In the description of the armor of God, the church is told to have their feet shod with the “preparation of the gospel of peace.”

"Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ... And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;" - Ephesians 6:13, 15 KJV

What does the Bible say about “the gospel of peace”?

Apostle Paul explains what the “gospel” is in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4:

"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:" - 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 KJV

Thus, the gospel is “how that Christ died for our sins”, “that he was buried”, “and that he rose again the third day”. In other words, it is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Apostle Paul tells us that he delivered to them what he also received. He declares the gospel…he preached the gospel… they received the gospel…and they stand in the gospel. He also tells us that they are saved by the gospel, IF they keep in memory what he preached to them, unless they believed in vain.

It is by preaching that the gospel of Jesus Christ is declared. It is in the preaching of the gospel that the name of Jesus is revealed for salvation.

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?" - Romans 10:13-16 KJV

Here in this last verse, the feet are mentioned again with the gospel of peace, just like in Ephesians and the armor of God. Here it is speaking of those that preach the gospel. But first, we need the preparation of the gospel.

When Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:2, “By which also ye are SAVED…” “UNLESS ye have believed in vain” it appears Paul is saying that if we hear the gospel and believe, but then we don’t OBEY the gospel, we have believed in vain. It is for nothing – we are not saved without obedience.

Paul makes this clear in Romans 10:16. "But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?" - Romans 10:16 KJV

The hearing of the gospel is in vain if we don’t do something about it after we have heard it. We must not only HEAR the preaching of the gospel; we must also OBEY the gospel.

When we OBEY the gospel, we have our “…feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace”.

Making preparation.

We understand we must obey the gospel to be saved. But how do we obey what Paul said the gospel is, “that Christ died for our sins”, “that he was buried”, “and that he rose again the third day”.

Paul wrote to the church at Rome,

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" - Romans 6:1-2 KJV

Here, Paul ties together how we obey Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection…

"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." - Romans 6:3-4 KJV

We follow Jesus’ death, by becoming “dead to sin” by repentance…we follow Jesus’ burial by being “buried with him by baptism into death”, and we follow Jesus’ resurrection by being “raised up” by the Holy Ghost, which is “the glory of the Father” to walk in a new life in Jesus. (The Greek word for “glory” in this verse is “doxa” which seems to be most accurately translated as “the Holy Ghost.”)

"For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." - Romans 6:5-6 KJV

The “old man” here is our old sinful nature…

"For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." - Romans 6:7-11 KJV

This is how we OBEY Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Peter summed this up on the day of Pentecost.

First Peter PREACHED the gospel, then he told the people how to OBEY the gospel.

Peter had made preparations. He was baptized in Jesus name, and had now received the Holy Ghost. The preparation of the gospel of peace was upon his feet. Now, he is preaching the gospel of peace:

"Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it." - Acts 2:22-24 KJV

Here Peter preached of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Peter concluded his gospel message with:

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." - Acts 2:36 KJV

"Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?" - Acts 2:37 KJV

Peter declared the gospel, the people believed the gospel, now Peter is going to answer them what they must do to obey the gospel.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation." - Acts 2:38-40 KJV

Next we see, their belief was not in vain…they OBEYED the gospel.

"Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." - Acts 2:41-42 KJV

When we obeyed the gospel, His blood washed away our sins through His name Jesus. We have a testimony. Now, satan, the accuser of our brethren, no longer has anything on us. In Revelation 12:10-11 the Bible says,

"And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." - Revelation 12:10-11 KJV (One translation says, “They did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.” NLT)

By the gospel we have the blood of the Lamb - which is Jesus - and we have the name of Jesus applied to our lives by our water baptism in Jesus name. We have the Holy Ghost within us – which is the Spirit of Jesus – to give us power to overcome sin, the power we need to fight the good fight of faith. By our preparation of the gospel of peace, our feet are on a sure foundation, on Jesus Christ, so that along with the whole armour of God, we “may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

In two verses now, Ephesians 6:15, and in Romans 10:15, we see the gospel referred to as, “the gospel of PEACE.”

What would the gospel of PEACE be referring to?

When Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, they had communion with God. When they disobeyed God, sin broke that communion.

God made peace between us and Himself when He took on the form of man and died, was buried, and rose again. He paid the debt we owed for our sins when He gave His life on the tree, for the wages of sin is death.

"And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;" - Colossians 1:20-23 KJV

Thus, we have peace with God by the gospel of peace.

"And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly…" - Romans 16:20 KJV

Because God has made peace with us by the gospel and by our obedience to the gospel, He will bruise satan under our feet.

It seems quite fitting that satan is bruised under our FEET. We have the preparation of the gospel on our feet. Ephesians 6:15 says, “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace…” And, by the whole armour we STAND against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Also, the second part of Romans 10:15 says, “…As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” So, it makes sense how that God shall bruise satan under our feet.

Because we have obeyed the gospel and our feet are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, we have the authority of the name of Jesus and the power of His blood and Spirit.

We have power to tread on serpents and power over the enemy. Most importantly, by our preparation of the gospel of peace, we have our names written in heaven, in the Lamb’s book of Life.

Jesus told his disciples,

"Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." - Luke 10:19-20 KJV

It is by the gospel that we have peace with God. We were separated from God by sin, and by His sacrifice and His blood, we are brought back to God. When we have obeyed His gospel by repentance and baptism in Jesus name for the remission of our sins, we are filled with His Spirit to walk in peace with Him.

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." - 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 KJV

We have made preparations for ourselves to be saved; what about others? Jesus has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. We are now ambassadors for Christ. Because of God’s love for the world, that He gave his life for it, it is as though God were pleading through us for those in the world to come back to Him, to be reconciled to God by obeying the gospel.

We have the preparation of the gospel of peace on our feet so that we can spiritually stand. Now that we are filled with God’s love by His Holy Ghost, we can go forth and be a witness of the gospel to others.