21 July 2024 Sermon

The Belt of Truth

Ephesians 6:14 NIV

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

Isaiah 11:5 NRSV

Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins.

The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians The Armour of God (Ephesians 6:10–20)

There is the belt of truth. It was the belt which went round the soldier’s tunic and from which his sword hung and which gave him freedom of movement. Others may guess and feel their way; Christians move freely and quickly because they know the truth.

The Wesleyan Bible Commentary, Volume 5: Romans–Philemon 3. The Panoply of the Lord for the Evil Day Conflict (6:13–17)

The girdle, or belt, bound the soldier’s tunic and thus permitted freedom of movement. From it also was suspended his sword. The Christian’s girdle of truth, in Vincent’s view, is “the agreement of our convictions with God’s revelation.” Epistemologically considered, truth is the agreement of the thought with the thing thought about, or of the word spoken with that about which it is spoken. In other words, truth is squaring with reality. As the soldier’s girdle formed the common bond for the whole of his body armor, so the Christian’s girdle of truth bespeaks his moral and spiritual consistency. It is that which unifies the whole of his Christian life and character, without which he cannot hope to stand in the evil day.

The Wesleyan Bible Commentary, Volume 5: Romans–Philemon 3. The Panoply of the Lord for the Evil Day Conflict (6:13–17)

Truth and righteousness are primarily defensive items of the spiritual warfare.

The Annotated Bible, Volume 7: Romans to Ephesians 6. The Warfare and the Panoply of God (Chapter 6:10–20)

And we must put on the whole armor of God, the panoply of God. It is the only way that we can get the victory and stand and withstand. First, the loins are to be girt about with truth. Even so our Lord exhorted, “Let your loins be girded about” (Luke 12:35).

It is the girdle around the loins, which holds all things together. The girdle is the Truth. What truth? The truth of heavenly things, heavenly blessings, acceptance in Christ, Oneness with Him, the truth so fully revealed in this epistle. This we need as a girdle to hold up our garments, our habits, so that in the warfare and conflict we may not be entangled with the affairs of this life (2 Tim. 2:4). The Truth is to govern our conduct, our affections.

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament Chapter 6

14. Having your loins girt about—That ye may be ready for every motion, with truth—Not only with the truths of the Gospel, but with truth in the inward parts—For without this, all our knowledge of divine truth will prove but a poor girdle in the evil day. So our Lord is described, Isaiah 11:5. And as a girded man is always ready to go on, so this seems to intimate an obedient heart, a ready will. Our Lord adds to the loins girded, the lights burning, (Luke 12:35) showing that watching and ready obedience are the inseparable companions of faith and love,

Isaiah 11:5 NRSV

Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins.

Luke 12:35 NIV

“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning,

2 Timothy 2:4 NIV

No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.

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As the Father of lies and the master of deception, the Devil seeks to deceive us. He tells half truths and full lies. By putting on the belt of truth we can combat those lies with God’s truth.

—> Notice I say God’s truth I don’t want my truth or your truth I want God’s truth, because that’s the only truth that really matters.

—> You’ve no doubt heard the saying “There’s your story, my story, and the truth.”

—> So what is God’s truth???

For that we need to head to the Gospel of John:

John 1:16–18 NIV

Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

John 14:6 (NIV)

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 8:31–32 NIV

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 16:13 NIV

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

Ephesians 1:13 NIV

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,

—> The Gospel, that is Jesus Christ, His life, death, and resurrection. That is the truth.

—> So when we put on the belt of truth we are putting on person of Jesus Christ. All his authority, all his teachings, all his works, all his love.

—> but why a belt? what does a belt do?

—> a belt holds all things together and in there place.

—> It allows us to have freedom of movement while still being equipped for the work we are doing.

—> (tool belt example)