The belt of truth

I recently concluded a sermon series on the Armor of God. Ephesians chapter six informs us that we are not in a battle against flesh and blood, but there is a supernatural adversary who is behind the evil in the world. This encourages us to pray for people whom we might otherwise choose to hate. God's grace has changed us, and we know that grace can change others as well. We are all a work in progress, but faith in Jesus enables us to become Christlike in our attitudes and our conduct.

The Apostle Paul wrote the book of Ephesians while he was in a Roman prison. He may have been inspired by the image of a soldier standing nearby to illustrate his teaching. Further study also shows that the Armor of God is in the Old Testament. Paul, being a scholar would have understood the historical and spiritual significance of his illustration. The pieces of equipment are: The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel, the shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit. I want to discuss the belt of truth.

The belt of truth represents the belt a soldier would tie around his waist to keep his clothes or robes from entangling his feet. This imagery is clear, when we get entangled in lies, we will stumble and fall. Just look at current events. Someone has said we did not have "fact checkers" until the truth started coming out. The concept of fact-checking is that absolute truth exists and if something is not true, it is false. We must have discernment because words can be twisted to make truth appear to be a lie and vice versa.

We need the belt of truth because our adversary, Satan, is the father of lies. John 8:42--44 reads, "Jesus said to them, 'If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.'"

According to research by Barna, most Christians do not believe the devil, or Satan, exists. No wonder our society is plummeting into moral depravity. People do not know that they are in a spiritual battle because they believe a lie. Satan and his false teachers disguise themselves as angels of light (2 Corinthians 11:13--15). We must be equipped with the belt of truth if we are going to make a difference in the world.

Children are taught that it is wrong to lie. Christians are judged harshly when they sin by people who do not believe in Christianity. The expectation is that if someone claims to be a Christian, he or she will be a moral person. Telling the truth is important. The Bible instructs us to speak the truth in love. Unfortunately, not everyone wants to hear the truth. If you are dishonest, it is certain that no one is going to want to hear about your religion.

The belt of truth will keep us from believing lies that will lead to our destruction. People often think Christians are boring, and drugs and alcohol will bring joy to their lives. This lie leads to the bondage of addiction. If you believe society is designed in a way that will make it impossible for you to succeed, you will become a failure because you believe the devil's lie. Can you think of other examples?

If you want the belt of truth, trust in Jesus by repenting of your sin and receiving his gift of salvation. Join a Bible-believing church and find mature Christians who can help you to grow as a follower of Jesus.