Armor of Light

The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. (Romans 13:12)

I find this imagery both interesting and compelling. In today's world it even illicits allusions to light sabers and other special effects dreamed up by the intense imaginations of Hollywood. But in nearly every case where something similar to this is presented in our society and entertainment it is used as an aggressive weapon to hurt others and defend ourselves with violence. The idea of light being used as armor seems almost odd to our typical way of thinking.

The assumptions about armor is generally that it is there to shield one from attack, to prevent or reduce the damage coming from outside sources. Even the armor in the days of Paul when this was written was that of protecting the body from harm by sword, spear, arrows or rock attacks if I am not mistaken. Armor is to shield vital areas of the body from too much damage so that one can have a good chance of at least living through a fight if not keeping all the limbs in tact. To do this it must be quite hard to ward off strikes by sword or hits by arrows from an enemy out to hurt and destroy us.

So in this context, the idea of depending on just light to act as armor sounds almost absurd. If anything, light might be the very opposite of what we might expect for good protection during an attack – darkness to hide our position. Warriors and soldiers commonly utilize darkness as an important part of their strategy to keep themselves hidden and protected from attack by the enemy, so to illuminate one's self with blazing light, in the worldly battle mentality, might be the height of foolishness.

A couple of verses later we are again instructed to put on something, but this time it is the Lord Jesus Christ. This is congruent as there are many inferences and statements throughout the Bible that closely associate God and Jesus with light. So these two verses can easily be talking about the very same thing.

But clearly these instructions are symbolical and cannot be literal, at least at this point in time. This is a problem that has dogged me for many years, the use of analogies that are simplisticly explained by other analogies but that never really make sense in the real world. Things like Giving your heart to Jesus or Dying to self or Being broken on the Rock or Being washed in the blood. All of these things are spiritual allusions that cause a great deal of confusion when the meanings and explanations are not clearly understood in the realm of the spirit. Likewise, putting on some mysterious Armor of light also can be very baffling and just another religious piece of jargon that is not understood in useful ways that benefit us in our day to day life.

I once heard a pastor challenge people to explain the gospel exclusively using non-religious words so that a person unfamiliar with religion could clearly understand it. I have kept that in the back of my mind and even try to always apply it to the words I use in prayer. Because so many – in fact the majority – of religious words and phrases are heavily shrouded in baggage picked up through centuries of darkness and tradition and abuse, I have made it a habit over a number of years to regularly challenge and reframe spiritual truths into words that have much more meaning and practicality.

I want to do that with this phrase also, but I am still mulling over what it might really mean. I am sure a whole book could be written to unpack all of the implications and nuances that would be uncovered, and it would be very inspiring and even compelling. But I would like to at least do a cursory examination of what Paul may have had in mind when he wrote these words.

Part of the meaning is also going to be connected with the context in which it is placed here. It comes on the heels of clear instructions about living in love, primarily love for those around us. When we begin to comprehend how impossible that is to do as described here in our normal state of relating to others it becomes much easier to see our need to put on the Lord Jesus Christ (however that is done) in order for this to be accomplished in our life. Only Jesus has the capacity to love the way we are all supposed to love each other.

It also comes immediately after a discussion about relating to authorities and the problem of internal resistance which I am beginning to perceive more and more is one of our greatest liabilities in life. Resistance itself, not just with authorities but in all areas of life, is a fatal ingredient that if left unrepaired and unremoved from our hearts will be like land mines ready to go off and destroy us when things get rough or we are exposed too much to the real glory of God's heart of passion.

But I sense that a better perception of understanding this analogy of light would be more accurate if our bigger picture was more in line with reality. When we see how heaven uses light and come into proper relationship with the way heaven views things we will be much closer to comprehending how important it is for us to acquire this armor of light and the benefits we can enjoy under its protection.

One aspect of this that I feel may help to clue me in to the usefulness of this light is how man was originally created. I believe from evidence I have gleaned from a number of sources that Adam and Eve, though naked in the sense that they needed no artificial clothing before their indulgence in sin, were clothed in garments of light. This was a very literal and useful asset for them and also served as a means of protection. Since there was no shame or fear at all in their hearts before the fall they were not concerned with needing to cover up body parts from the sight of others. But the light very possibly may have served many purposes as was similar if not identical to the kind of light-garments worn by angels and even by God Himself.

Having light itself as a garment and protection (armor) would have very many advantages, most of which we are likely oblivious to today. But I have often thought that this light could very well have acted as sort of a combination illumination and magnifying glass so that when they approached an object of interest that they could see deep into the intricacies of how it was formed far down into the micro levels of physics. Things that today require massive instruments and complex structures for us to examine, for them was accessible simply by utilizing their self-contained light source emanating from their whole body to expose any item of interest to their wondering gaze.

