52
The
Weaponry We Use (1)
The Girdle
of Truth
(Eph.
6:14a)
Stand therefore, having
your loins girt about with truth,
Thus far
we have studied two things concerning our walking in victory: The War We
Wage and The Winning That Results. We are now adequately prepared to
understand fully the need we have for God’s armor. Oh, how severe the struggle
is and how we need this armor! We are also prepared to understand what each
piece of armor is and what it is for. Before we actually deal with the first
piece of armor, there are four preparatory thoughts we should ponder.
First, it is interesting indeed how Paul
combines his illustrations of a Greek wrestler and a Roman soldier. Some folks
have been bothered by the abrupt change in illustration; they think, “It makes
no sense that a fully-clad soldier would be involved in a wrestling match.
After all, Roman soldiers didn’t wrestle!” But we submit: that is precisely Paul’s point! He purposely mixes these
illustrations to show that the struggle is so severe that God does not want us
grappling with Satan without having on this spiritual armor.
It really
isn’t difficult to see where Paul got these illustrations. In Paul’s day people
believed implicitly in demons and that the air was full of them. Few people in
our modern “enlightened society” believe in demons; they think that the sin and
wickedness of this world is “environmental” or “behaviorally.” Of course, that
explains absolutely nothing. The true explanation of the sin and wickedness of
man is his own depravity as well as Satan’s influence. So then, Paul saw that
the whole universe is locked in a struggle that is much like the ancient Greek
wrestling match.
As Paul
pondered the answer of how to wage this struggle, he looked over at the Roman
soldier who was guarding him and it was there he saw his other illustration. He
must have thought, “There is the answer to the struggle! We must put on God’s
armor!” So he takes each piece of armor and shows the spiritual application.
Second, we must put on all the armor. We mentioned this
principle earlier in this study but it needs to be reemphasized again and
again. Some folks want to be all offense, hacking away with the sword. Others
just want to be all defense, never landing a blow of their own. Still others
pick and choose what pieces of armor they want to wear. But leaving out just
one piece leaves a gaping hole of which Satan will take full advantage.
Third, each piece of armor must be put
on in the order we see in this passage. Paul did not mention these at random;
each builds upon the previous one. In fact, the first piece, the Girdle of
Truth, is the foundational piece. One doesn’t, for example, put on the
breastplate before he puts on the girdle. This principle will become evident as
we progress.
Fourth, it is instructive to note the
categories of the armor. As one studies God’s armor he discovers that there are
actually seven pieces, not six as some teach. The number 7 is used in Scripture
as the number of perfection, and God’s armor is, indeed, the perfect
preparation for battle. We discover also that there are five pieces of
defensive armor. The number 5 is used in Scripture as the number of completed
grace or simply completion. So, we have in these five pieces a complete
defense, a defense with no weak points. Further, there is only one piece of
offensive armor. The number 1 in Scripture is the number of singularity. The
only offensive weapon we need is the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. But
there is also one piece of armor that is actually an attitude, a state of mind.
This piece of armor is prayer (v.
18). This shows us that just because we have on all the other pieces of armor,
we still are not self-sufficient. Our reliance upon God is essential as we
engage the enemy, and the medium for that reliance is prayer, a constant
communion with God.
We turn
now to our study of each piece of God’s armor.
I. The Girdle of Truth
To study
each piece of God’s armor, it is best to look at two emphases: the physical
piece of armor and the spiritual application. Concerning the present piece of
armor, we will also consider one other principle: how to deepen our love the
Truth.
The Physical Piece of
Armor
In Paul’s
day, the most important article of clothing was the tunic. This was a knee
length, kimono-like garment that was worn next to the skin. Actually, it was
only a square piece of cloth, with holes cut in it for the head and arms and
then draped loosely over the body.
Poorer
people wore only this in warm weather while wealthier people wore this by
itself only in private and never appeared in public without an outer garment,
such as a coat or cloak.
The girdle
was used to hold the tunic close to the body. A loose garment was dangerous in
battle; one could become tangled in his tunic if it were left loose. So, the
tunic was cinched up and tucked into the girdle. The girdle itself was a broad
leather belt, usually about six inches in width, and was the foundational piece
of armor. Other pieces of the armor were kept in place because they were
secured to the girdle.
The Spiritual Application
Paul
likens the girdle to the spiritual principle of TRUTH. Why? Because truth is foundational; without truth
there can be nothing else of value. Without truth every things else is
meaningless. Sadly, society in general does not value truth as an absolute, nor
does it value truthfulness and personal integrity. It is because of this that
society continues to deteriorate. But, we repeat, truth is foundational.
