Comments on: Arm Yourself! http://panesofglass.org/thoughts/arm-yourself/ Fri, 06 Jan 2012 04:45:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3-aortic-dissection By: Carissa http://panesofglass.org/thoughts/arm-yourself/comment-page-1/#comment-22 Carissa Tue, 31 May 2005 16:47:10 +0000 http://www.panesofglass.org/wordpress/?p=3#comment-22 Great point - we are supposed to be trained to use the weapon we've been given. I am certain that I wouldn't do too well if we took the swords off of your wall and started a duel since you have trained and I have never even held a sword! It's certainly no different with our spiritual weapon. So, now that you bring that up, it seems it's less of the weapon being different in given situations, and more of our training showing us how to use the weapon most appropriately for the particular battle at hand. There's still an element of having a weapon that is suited to many different situations, but the difference isn't in the weapon itself, but rather in how we use it. I can always count on you to make me think harder and deeper about these things! :) Great point – we are supposed to be trained to use the weapon we’ve been given. I am certain that I wouldn’t do too well if we took the swords off of your wall and started a duel since you have trained and I have never even held a sword! It’s certainly no different with our spiritual weapon.

So, now that you bring that up, it seems it’s less of the weapon being different in given situations, and more of our training showing us how to use the weapon most appropriately for the particular battle at hand. There’s still an element of having a weapon that is suited to many different situations, but the difference isn’t in the weapon itself, but rather in how we use it.

I can always count on you to make me think harder and deeper about these things! :)

]]> By: Ryan Riley http://panesofglass.org/thoughts/arm-yourself/comment-page-1/#comment-4 Ryan Riley Sun, 29 May 2005 21:59:03 +0000 http://www.panesofglass.org/wordpress/?p=3#comment-4 That's awesome, Carissa. Thanks for sharing that. In fact, the word used for sword is gladium in Latin. This was the sword used for close fighting, as opposed to the spatha, which was longer and used by cavalry. (The spatha also appeared later.) This was one of the first swords to truly replace the spear as the weapon of choice.<br /> <br /> Also, swords were the <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">only</span> pure weapon of the ancient world. Axes could be used to chop wood. Spears were also used for hunting. Many "soldiers" used pitchforks and various other farm tools. However, a sword is a two to three and a half feet long, sharpened piece of metal with no other useful purpose than to be used for killing. Being sharpened on both sides, pointed at the tip, and balanced for accurate slicing and stabbing, it was well suited to the task.<br /> <br /> So the Sword of the Spirit is a tool of war, and a very precise and penetrating tool at that. It is not meant to be lobbed at someone or something, but rather for precise and accurate close range attacks. In essence, you must get close to whatever you are fighting or fighting for and use the weapon with precision and accuracy. Therefore you must study and train for the day of battle.<br /> <br /> Pretty accurate. :-)<br /> <br /> And thanks, Kristen, for letting me know I'm not crazy. Good to be reminded sometimes. :-P That’s awesome, Carissa. Thanks for sharing that. In fact, the word used for sword is gladium in Latin. This was the sword used for close fighting, as opposed to the spatha, which was longer and used by cavalry. (The spatha also appeared later.) This was one of the first swords to truly replace the spear as the weapon of choice.

Also, swords were the only pure weapon of the ancient world. Axes could be used to chop wood. Spears were also used for hunting. Many "soldiers" used pitchforks and various other farm tools. However, a sword is a two to three and a half feet long, sharpened piece of metal with no other useful purpose than to be used for killing. Being sharpened on both sides, pointed at the tip, and balanced for accurate slicing and stabbing, it was well suited to the task.

So the Sword of the Spirit is a tool of war, and a very precise and penetrating tool at that. It is not meant to be lobbed at someone or something, but rather for precise and accurate close range attacks. In essence, you must get close to whatever you are fighting or fighting for and use the weapon with precision and accuracy. Therefore you must study and train for the day of battle.

Pretty accurate. :-)

And thanks, Kristen, for letting me know I’m not crazy. Good to be reminded sometimes. :-P

]]> By: Carissa http://panesofglass.org/thoughts/arm-yourself/comment-page-1/#comment-3 Carissa Sun, 29 May 2005 21:57:29 +0000 http://www.panesofglass.org/wordpress/?p=3#comment-3 We have been going through Ephesians 6 in our class for the past several weeks. One interesting point that our teacher brought up was related to the sword being our only offensive weapon. He compared it to a toy that was around when he was a boy - it was called the "Johnny Seven O.M.A."<br /> <br /> The O.M.A. stands for "One Man Army", and it was essentially the Swiss Army Knife of weapons (at least in the play world!)! It could be transformed into several different types of ""depending on what your "battle situation" called for. (here's a link to one on Ebay if you're <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=720&item=5977369555&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW">curious</a> )<br /> <br /> He compared our Sword of the Spirit to this weapon. I had never thought about it in those terms before, but it makes sense. An actual sword isn't always the best weapon to use in a given situation, but our "Sword" is one that really can become whatever type of weapon we need it to be.<br /> <br /> God only gave us one weapon so we can't over-analyze which one to use and lose valuable time, or even worse, choose the wrong one, but at the same time, that one weapon is really infinitely adaptable to the situation we are in. His Word can be used to keep us away from dangerous situations, and it can also be used to defeat the enemy when we are in one of those dangerous situations. It is the same tool, but it can be used in different ways to be most effective for the given situation.<br /> <br /> I really thought that was a good insight on the Sword of the Spirit, and definitely not something I had thought about before. We have been going through Ephesians 6 in our class for the past several weeks. One interesting point that our teacher brought up was related to the sword being our only offensive weapon. He compared it to a toy that was around when he was a boy – it was called the "Johnny Seven O.M.A."

The O.M.A. stands for "One Man Army", and it was essentially the Swiss Army Knife of weapons (at least in the play world!)! It could be transformed into several different types of ""depending on what your "battle situation" called for. (here’s a link to one on Ebay if you’re curious )

He compared our Sword of the Spirit to this weapon. I had never thought about it in those terms before, but it makes sense. An actual sword isn’t always the best weapon to use in a given situation, but our "Sword" is one that really can become whatever type of weapon we need it to be.

God only gave us one weapon so we can’t over-analyze which one to use and lose valuable time, or even worse, choose the wrong one, but at the same time, that one weapon is really infinitely adaptable to the situation we are in. His Word can be used to keep us away from dangerous situations, and it can also be used to defeat the enemy when we are in one of those dangerous situations. It is the same tool, but it can be used in different ways to be most effective for the given situation.

I really thought that was a good insight on the Sword of the Spirit, and definitely not something I had thought about before.

]]> By: kristen http://panesofglass.org/thoughts/arm-yourself/comment-page-1/#comment-2 kristen Sun, 29 May 2005 21:55:27 +0000 http://www.panesofglass.org/wordpress/?p=3#comment-2 this this was great. and I think it makes perfect sense to compare the two, especially since that's clearly what Paul does in Ephesians. Piper talks a lot about the "war-time" mentality, as well. Just in how earthy-minded we typically are, and if we really saw what was going on around us like it is (spiritually) we would act so differently. this this was great. and I think it makes perfect sense to compare the two, especially since that’s clearly what Paul does in Ephesians. Piper talks a lot about the "war-time" mentality, as well. Just in how earthy-minded we typically are, and if we really saw what was going on around us like it is (spiritually) we would act so differently.

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