Ultimately against the powers

Having journeyed through Ephesians, we get to the end of chapter 6 and the armour of God.

Note that the main battle is with principalities and powers, dark forces, rather than flesh and blood (v11-12). So the trajectory of mission that I contend is in this letter leads us to an interesting point: mission is about confronting the dark powers that operate in any society, rather than people per se.

Don't get me wrong, I am convinced that in the main mission is all about people, yet there is something about these verses that means we have to contend with what is going on behind the scenes. I am not convinced that what we are talking here is just some spiritual-block that seems to stop ordinary people believing and accepting the gospel.

I think Paul is onto controlling behaviours, societal hegemony that keeps people locked into ways of living that are not of God. Whether it is 'structural sin', unjust practices, things that keep people in slavery, they are to be confronted, calling for reform, calling for salvation in the broad sense.

That will provoke a reaction - against which we need as Christians to stand firm in the face of the confrontation. For that, we need the armour.