Belt of Truth

For many, truth seems to be a relative thing.  One person’s truth may not be the same as another.  So how can the born-again Christian navigate the truth that is put out by the world?  Especially when the truth that is presented by the world seems to be so against the truth that is found in the Bible.  As we have already seen in our previous post on the Feet of Peace of the Gospel, we know that the peace that the world offers is different, and far less reassuring, than the peace that is offered by God.  With this knowledge, we can already see that the truth that the world provides is indeed opposing the Biblical truth, this is because the ruler of this world is opposite the one true God.

So what is the truth that the born-again Christian needs to understand?  The answer can be found in John 17:17, “17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” So, since God’s Word is truth, we can be rest assured that what He says He means, and it is applicable in our lives today. This is vital in understanding since real peace comes from having real truth. This truth is depicted by Paul as the belt “stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth,” Ephesians 6:14a. Historically, a belt would hold the weapons of a soldier. How ironic that metaphorically speaking the belt of truth holds the Sword of the Spirit. The truth that Paul discusses is not only the truth that is found in the Scriptures, it is anything that points back to God as the one true God. For example, nature declares the truth of God, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Psalm 19:1. We have God’s sovereign Word and witness accounts to proclaim with even more vivid nature His divinity and absolute control. If His truth does not give peace, we clearly are not understanding His truth. This becomes even more important when we examine that God in His sovereignty has given prophecy. We are able to see that all the promises that God has given are kept, thus those promises that are made for future events should be taken as a matter of fact. It is why Prophecy should be studied in churches; it is part of God’s truth. It gives us hope, “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of [a]our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,” Titus 2:13.

What does truth provide the believer? As mentioned above, it allows us to know that God’s Word is true.  When He says that nothing can remove us from Him, we know that this is true because we are sealed to Him. “13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,” Ephesians 1:13

What is the point which we as believers can come and identify why knowing His truth is so important? The answer is quite simple, the more we know His truth, the more we are able to rely on Him being our peace. Each piece of the armor discussed by Paul are interconnected, you cannot have one without the other. We cannot have peace without knowing His truth, if we do not have peace we are identifying God as not being able to supply that peace and be in control. This goes directly against what He has promised in the Bible. This is a difficult concept for all believers to come to grips with. The more we study His Word, the more we understand God’s truth and see how what is being offered by the world brings no peace.  We then begin to change and become more Christ-like. “21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. ” Ephesians 4:21-25.

When we wear the belt of truth, we are called to grow in the faith not to remain as we once were.  Having the belt of truth means that we know God’s Word.  We can then differentiate between what is presented as truth by the world, which is really nothing more than crafty lies I encourage you to look again into Genesis 3 to see how crafty the enemy can be, and what we can know for sure what is the truth. When we focus on the Word of God, we can hear His voice more clearly and this allows us to differentiate between right and wrong.  When we have the knowledge of truth, we will not be swayed by what the world says.  “14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” Ephesians 4:14-16

There are dangers when we do not wear the belt of truth.  Without a solid foundation in the truth, what the scriptures say, then we will be carried away by the battle we face.  When we do not wear the belt of truth we will begin to conform to the world. So many pastors today, people who should know the truth, have been swept away because they have conformed to what the world wishes.  When we wear the belt of truth, we will stand above what the world desires, “2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

Jesus identifies Himself as an agent of truth to Pilot when asked if Jesus was a King. “Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?” 35 Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” 37 Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” 38 Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in Him.” John 18:33-38.

Simply put for a person to have real truth, you must have God’s truth, you must have Jesus. When Paul wrote about God’s truth being the belt of the believer, he was making a statement that many today miss the importance. The belt typically was not only larger than it is now, but it was relied upon more due to the ability to protect the organs as well as hook the rest of the armor to the waist when not being used. In short, Paul is stating that God’s truth rests all other parts of the armor. As believers, we must understand and know that God’s truth is our greatest asset when it comes to understanding that God is in control and we can have peace. With God’s truth we can understand that each of the other pieces of armor that we will discuss all rest on Jesus Christ being the truth, being God’s truth.

Seek the Truth and encourage one another,               

Alex