Before we
continue, we need to point out that there has been argument among expositors as
to what kind of Truth Paul
refers. Some say that he refers to objective Truth, as the Truth of the Gospel
(Eph. 1:13; 4:15) or the Truth of the Word of God. Others argue that this can’t
be since objective truth is given through the Sword of the Spirit in verse 17.
Those expositors say that Paul here refers to subjective truth, that is, our
own “truthfulness, honesty, and candor.” But again, some object to this on
grounds that it gives way to self-reliance and self-sufficiency.
How
unfortunate it is that men go to extremes instead of seeing the balance in
questions like this one! Is it not obvious that both elements are clearly implied? How can one possess subjective
truth without having objective truth as the foundation? On the other hand, of
what practical value is objective Truth if it does not manifest itself
in a subjective way? This balance is, in fact, exactly what the Greek alētheia indicates. This is the sixth and
final occurrence of this word in Ephesians.[1]
First, as we’ve noted several times, alētheia
refers objectively to that which is not concealed, the way things really
are, that which is absolute,
incontrovertible, irrefutable, incontestable, unarguable, and unchanging. It
cannot change because to do so would mean it’s not true, not reliable. It is always
true and can never be untrue, no matter what the circumstances.
Biblically,
then, as one Greek authority tells us, alētheia speaks of “authenticity” and
“Divine reality.”[2] An example, of course, is in John
14:6, where our Savior says of Himself, “I am THE way, THE truth, and THE
life.” The definite article shows that these qualities are found only in
Christ. Similarly, John 8:32 tells us, “Ye shall know THE truth and THE truth
shall make you free.” Again, our Lord is THE truth, the ONLY truth. So, Paul
first and foremost speaks of objective, absolute Truth. This must be because without objective Truth, there can
be no subjective Truth.
Second, alētheia also speaks of subjective
Truth. As the same Greek authority tells us, because of the objective meaning,
“alētheia can thus denote `truthfulness’ as
a personal quality.”[3] So then, the full idea here is
that the believer’s life, because it
possesses the objective, absolute truth of God, is thus characterized by
truthfulness and personal integrity, which in-turn is based on God’s Absolute
Truth. One expositor brings it all together with these words:
I, therefore, interpret the word “truth”
in this context to mean a belief in, and a knowledge of, the “truth as it is in
Christ Jesus.” It is the objective truth, which I possess in a subjective
manner. It means mastery of the truth, but it also means being mastered by the
truth. I am held by that truth. This is the thing that binds me and holds me
together and puts me on my feet and gives me vigour and strength and power.[4]
Oh, what a
need there is for Christians who will live a life of integrity! Without that,
we might as well forget about even going into battle, for we’ve already lost.
As we
studied in the tactics of Satan, one of his tactics is duplicity, a
double-mindedness, a divided allegiance. The essence of integrity is
allegiance, standing firmly for what is right. To illustrate, let us look at
the contrast between Joshua and Achan. Achan had a double allegiance; he tried
to serve two masters: God and material possession. This divided allegiance cost
him everything; he and his entire family were stoned and burned along with
everything they owned. Joshua, on the other hand, was a man of integrity. Note
Joshua 5:13:
And it came to pass, when Joshua was by
Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man
over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him,
and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
That
question emphasized the fact that one must be on one side or the other, that
there is no middle ground, no “gray areas.” To stand for what is right takes
integrity. Later, just before his death, Joshua said, “Now, therefore, fear the
Lord, and serve him in sincerity and truth” (24:14). That is a man of integrity!
May we
also contrast two other men, Saul and David. King Saul was, indeed, a mighty
warrior, but he had not one ounce of integrity. He tried to serve the Lord
while at the same time he was totally self-directed; never was he dependent
upon God. In the end, like Achan, Saul lost his life in disgrace. But David was
a man of great personal integrity. In fact, Psalm 78:70-72 tells us why God
chose David to replace Saul as king:
He chose David also his servant, and took
him from the sheepfolds: From following the ewes great with young he brought
him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. So he fed them
according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skillfulness of
his hands.
David was
victorious in life because his allegiance was to God alone. Dear Christian,
mark it down, the only thing which will
bring victory in our Christian living is an allegiance to the Lord and His Word.
Let us
ponder one other word that describes this integrity and allegiance. That word
is: commitment. Like integrity, we
don’t see much true commitment in our day. Again using military imagery, Paul
told Timothy:
Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good
soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the
affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a
soldier (II Tim. 2:3-4).
