Ephesians 6:14 – 15, “Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the Breast Plate of Righteousness, and having shod your feet with the Preparation of the Gospel of peace;”
The boots that the Roman soldiers wore into battle had spikes, or cleat like things on the bottom of them, so that when engaged in hand-to-hand battle they could dig in and stand firm. The word “preparation” simply carries the idea of “readiness,” and our feet must be shod with the boots of the Gospel of peace if we are going to stand firm when the enemy attacks. One of the most powerful weapons that the enemy uses against the believer is the weapon of condemnation, and standing firm with our feet shod with the boots called the Gospel of Peace is imperative. All of my Christian life I have heard this particular piece of the armor as described as our being prepared to go out and share the gospel with the unbeliever, and we certainly need to always be willing to carry out our assignment in this fallen world, which is to bring the gospel of the kingdom of heaven into our culture one person at a time, but that’s not first and foremost what’s being referred to here. Remember again, that the armor is who Christ to us in specific ways in our union with him, that we stand in, in the midst of spiritual battle. Let me share a few verses with you.
2 Corinthians 5:17 – 19, “Therefore if any man is in Christ, is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold the things that come. Now all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely that God was in Christ Jesus reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”
Colossians 1:19 – 22, “For it was the father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him; and through him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through Him I say whether things on earth or things in heaven. And although you were formulating alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled us in his fleshly body through death,…”
Ephesians 2:17, “And He came and preached peace to you who are far away, and peace to those who were near;”
This is one more verse referring to the new covenant that we are now part of; Isaiah 54:10, “For the mountains may be removed in the hills may shake, but my lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and my covenant of peace will not be shaken, says the Lord has compassion on you.”
The point of all these verses is to help us understand that God has reconciled the world to himself, even though the whole world has obviously not believed and accepted this incredible free gift. As believers, those who have received this wonderful free gift of reconciliation with God, we can be at peace knowing that God will never condemn us, because he is at peace with us. This does not mean that He is always pleased with our behavior, but it does mean as Romans chapter 8 declares, “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” You and I are in Christ, and therefore the old man who was under condemnation has been crucified and no longer exists. In union with Christ we share his acceptance before the Father, and not only do we share His acceptance before the Father, the Father loves us with the same holy delight that he loves Jesus with. God may convict us; He may even correct us; but He will never condemn, or reject us. Whenever condemnation comes against you, be assured it is not coming from God. Stand firm in the peace of knowing that God is at peace with you, and He always longs to bless you. This is the Good News (Gospel) of PEACE. This is also the good news that we get to carry into this fallen world. “God has reconciled you to Himself through the Cross, and He longs to love on you and bless you. He is not at enmity with you. Just believe and receive this free gift, so that you can live an eternity, beginning now, under His favor.”