This light could also illuminate their surroundings whenever they happened to enter a place where the natural light from outside might not be able to reach. And the light could also serve as a means of keeping their body temperature equalized during potential fluctuations in the surrounding atmosphere wherever they might travel.

This light armor/garment was what they lost whenever they chose to follow the suggestions of doubt and disloyalty proposed by the deceptions of the serpent Satan. Because this light was literally something of the presence of divinity that was part of their physical and spiritual being, when they rejected the Lordship of their Creator they also lost the presence of light that served so many important functions for their life. When this was gone they were affected very strongly in a number of ways including emotionally. They were now not only susceptible to outside forces reaching their skin and affecting them in ways they had never known before, but they became emotionally vulnerable in their spirit to evil influences and powers that they had never experienced before.

Suddenly they became aware of new and terrifying sensations that were very un-God-like, things like fear, apprehension, shame, anger, resentment, defensiveness and many other feelings that we now take for granted. These were all foreign emotions to our first parents and things that God never designed for them to experience. He had provided protection for them in their armor of light – the very atmosphere of God Himself in Jesus Christ around them. So as long as they were living under His Lordship and unresistant to His sweet influences in their hearts they were protected against suffering any of the evil effects that the enemy wanted to impose upon them.

But the sad truth is that humanity lost that armor of light, that presence of the divine through the choice to accept another authority and that new authority implanted his sinful nature deep into their psyche and we have been cursed with it ever since. But what I am beginning to see here is that salvation is being offered to reverse the curse and restore the light-shield in some respects that Adam and Eve forfeited so long ago. And while we may not immediately experience a literal garment made of visible light right away, the light will begin to be restored to the spirit part of us as we come again into proper submission and synchronization with the heart of our Creator and Redeemer.

This light I believe may be very closely connected to the gift of the Holy Ghost as promised by Jesus before His death as well as afterward. This light will also restore to us some of the abilities to magnify things for our better understanding in some ways that Adam and Eve enjoyed. And while we will not receive the complete package of light until we receive brand new bodies after the resurrection, we do not have to live in total darkness any longer. Our spirit and heart and mind can begin to be energized and enlightened and transformed by close intimacy with our Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ who is the Light of the world.

But what about the idea of protection implied in the word armor? Is a close relationship with Jesus going to guarantee that I will no longer be hurt or wounded by attacks from others or from Satan? No, if anything we become liable to even more intense attacks by the enemy who is determined to keep us under his dictatorial control. God has never promised that we will live free of all suffering and pain when we put on the Lord Jesus. In fact, in a number of places He assures us that we will face persecution and problems and trials when we choose to follow Him. But we are also told to rejoice when these things happen in our lives. (see James 1:2-4)

So what use is this armor of light for me if it cannot prevent me from being the object of attack and receiving heart wounds and suffering? What's the motivation for me to follow these instructions to put on the armor of light and be in subjection to the Lordship of Jesus? If it is not to make my life better and less painful, why should I even bother to follow this idea any farther?

There is a lot of solid reasons to embrace and wear this armor of light that I don't have time to examine here. But these are very valid and important questions that need to be faced by every person claiming to be a Christian. I listened to an interesting sermon yesterday that I downloaded from the internet called Hell's Best Kept Secret. I was convicted by some important points that this preacher had to say, even though I can't agree with all his theology. But the main point of the presentation was that until a person realizes their desperate condition and the immense danger they are in from a higher perspective than they are used to thinking about, they will not be very stable as a Christian and will be very easily dislodged from their relationship with Jesus because their motives are to improve their current life more than to live for eternal security.

If we depend solely on a desire to avoid pain and have a comfortable life here and now as the main reason we try to follow God's plans for us, we will have very little roots to hold us in place when troubles challenge our loyalty. Living in a saving relationship to Jesus right now will invite a lot of trouble and attack from the enemy who desperately wants us to suffer eternal loss along with him and his angels/demons. He is determined that everyone possible will lose out on eternal life and the wonderful joys that God offers us for all eternity. Deception and fear are some of his main weapons to accomplish this in our hearts and we very much need the armor of true light to protect us from these weapons or we will be sucked into the traps of Satan.

Jesus, I accept Your Lordship, Your authority in my life right now. Surround and fill me with real light in every way possible to protect as well as to enlighten me. I also need Your light to help me see more clearly the beautiful truths that You have hidden in Your Word. I claim Your gift promised to me of the Holy Spirit to guide, protect and disciple me in Your work of transformation of my life. Glorify Your name in my words, my writing, my attitude and my appearance. Let Your beauty be more clearly reflected from the mirror of my soul for Your reputation's sake.

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