Submitted by Pastor Brad Dush, Fairfax Methodist Church

 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one. ~ Ephesians 6:16, ESV

As we continue looking at the Armor of God, I want to remind you that Paul likely had Roman armor in mind when writing this passage. That makes the most sense historically. Reading Ephesians 6 with another kind of armor risks missing the weight of what Paul is really saying. In this “On the Spiritual Side” we’re focusing on verse 16, the shield.

I’m sure this verse is familiar to most, if not all of us. It seems the two most quoted pieces of the armor are the “shield of faith” and the “sword of the Spirit.” Over the past couple of years, the shield of faith has come alive to me. I’ve been reminded just how powerful it is to live out our faith in community. More than ever, we need to strengthen our connection with one another as believers.

When I first learned about the “shield of faith” as a child, it was taught with the image of a medieval knight – armor, sword, and a kite-shaped shield. It’s a common teaching tool, but it doesn’t do the text justice. Paul wasn’t thinking about a knight. He was describing a Roman soldier, and if we want to really connect with the meaning behind the Armor of God, we need to picture the Roman scutum (look it up – you won’t regret it).

The scutum was a large, curved shield, roughly 40 inches tall and 26 inches wide – big enough to protect a soldier from shoulder to knee, yet light enough to maneuver in combat. But here’s where the design really shines: the shield wasn’t just for one person. Soldiers could lock their shields together, forming a wall. Those behind could raise their shield overhead, creating a protective barrier from all sides. It was brilliant, but it only worked if they stood together.

Let that sink in: the shield of faith isn’t just meant to be used individually – it’s meant to be used together. The real strength of the shield lies in unity. It’s designed for the collective good. For us, that means locking arms with fellow believers – our local church, our friends in the faith, our spiritual brothers and sisters. Faith is deeply personal, yes, but it was never meant to be private. It was meant to be lived in community.

John Wesley said it plainly in Upon Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount: “Christianity is essentially a social religion; and to turn it into a solitary religion is indeed to destroy it.” That’s exactly the spirit of the “shield of faith.” A Roman soldier standing alone, shield in hand, would still be vulnerable. But in formation – shield to shield, shoulder to shoulder – they were strong. That’s how they withstood flaming arrows raining down on them. Not alone. Together.

So here’s the challenge: let’s live our faith in formation. Let’s stand together, pray together, work together, and walk in step with one another. The mission is too important and the battle too real to go it alone. When we come together, we can better make disciples and spread the good news. The Christian faith isn’t about building our own little fortresses – it’s about advancing the Kingdom. So let’s take up the shield of faith and move forward – together.