“Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the Devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground.” (Eph 6:11-13)

In today’s reading St. Paul uses the metaphor of the “armor of God.” I can remember the first time I heard the expression. It was spoken by someone who I thought, in general, was a bit dramatic about most things in life. Everything was a pitched battle between the forces of light and dark. While driving to a bible study at our country parish, a crow was spotted perched on a fence. “Look, it’s one of Satan’s demons!” Sometimes a crow is just a crow.

And then sometimes we have this reading on Halloween.

Nonetheless, St. Paul believes that there are indeed forces of evil in the world – as should we. Paul encourages Christians to rely on divine strength to stand firm against spiritual adversity because sometimes “a crow is far more than a crow.”  St. Paul is saying that in those instances the challenges we face are not merely human (“not with flesh and blood“) but are deeply spiritual battles against unseen forces—”principalities,” “powers,” and “world rulers of this present darkness.” These terms refer to spiritual or supernatural entities, perhaps personified forms of evil or societal influences that lead people away from God.

The “armor of God” from Ephesians 6 has been influential in Christian tradition, often viewed as both a personal and communal call to spiritual strength. Early Church Fathers, mystics, reformers, and contemporary theologians alike have interpreted this metaphor as a guide to cultivating virtues and resilience.

The early Church Fathers, such as St. Augustine, emphasized that the armor of God represents virtues needed for spiritual warfare, interpreting it as a means of defending against temptation. Augustine encouraged believers to see faith and virtue as “shields” against sin and evil, emphasizing inner transformation rather than just external resistance. Origen saw the armor as a set of virtues to counter spiritual foes, interpreting “principalities and powers” as literal demonic entities or forces that disrupt one’s relationship with God.

At the same time, various heretical movements within early Christianity often had distinct interpretations of Paul’s “armor of God,” differing from orthodox Christianity in both understanding and application. For example, Gnosticism saw the “armor of God” not as a set of virtues, but as secret knowledge (gnosis) that would protect them from the material world’s ignorance and evil powers. They often viewed earthly existence as a prison created by inferior, hostile powers (archons), and the true battle was to attain spiritual enlightenment that would transcend these powers. The “armor of God” was about inner enlightenment rather than ethical behavior. The “armor of God” was re-imagined as a protective knowledge that could liberate believers from ignorance. If this sounds oddly like Scientology, you are not mistaken.

Marcionism believed in a distinction between the wrathful God of the Old Testament and the loving God of the New Testament.The “armor of God” was a way to protect oneself from the “legalistic” forces of the Old Testament God. In this view, the true battle was not against worldly evil but against the restrictive law and judgment associated with the Old Testament.

Manichaeism believed in a cosmic struggle between light and darkness with the material world firmly in the arena of darkness and evil where human life was a battleground for this cosmic conflict. Hence, followers needed to equip themselves spiritually to separate from the material world. The focus was on purity rather than virtues which is seen in Manichaeism’s emphasis on rigorous asceticism. The “armor” was understood as any spiritual practice that led to detachment from physical desires and promoted inner purity, aligning oneself with the realm of light.

Pelagianism believed in humanity’s innate ability to choose good without needing divine grace, and as a result saw the “armor of God” as a call to individual moral effort and self-discipline. They emphasized human responsibility in building one’s own spiritual defenses, suggesting that people could strengthen their own faith and virtue without special divine intervention.

Where orthodox Christianity typically saw the armor as virtues provided and empowered by God, heretical movements often emphasized knowledge, personal asceticism, or human effort as the primary defense against evil. This divergence highlights how differently these groups understood the nature of spiritual struggle and the role of divine grace.

Some 800 years later, in the medieval and scholastic era, Christian scholars, e.g., St. Thomas Aquinas expanded on the idea by categorizing the virtues represented by the armor as essential to achieving both spiritual and practical wisdom. He saw faith, hope, and charity (often called the theological virtues) as integral to the armor, providing strength in love, intellect, and moral courage. The armor metaphor also influenced the development of monastic disciplines, where regular prayer, fasting, and study were seen as ways to “wear” the armor of God and remain vigilant.

The Protestant reformer Martin Luther emphasized the “shield of faith” in battling sin and legalism. He taught that through faith in Christ alone, believers could stand firm against both internal and external attacks. John Calvin viewed the armor as essential to resisting temptations posed by society and culture, calling believers to equip themselves with scripture and prayer, leaning on God’s strength instead of their own.

Many contemporary theologians and pastors view the “armor of God” as relevant to moral and social issues, encouraging Christians to stand firm against injustices in society by living with integrity and compassion. In charismatic and evangelical circles, the armor of God is often associated with “spiritual warfare” practices, where believers pray for protection against evil influences. This is seen as both a literal and metaphorical battle, focusing on prayer, scripture, and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

What seems consistent is that throughout Orthodox Christian history, the “armor of God” has been interpreted as a call to both inner transformation and outward action. Believers are called to pursue virtues that protect and strengthen their faith and then put those virtues on display in the world in both word and deed.

How about you? What’s kind of “armor of God” will you wear today and to what end?

Image credit: Saint Paul Writing His Epistles | attributed to Valentin de Boulogne | Houston Museum | PD-US