March Artwork: "The Panoply of God"

By Ruxandra Ionce | @ruxandradoxiada | TRINICY.org

"The Panoply of God" by Ruxandra Ionce

THE ARTIST'S STATEMENT

Written from prison, Apostle Paul's epistle to the Ephesians stands as a testimony of complete victory over hindering circumstances. The Gospel was being preached in full power, even if the means were sometimes restricted to ink and paper. The Apostle Paul  truly was a free man: his body was in prison but his soul enjoyed heavenly freedom.
 
In Ephesians 6, beginning with verse 11, Paul emphasizes the need to put on a full armor: not just a shield, not just a sword, but the full military attire. It is highly likely that what Paul envisioned was the image of a Roman soldier, as he himself was being surrounded by Roman soldiers. Moreover, the image of a Roman soldier would have been more vivid and relatable for the Gentile readers.
 
The full armor of God implies martial discipline with no room for compromise, sacrifice, and complete dedication to the calling we have in our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. These weapons are not forged in fire but by God Himself to make us fearless and victorious in the ultimate battle mankind is facing: spiritual warfare.
 
Like this Roman soldier, let us humble ourselves every morning and surrender completely into God's hands in prayer. The victory has already given, but we still have to go through the battle. Humility comes before honor (Proverbs 18:12) and what an honor it is to serve in the Lord's army and become victorious soldiers!

YOUR TURN

Does this illustration resonate with you as a conservative Christian? In this time of self-quarantine, stay-at-home orders, and social distancing, are you moving about spiritually with the kind of soaring freedom Paul enjoyed while imprisoned? While the world dons on face masks and applies hand sanitizers, are you taking the time to get fully dressed each day in the full armor of God? We are soldiers in God's mighty army and, today, we have a spiritual battle to fight AND win. Are you ready?

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Ruxandra Ionce

Ruxandra loves to continuously learn and share her knowledge about God's divine revelation through the laws of nature and science. She also loves to express her faith and admiration for beauty as a divine virtue by means of graphic art.

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