no exception.

Next, the line in Ephesians gets considerably more vivid: "...with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."

The idea is consistent: There are forces that are arrayed against the believers, and they have some pretty gnarly weapons. Having a solid shield of faith will go a long way in keeping you secure.

5. The Helmet of Salvation

No suit of armor would be complete without a helmet. In this case, it's a "helmet of salvation," which is a critical distinction. Again, in the literal sense, the helmet is necessary to protect the head, with that essential organ of the brain, as well as the eyes, nose, mouth and ears.

But the reminder is to trust in salvation, which is a specific promise made by Jesus to his followers, the Christians. This means that all those who keep the faith will be saved.

The helmet of salvation can therefore be thought of as a way to remind you to recall Jesus' promise, which can imbue you with courage and persistence.

6. The Sword of the Spirit

The "sword of the spirit" is the first reference to a fully offensive object. Technically, it's not really part of the armor; it's a weapon. This kind of ties the whole image together, reminding the reader that we're discussing a very important fight, even if it is metaphorical.

The author writes that this sword is the word of God, also known as the "logos." In the Christian faith, the word of God is a revelation of divine reason and justice, a truth that cannot be conquered. It also refers to the lord Jesus Christ himself, as one member of the Holy Trinity. This principle underlies the entire faith, so it makes sense that this image of a sword of truth should complete the ensemble.