What a
tragic lack of commitment there is among Christians today! But, oh, may we see
that the Girdle of Truth is the foundation! Integrity and commitment form the
foundation for victory. A soldier must be committed to battle and the same is
true of the Christian. There are Christians who actually taint God’s Word
because they try to use the Sword without personal commitment. We should all be
challenged that we better not quote Scripture or otherwise proclaim God’s Word
unless our lives are proof of it. As one skeptic declared, “Show me your
redeemed life and I will believe in your Redeemer.” People must see Christ in
us before we even open our mouths to proclaim Him.
It is very
instructive to note that the sword was actually attached to the girdle! The
effectiveness of God’s Word will depend upon our own integrity and commitment.
Without the Girdle of Truth, the Sword and other pieces of the armor are not
only diminished in their effectiveness, they are sometimes even rendered
useless.
That is
precisely the reason why Paul begins the practical section of the Epistle to
the Romans (chapters 12-16) with this foundation for Christian living:
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to
this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may
prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God (12:1-2).
Paul deals
with many practical issues in those closing chapters, but he first speaks of
real commitment. He is writing to Christians to emphasize the importance of
total dedication. There are many today who are so blinded by the subtleties of
the world and many who are not adequately taught by pastors that they just do
not know what commitment is and what it involves. But, Dear Christian Friend,
the Girdle of truth is foundational; it keeps everything in place; it keeps the
“tunic” tight so we do not get tangled up in our own things or in the things of
the enemy; it then keeps the other pieces of God’s armor in place.
May we
each put ourselves to the test and ask the question, “Have I put on the Girdle
of Truth?”
How to Deepen Our Love
for the Truth
Every
Christian should answer another question: “Do I really love Truth?” One of the
most dominant and tragic characteristics of our day is an almost total
disinterest in Truth. People are interested in experience, in thrills,
in feelings, and perhaps even intellectual exercise, but not Truth. And, as
William Gurnall rightly pointed out over 350 years ago in The Christian in
Complete Armor, “Not to desire [truth] is to despise it.”[5] There is no middle ground.
As we’ve
mentioned before (see our exposition of 1:13), Relativism rules the day. Most
people think that Truth is different for each person. What might be true for
one might not be true for another. Each person must find his or her own Truth,
what’s good for them. Absolutes have virtually disappeared entirely. Most
people don’t believe in absolutes for either conduct, philosophy, behavior,
character, or anything else.
Even more
tragic, however, is that many professing Christians think exactly the same way.
Many Christians simply don’t doctrine really matters and that Truth is
basically relative, totally open to everyone’s “interpretation” of the Bible.
And most simply will not join the battle for Truth. They are like the majority
of the Israelites when Gideon assembled an army to fight the Midianites. When
he said, “Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from
mount Gilead,” more than two-thirds of the army went home (Judg. 7:3).
Likewise, many professed Christians are abandoning the Truth in droves.
It is for that
reason that godly Christians need to be challenged to LOVE Truth.
Nothing should be more important, or even of equal importance,
than Truth. As Gurnall writes again:
[Truth] is the great treasure, which God
delivers to His saints, with a strict and solemn charge to keep against all
that undermine or oppose it. Some things we trust God with, some things God
trusts us with. . . . That which God trusts us chiefly with is His Truth.[6]
Think of
that! God has entrusted us with His Truth. And shame on any of us who
compromise it in any way.
There is
no better proof of the truth of Gurnall’s statement than Jude 3, where Jude
exhorts us, “Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the
saints.” That’s the battle for Truth! “Faith” here is not a verb that refers to
the act of believing, rather a noun that refers to the body of revealed
truth that constitutes Historical, Evangelical Christianity. The words “earnestly contend,”
then, are a single word in the Greek, epagōnizomai. At the heart of this compound
word is the root agōn (English “agony”), which means “strife, contention, [a] contest
for victory.”[7] It, along with the verb agōnizomai, originally referred to the
fighting and struggle involved in the Greek games. By adding the prefix epi
(“for”), then, Jude is telling us that we must fight for the faith. Like Paul,
he uses graphic imagery to show us the spiritual war in which we are engaged,
an all-out war that gives no quarter to error or those who propagate it.
With that
challenge in mind, we will never fight for the faith (and therefore
Truth) unless we first love the Truth. Just as a mother loves her child
enough to fight to the death to protect it, and just as a soldier loves his
country enough to give his life for it, the truly godly Christian will fight to
the death for God’s Truth and will be absolutely intolerant of those who attack
it. Why was Paul’s thinking so narrow-minded that he wrote in Galatians 1:8-9
that if anyone, even him or “an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto
you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed?” Because
he loved the Truth.
