Shield of Faith in Spiritual Warfare Against Lust
Shield of Faith in Spiritual Warfare Against Lust
The Apostle Paul commands believers to take up "the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one" [2]. This military metaphor draws from ancient defensive warfare, where shields varied in size and material but served the universal purpose of protecting the warrior's body from incoming projectiles [1]. Paul's image of "fiery darts" suggests arrows tipped with combustible material—weapons designed not merely to wound but to ignite and consume. Against such assaults, faith functions as the comprehensive defense that covers the believer's entire frame.
Faith as Defensive Covering
John Chrysostom emphasizes that faith must be "commensurate with the whole body," not scanty so as to leave any part exposed [3]. This patristic interpretation stresses faith's totality: it cannot be a partial commitment or intellectual assent riddled with "quibbles, and reasonings, and scrutinizings" [3]. Such mental reservations compromise the shield's integrity. Chrysostom grounds this understanding in Hebrews 11:6, noting that whoever comes to God "must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that seek after Him" [3]. Faith, then, is not merely cognitive agreement but active trust that God himself serves as the ultimate shield [1, 6].
The Reformed tradition identifies faith's object as central to its protective power. John Gill notes that while faith may be understood as the grace itself—"like a golden shield, precious, solid, and substantial"—it is "rather the object of faith, that which faith makes use of as a shield" [6]. God's perfections—his power, faithfulness, truth, and immutability—become the actual defense. This interpretation aligns with Genesis 15:1, where God declares himself Abraham's shield [1, 6]. The believer wields faith not as self-generated confidence but as reliance upon divine attributes that repel the enemy's attacks.
Application to Lust's Fiery Assault
Lust presents a particular challenge in spiritual warfare because it operates through internal concupiscence, not merely external temptation. Augustine describes the ongoing conflict: "How long does the flesh lust against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh?" [7]. This warfare persists throughout earthly life, ceasing only at death when the believer "puttest off the flesh" and its lusts [7]. The Westminster Confession articulates the sanctification process by which "the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified" [10]. Yet this mortification is progressive, not instantaneous.
The patristic sources recognize that hostile powers exploit these internal vulnerabilities. Tertullian observes how demonic forces spread "occasions and beginnings of sins" beyond all limits, so that what begins as small desire grows into consuming passion [4]. In the case of lust, the enemy's strategy involves not only presenting external stimuli but inflaming the mind's existing inclinations. Augustine warns against the "insidious pleasure of sense" that may "entice the soul to consent to the sin" [9], acknowledging that bodily subjection to temptation creates genuine spiritual danger.
Faith's Quenching Power
The shield of faith "quenches" these fiery darts [2]—a verb suggesting active extinguishing rather than passive deflection. Ancient shields were anointed with oil to preserve them and cause enemy missiles to glide off more easily [1]. Similarly, faith maintained through regular spiritual discipline becomes more effective at repelling temptation. Augustine describes continence as the virtue that "curbs and restrains lusts," both seeking immortal good and rejecting mortal evil [8]. This continence operates not through human willpower alone but through the soul "led by God and His wisdom, rather than by bodily concupiscence" [9].
The shield metaphor implies that faith must be actively taken up—a deliberate choice renewed in each moment of temptation. Chrysostom's emphasis on preparedness suggests that believers cultivate faith before the assault arrives, developing "a most virtuous life" that readies them for conflict [5]. When lust's fiery dart strikes, the believer does not generate faith ex nihilo but deploys an already-established trust in God's character and promises. The shield proves effective not because the believer's grip is strong, but because God himself stands as the defender of his people [1].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Shield — Used in defensive warfare, varying at different times and under different circumstances in size, form, and material (1 Sam. 17:7; 2 Sam. 1:21; 1 Kings 10:17; 1 Chr. 12:8, 24, 34; Isa. 22:6; Ezek. 39:9; Nahum 2:3). Used figuratively of God and of earthly princes as the defenders of their people (Gen. 15:1; Deut. 33:29; Ps. 33:20; 84:11). Faith is compared to a shield (Eph. 6:16). Shields were usually "anointed" (Isa. 21:5), in order to preserve them, and at the same time make the missiles of the enemy glide off them more easily.”
