Article March 30, 1918 Issue

The Armor of Righteousness

IDA S. KOHL

In the sixth chapter of his letter to the Ephesians, Paul outlines the different parts of the armor necessary for a thorough equipment of protection and defense against evil: "For," he says, "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." As a climax to his earnest exhortation that all put on this armor and take a firm stand for Truth, he adds, "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance." No part of this armor can be dispensed with, and what is more we must have sufficient understanding to use it.

This understanding unfolds, through prayer, that conscious activity of right thinking whereby we are united to and reflect the intelligence of divine Mind. One whose armor is not in constant use would also be unprepared to meet the enemy. We should not only watch lest evil spring upon us unawares, but especially watch to see that scientific right thoughts—the spiritual facts of being—have possession of our consciousness. To be alive to Truth through such thinking, and always on guard, makes one alert and quick to detect the first suggestion of the approach of the enemy; for thought thus armed leaves no opportunity for error of any kind to enter and frustrate the purpose of good. Our Leader chose such words as the following to express her thought of this armor (Miscellany, p. 210): "Good thoughts are an impervious armor; clad therewith you are completely shielded from the attacks of error of every sort."

In this connection there is a very helpful lesson in the Bible record of the life of David. As God's chosen one he was, when quite a youth, anointed to be king of Israel, and it is said that "the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward." This anointing must have awakened in him that which, in its continuous unfolding, became the key opening to him the kingdom of heaven,—a present sense of harmony, dominion, and fearlessness. Shortly afterward, when the children of Israel were threatened with destruction at the hands of the Philistines, David offered his services to go out single-handed against Goliath of Gath, who, as a representative of the Philistines, defied the armies of Israel. At sight of this monster all the men of Israel had, day after day, retreated in terror, but as David had already proved to his own satisfaction that God was with him, his protection and ever present help though evil seemed to be menacing, to him it was not power. He evidently had never lost sight of his anointing and had been proving, wherever he was, that he was in his rightful place, preparing for future opportunities and responsibilities.

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