In the letter to the Ephesians, Paul repeatedly uses the metaphor of taking off one garment and donning another in its place – putting off and putting on. (4:22, 24, 25, 31)

In 6:11 he instructs us to put on the whole armor of God… My thought regarding the armor is this: since we are told to put on the armor, is there something we need to put off first?

Yes. Before putting on the armor of God, we must take off our own self-righteousness and hypocrisy.

Why is this? Putting on the armor of God in order to enter the Spiritual battle shows that we need God’s protection and God’s enabling to be victorious. Even as born-again people with the indwelling Holy Spirit, we naturally rely on our own resources – our own behavior (works)

• our own knowledge about God and the Bible (1 Corinthians 8:1)

  • 1Co 8:1  Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. 

• our own church attendance (Matthew 6:1,5)

  • Mat 6:1  Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Mat 6:5  And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 

• our own keeping of our own rules, (Colossians 2:20-23)

  • Col 2:20  Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,  (Touch not; taste not; handle not;  Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh. 

• our own keeping Jesus’ rules, ie the sermon on the mount (John 13:35)

  • Joh 13:35  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. 

• our own self-exaltation (Romans 12:3)

  • Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith

• our own “resolve” to obey God (Romans 4:4-5)

  • Rom 4:4  Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 

  • Rom 4:5  But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 

• our own self-righteousness in comparison to others (2 Corinthians 10:12; Luke 6:24)

  • 2Co 10:12  For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. 

  • Luk_6:42  Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.

God will show us what to take off in order to put on the armor of God – if we ask Him – but it can only be accomplished by faith. Faith is, initially and always, a gift from God.

(Ephesians 2:8-10) Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.   For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 

(Colossians 2:5-7)Col 2:5  For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Col 2:7  Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 

It is because faith is required to put on the armor of God, rather than works, that prayer is instructed in 6:18-20

Eph 6:18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;