Dear
Christian, do you really love Truth? There is no better example by which we can
test ourselves and then mimic than David. As he exulted over and over again in
Psalm 119:
The judgments of the LORD are true and
righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much
fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb (vs. 9-10).
My hands also will I lift up unto thy
commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes (v. 48).
O how love I thy law! it is my meditation
all the day (v. 96).
Thy testimonies have I taken as an
heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart (v. 111).
Thy law do I love (v. 113).
I love thy commandments above gold; yea,
above fine gold (v. 127).
My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I
love them exceedingly (v. 167).
Oh, Dear
Christian Friend, is your heart and mind in agreement with David’s? William
Gurnall wonderfully writes here:
David’s heart was ravished with the love
of the word of truth . . . [He] found a great difference betwixt meditating on
the truths of God’s word, and other excellencies which the world cries up so
highly. When he goes to entertain himself with the thoughts of some perfection
in the creature, he finds it but a jejune, dry subject compared with this. He
soon tumbles over the book of the world’s excellencies, and can find no notion
that deserves any long stay upon it . . . but when he takes up the truths of God
into his thoughts, now he meets with work enough for his admiration and sweet
meditation.[8]
The
question that now arises, then, is, “How can we develop a deeper love for
Truth?” Gurnall is once again masterful on this thought. He offers three ways
that we can accomplish this, and I would humbly borrow and adapt his
challenges.[9]
First, we must conform to the Truth. By
our very nature, none of us desire to conform to Truth. Our desire, and
therefore our will, naturally conform to our own desires, ideas, opinions, and
feelings. We are not driven by what is right but by what we want.
Every parent has witnessed this in their child, who by nature rebels against
what is right and true. And none of us change as we grow older. What’s more,
when we know the Truth, we can’t sin successfully because Truth is whispering
in our ear. So we alter Truth to conform to our view of it and own desire for
what it should be.
We must,
therefore, by an act of the will, energized by the Holy Spirit, consciously
conform to Truth. It doesn’t come naturally, and it will never become
automatic. It will always come by a deliberate act of the will. We must find
out what is the right thing to do in a given situation and then choose to do
that. We must recognize the Truth and then do it.
Second, we will develop a deeper love for
Truth by loving God. Mark it down, if you really love the Lord, you will
cherish and guard His Truth. Oh, that sounds simple, but it is anything but.
Many people today say, “I love God,” but their rejection of Truth proves the
exact opposite, that they in reality hate God. True love for someone proves
itself by observing what that person loves and then loving it with them. And
God loves Truth.
It is
amazing, in fact, to observe the high value God places on Truth. As the
psalmist tells us, for example, God “hast magnified [His] word above all [His]
name” (Ps. 138:2). God is actually known by the name Truth. Jesus Himself said,
“I am the way, the truth, and the life” (Jn. 14:6,
emphasis added). Further, we see in Scripture at least three ways that God
emphasizes the high value He places on Truth.
1.
Whenever God gives His Truth to anyone, He tells them that He is giving them
one of His greatest gifts. In Hosea 8:12, for example, He calls His Word and
truth “the great things of [His] law.” Likewise, the psalmist declares that
when “[God] showeth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto
Israel,” he adds that God “hath not dealt so with any nation” (Ps. 147:19-20).
In other words, God had not at that time ever given such a valuable gift to any
other nation.
2. God has
taken great care in preserving His Truth. No matter what has happened in
history—whether revolutions, wars, changes in government, the martyrdom of
millions of Christians, and all else—God’s has preserved His Truth. As our Lord
declared with no ambiguity: “Verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass,
one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be
fulfilled” (Matt. 5:18), and on another occasion, “Heaven and earth shall pass
away, but my words shall not pass away” (24:35). Echoing that thought, Peter wrote:
For all flesh is as grass, and all the
glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower
thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is
the word which by the gospel is preached unto you” (I Pet. 1:24-25).
No doubt
Peter had also read Psalm 119:89: “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in
heaven” and verse 152 that says God has “founded” His “testimonies . . . for
ever” (v. 152).
3. God
deals severely with the enemies of Truth. How foolish people (including many
Christians) are today when they attack or otherwise undermine God’s Word. Here
is a principle we had better understand very well. God simply will not tolerate
the altering of His Word. In addition to Galatians 1:8-9 mentioned earlier,
Revelation 22:18-19 could not be clearer:
For I testify unto every man that heareth
the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things,
God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any
man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take
away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the
things which are written in this book.
Third and finally, we will develop a
deeper love for Truth by meditating on the greatness of Truth. What do we mean
by that? Simply this: If we will just sit ourselves down and ponder the real
greatness of truth, just how wonderful it is, we will be compelled to love it.