- Ephesians “above all, taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. -- Ephesians 6:16”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: cometh to God 169 must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that seek after Him.” ( Heb. xi. 6 .) Faith is a shield; but wherever there are quibbles, and reasonings, and scrutinizings, then is it no longer a shield, but it impedes us. Let this our faith be such as shall cover and screen the whole frame. Let it not then be scanty, so as to leave the feet or any other part exposed, but let the shield be commensurate with the whole body. “Fiery 495 495 [“The aim of this predicate is to present in strong colors the h”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. II.--ON' THE OPPOSING POWERS. (part 5): occasions and beginnings of sins, which these hostile powers spread far and wide, and, if possible, beyond all limits. Thus, when men at first for a little desire money, covetousness begins to grow as the passion increases, and finally the fall into avarice takes place. And after this, when blindness of mind has succeeded passion, and the hostile powers, by their suggestions, hurry on the mind, money is now no longer desired, but stolen, and acquired by force, or even by shedding human b”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: gospel of peace, for the gospel proclaims peace ( Rom. v. 1; Philip. i. 20 .), and thereby produces consecration of courageous ‘readiness’ for the conflict ( Rom. viii. 31, 38, 39 .).”—Meyer.—G.A.] or if not this, at least that we ourselves should be prepared for our departure. “The preparation,” then, “of the gospel of peace,” is nothing else than a most virtuous life; according to what the Prophet saith. “Thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear.” ( Ps. x. 17 .) “Of the gospel,” he says, “of peace,” and ”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 6:16: Above all, taking the shield of faith,.... Which may be understood either of the grace of faith, which is like a golden shield, precious, solid, and substantial; and like a shield of mighty men, by which mighty things are done, and by which the believer not only repels, but conquers the enemy. The Jews say (n), that repentance and good works are as a shield against divine vengeance: or rather of the object of faith, that which faith makes use of as a shield; so God himself is a shield, Gen 15:1; his divine perfections, as his power, faithfulness, truth, and immutab”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 6: Augustine — Homilies on the Gospels — ON THE WORDS OF THE GOSPEL, JOHN V. 31, (part 9): not yet extinguished. How long does the flesh lust against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh ? Will it be so, even when the man is dead ? God forbid! Thou puttest off the flesh, how then shall thou draw the lusts of the flesh along with thee ? Nay, if thou hast fought well, thou shall be received into rest. And from this rest, thou passest to be crowned, not condemned; that thou mayest after it be brought to the Kingdom. As long then as we live here, my brethren, so it is; so is it w”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 3: Augustine — On the Holy Trinity — ON CONTINENCE. (part 6): curbs and restrains lusts, at once both seeks the good unto the immortality of which we aim, and rejects the evil with which in this mortality we contend. Of the one it is forsooth the lover and beholder, but of the other both the enemy and witness: both seeking what becomes, and fleeing what misbecomes. Assuredly Continence would not labor in curbing lusts, if we had no wishes contrary to what is becoming, if there were no opposition on the part of evil lust unto our good will. The Apostle cries aloud, "I know," saith he,”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP.25. -- THAT WE SHOULD NOT EN-: DEAVOR BY SIN TO OBVIATE SIN. But, we are told, there is ground to fear that, when the body is subjected to the enemy's lust, the insidious pleasure of sense may entice the soul to consent to the sin, and steps must be taken to prevent so disastrous a result. And is not suicide the proper mode of preventing not only the enemy's sin, but the sin of the Christian so allured? Now, in the first place, the soul which is led by God and His wisdom, rather than by bodily concupiscence, will certainly never c”
- Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed) “Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed, 1646), CHAPTER 13: CHAPTER 13 Of Sanctification 1. They, who are once effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart, and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection, by his Word and Spirit dwelling in them: the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified; and they more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces, to the practice of true holiness, without which no man sh”