The only way we can be made righteous is by making Jesus the Lord of our lives. There's no amount of effort or good deed that will earn us a place with Him; there are no shortcuts, all that is required is faith and devotion to Christ!

In Paul’s focus on salvation being the Lord’s, he asks and answers key questions around if God is just in being in control of salvation. The answer? Yes. Because it is God’s mercy to give in the first place. 

Regardless of background, one thing that is certain, and that we must understand, is that salvation belongs to the Lord. It is His choice and promise for us to be saved.

In this spiritual war where we are called to stand firm against the schemes of the enemy, we must learn and commit to putting prayer into our lives. It is not something we “put on” like other pieces of armor, but rather, it is in prayer that we actually put on the armor of God. In prayer is where we find our strength in the Lord. 

In this spiritual battle, we must take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, so that we can defend against attacks of the enemy, and go on the offense to push back darkness around us. 

Salvation is both a present and a future hope for believers. As we face a very real spiritual battle, Salvation is the hope we have to bring us to victory in Christ!

There is a real enemy whose aim is to bring death and widespread destruction. This enemy is not your neighbor or yourself; it is Satan. Our Faith, when taken up like a shield, defends us and extinguishes the flame of evil attacks.

The Gospel is for you, because it's going to someone else! We must be planted firmly with a readiness of the Gospel of peace. It is who we are made to be!

Perhaps our greatest need is to be in right standing with another, to be fully accepted and approved of. This is what the breastplate of righteousness is - full acceptance and right standing with God. And the devil will do anything, scheme in any way, to keep us from having it put on and from then continually putting it on. 

We are instructed to stand firm and make our stand against the devil, against the domain of darkness. And in order to do so, we must be prepared and put on the full armor of God. To start with, we must put on the belt of truth; wrap our lives with God, His Word, and His ways.