15 “And having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;” Paul is not referring to the wearing of shoes, although it is implied. Some other ways the words are translated are found in the following translations:
“And with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” (NIV)
“And having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” (NASB)
I believe that what Paul is saying is that believers should always to ready to share the gospel. We must always be ready to herald the good news of Christ (cf. Isa. 52:7) Just as the Roman soldier was able go into all types of terrain and hard places because of the quality of the boots they were issued, we need to be ready to take the message of the gospel to faraway places.
One thing to understand is that we must take up the whole armor, not just a part of it. We must model the whole character of God.
In Ephesians 2:17, Paul says of Jesus, “He proclaimed the good news of Peace.” To the Romans, he wrote, that we are reconciled to God and enjoy the peace of God through the death of Jesus (cf. Rom. 5:1)
What are we announcing? According to verse 15 it is the “gospel of peace.” Writing about Footgear: the gospel of peace, Charles Fulbright, writes the following in “Reclaiming Our Spiritual Heritage, A Study of Ephesians:
“Even in the heat of spiritual battle, the Ephesian believers were ironically instructed to share the gospel of peace with the lost. This reference to a spiritual soldier’s footwear also shares a connection with Isaiah 52:7: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good new, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’”
Here, we are reminded again of God’s eternal plan to bring peace to the world through Christ. God doesn’t govern His affairs haphazardly, piecing together a plan as He goes along. We, too, must carefully and intentionally set out to reach the lost.”
In the middle of this passage about spiritual warfare we find this message of peace.
Larry Miles is Co-Editor of Word&Work and attends Cherry St. Church of Christ in New Albany, IN.