What makes
Truth so great? What are we getting so worked up about? What’s the big deal?
Why is Truth so important? There are at least four characteristics of Truth
that demonstrate its greatness.
1. Truth is
pure. This is, in fact, one reason David loved the Truth; he wrote again
in Psalm 119:140, “Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.” As
another writer puts it, “Gold has need to be refined; but [God’s] word is
purity itself, reflecting the holiness of Jehovah’s character and government,
and requiring and leading to purity of heart and life.”[10]
Indeed,
Truth compels the true Believer to purity and holiness. In His high-priestly prayer,
our Lord prayed for His disciples, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word
is truth” (Jn. 17:17). It is the Word of God that cleanses us from the
defilement that surrounds us.
2. Truth
is sure. Psalm 19:7 declares, “The law of the LORD is perfect,
converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the
simple.” As Gurnall writes here, “We may lay the whole weight of our souls upon
it and yet it will not crack under us. Cleave to truth and it will stick to
thee.”
We live in
a world of uncertainty; we’re surrounded by it. All that we see—our health,
finances, government, philosophy, everything—is uncertain. There is nothing any
of us can count on with absolute assurance—except God and His Truth. As
He declared through His prophet Ezekiel, “I the LORD have spoken it: it shall
come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare”
(Ezek. 24:14). Just as the Lord is “the same yesterday, and to day, and for
ever” (Heb. 13:8), likewise “the truth of the LORD endureth for ever” (Ps.
117:2). When we put our trust totally in His Truth, we will say with Joshua:
“Ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath
failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all
are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof” (Josh.
23:14).
In his
wonderful way, the late Vance Havner writes: “I feel like American humorist
Josh Billings, who said, ‘I’d rather know a few things for certain than be sure
of a lot of things that ain’t so.”[11] Amen! And the thing we can be sure
of is Christ!
3. Truth
is free and makes us free. Not only do we live in a world of
uncertainty, but that world is also one of bondage. We are slaves to sin, self,
Satan, and even the shackles of the Law. We are, in fact, as our Lord Himself
declared, “of [our] father the devil, and the lusts of [our] father [we] will
do” (Jn. 8:44). But He also declared the antidote for bondage: “Ye shall know
the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (v. 32).
What’s more,
this freedom is free; it costs us nothing. People spend millions of dollars on
self-help programs, therapy, and even religion. They turn to, try, and trust
everything except the one thing that is absolute—God’s Word. The true Believer
has received the free gift of freedom and walks in Truth.
4. Truth
is victorious. Regardless of how men try to squelch the Truth, it will
prevail. Men have tried burning books and killing God’s messengers, but never
have they silenced the Truth. And they never will. The true Believer will
likewise always prevail when he or she stands on and for the Truth. As Gurnall
writes once again,
“A lying tongue is but for a moment”
[Prov. 12:19], but truth’s age runs parallel with God’s eternity. It shall live
to see their heads laid in the dust, and to walk over their graves, that were
so busy to make one for her.
In short,
Truth will bury those we hate it.
Dear
Christian Friend, there is never a reason to feel defeated when you are
proclaiming the Truth, and there is
no excuse for ever proclaiming, or even tolerating, untruth. Truth is
our most precious possession. All that we do and say must flow from it.
Further, we must then do all we can, in God’s power, to guard and protect it.
The beloved Harry Ironside submitted the following challenge way back in 1937,
and it is still true today:
I wish Christians would come back to the
Book. I am often distressed when people ask me, “What do you think about that?”
And I have to tell them, “It does not make any difference what I think. My thoughts
do not amount to anything. The great question is, What has God said. What is
written in the Word?” If the Word does not speak, we have no right to attempt
to speak, but where it has given a clear, definite declaration, we should be
positive and sure in our faith. That is what it is to have the loins of the
mind girt about with the truth of God, our thoughts all brought into subjection
to His Holy Word.[12]
We close
with the words of this sonnet:
The
Word of Truth
(A Sonnet)
The Word of Truth comes down from God alone,
In His holiness every
Word is pure.
In and through all the ages He has shown
In His perfection every
Word is sure.
The Word of Truth endureth forever,
Yesterday, today, and
throughout all time.
No power in earth or hell can sever
The threads of His
glorious Truth sublime.
Men drift on the sea of lies that increase,
The Word of Truth is
the only anchor.
When one day all things end and time doth cease,
The Word of Truth will
be proved the victor.
As seeds are spread and bountifully sown.
The Word of Truth we preach, and that alone.