Reflections of Grace - Eph. 6:10

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” — Ephesians 6:10

A while back one of my young sons and I read the book, The Way of the Warrior Kid together. It is a fictional book by a former Navy Seal meant to motivate young boys to set goals and work hard to achieve them rather than giving in to the belief that they can never progress from where they are at any given moment.

For the most part, I agree with the book and its premise, but it made me think of another Scripture which says, “Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:7-8)

It is indeed good to train the body. Physical strength is a good thing that is to be stewarded toward good ends that glorify God. It is a noble thing to set godly goals that require the training of our bodies and minds and the application of strength and resilience in order to achieve them. The problem is, people often confuse physical strength with being strong in the Lord.

If you read on in Ephesians 6 after verse 10, you will find a description of spiritual preparedness rather than physical preparedness. Again, bodily training is of some value, but godliness is of value in every way.

When the Bible calls us to “be strong in the Lord,” it is calling us to that humble godliness which recognizes that all we bring to the table in matters of salvation and perseverance is weakness. No matter how much physical strength we possess or cultivate, it cannot give us victory over sin, death, or the devil. Only the Lord can do that.

He demonstrated it beyond doubt by the cross of Jesus Christ and the power of his resurrection. He provided what his people need by sending them the Holy Spirit to live in them and apply to them God’s grace. Therefore, this dynamic of relying upon the Lord’s power is to define the Christian life.

And that is why Paul writes as he does in Ephesians 6. Every believer needs to be constantly reminded that the power by which they believe upon Christ, walk in faithfulness, and persevere to the very end is not their own. It is the strength of God at work in them.

This is also why the gospel is truly for all people in every sense. That is, it doesn’t matter where they come from, what their life has been like up to this point, or even what their personality is, because God is the one who works in them unto salvation. So always remember, dear Christian, that the strength by which you have been saved is the same strength by which you will be kept until the end—the strength of the Lord. Be strong in him. Amen.