Spiritual Warfare | Stand for the Truth | Ephesians 6:14

INTRODUCTION

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we will explore an essential piece of the armor of God: the belt of truth. In Ephesians 6:14, the apostle Paul exhorts us to Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist. In a world filled with falsehoods and deception, it is crucial for us to understand what real truth is and the power of speaking truth.

HF: Let us delve into the significance of this armor, its implications for our lives, and how we can effectively wield the belt of truth in our daily walk with God.

Paul in the beginning of the epistle talks about our salvation experience and says that believers are: According to Paul, the essence of a Christian life is not just salvation and baptism. But those who are born again and seated with Christ, who walk in this world with Christ-like behaviour, who walk according to the call we have received.

o Eph. 5:2 – Walk in love.
o Eph. 5:8 – Do not walk in darkness, walk in the light.
o Eph. 5:15-16 – Do not walk as unwise by as wise.

Walk talks about our lifestyle. Lifestyle has got: Our speech, our thoughts, lifestyle includes our dress, lifestyle has our attitude to the world and society.

The reason we have to walk well is because we have a real enemy.

Ephesians 5:12
For our struggle is….

It is a struggle, wrestling. It is a hand-to-hand battle. If we take our hands off for a minute we will be defeated.

Who is our Enemy?

We have a three-fold enemy: World, flesh, and devil.

Ephesians 2:1-4
1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

Imbalanced view of Evil influences:
Devil’s influence ignored.
Devil influence exaggerated.
Balanced view: The Bible takes all three seriously.

Flesh: The inner propensity to do evil. It is the part of us tainted by the fall that remains with us to this day. The flesh is destined to perish but we must struggle now. As Christians, we are new creation and the compelling influences have been broken by Christ’s death on the cross. Nevertheless, this inner compulsion of flesh seeks to reassert its claim and we can only resist it by the power of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:16-17).

World: It is the social environment in which we live. Ungodly aspects of: Culture, peer pressure, values, traditions, customs, philosophies, and attitudes.

James 8:4
Don’t you know that friendship with the world is enmity against God?

Christians have a lifelong journey to discern whether the world or unhealthy influences are still operative in our lives, root them out, and adopt godly attitudes and values.

Devil: We do not only struggle with our flesh and the world but also the devil.

Eph. 2:2 Pauls says the devil as the spirit who is at work in those who are disobedient.
1 Peter 5:8 Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Our enemy is the flesh, the world, and the devil. These three influences does not work alone, but in concert. They are three distinct strands, but braided together to make a strong rope.

It is only through Jesus we can overcome the compelling power of these influences.

1. Be Strong In The Lord, Eph. 5:10

Be strengthened in the Lord.
Avail yourself of the very power that was demonstrated in raising Christ from the dead.
Avail yourself of the very power that raised believers from their former way of life.
This power is available to us to resist and overcome the enemy.

The source of our strength is the Lord.
God’s strength has to be our strength.

Perhaps, Paul’s readers were threatened by a fear of the demonic and had a tendency to defect under pressure. You do not have to be afraid of the demonic. He calls believers to be strong in the Lord.

We find Abraham growing stronger in faith: Romans 4:20 He was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God.
2 Tim. 2:1: Timothy is instructed to “be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus”
Phil. 4:13; 1 Tim. 1:12; 2 Tim. 4:17: Paul says that it is Christ who strengthened him.

How one is to continually be strengthened in the Lord?

Ephesians 6:10-20 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God

The meaning is “to clothe oneself in, put on a garment, wear.” Metaphorical, that is “taking on of characteristics, virtues of God.”

In the OT, it was God who was seen to have this armour.

Isaiah 59:17
He put on righteousness as his breastplate,
and the helmet of salvation on his head;

In the OT, God is the divine warrior who wears a similar armour. The armour God has given to believers is the armour which is his own.

Putting on God’s armour is an aspect of putting on Christ, that is, being united with Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit, recognizing the riches that he has lavished upon us and responding appropriately by standing firm as a united Church against those dark forces that strive against God’s will.

Armor of God is a gift.
The armor as divine attributes or gifts which God gives to believers and which have implications concerning how believers are to walk in accordance with these gifts

It is also important to evaluate how Paul discussed the attributes associated with each piece of armor within the context of the entire letter.

We find in this letter, God’s sovereign provision for his people and their call to human responsibility to walk in that sovereign provision.

The development of the theme of God’s power for believers, which was introduced in the indicative section, is completed in the “whole armor of God” pericope. At the end of the indicative section, Paul prays that, according to the riches of God’s glory, the Holy Spirit will strengthen believers in order that Christ may live within them.

Paul’s reference to the enemies against whom believers are commanded to stand underscores the need for reliance upon God’s sovereign provision through Christ’s riches. These enemies are the same dark forces (2:2) that had once enslaved them. These are not enemies one can withstand in one’s own strength. Only by God’s resurrecting power are believers made alive in Christ (2:15) and freed from slavery to these dark forces.

Belt of Truth:

Ephesians 6:14
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,

Going through the armor in order, the first piece of armor is the belt of truth.

Paul has a good picture of a Roman Soldier. The belt holds the Roman soldier’s dress and all armours.

Truth first appears in the indicative section (1:13).

Ephesians 1:13
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation.

The word of truth is the gospel of salvation.

• Stand firm in the gospel truth. Believe the Truth.

The gospel is the truth. Jesus said, “I am the way, the life and the truth.” “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”

Gospel: The gospel is the truth that man sinned and Jesus came into the world as the Son of God, took our sins and died on the cross. He rose again on the third day and ascended to the Father promising that he will return again to the earth. Those who believe in Jesus is given salvation from sins, peace with God, and eternal life with him. Therefore, believers are to be set apart and be holy for the Lord, remain in the Lord. Be in the truth of salvation. Do not deviate from it to the left or to the right. Stand firm in the gospel truth.

Ephesians 4:14-15
14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

The context here is the false teaching and doctrine.

To have the belt of truth means the pure gospel. The truth of the gospel. Do not add on to the gospel, do not dilute the gospel truth. We must be known as a church which has the belt of truth. A church that stands for the true gospel, true biblical doctrine.

We are living at times where the gospel is twisted and changed. The gospel is put in sugar-coated capsules to suit people’s appetites. There is confusion as to why Jesus came. Today, you must tell that I believe in the true Gospel.

What is the true gospel?
Jesus came into this world to redeem sinners. The gospels mean Jesus brings peace to mankind who were sinners, by his death on the cross, he brings us to the Father. This is the gospel.

Matthew 7:15 15“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them.

2 Peter 2:1-3
1But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2Many will follow their depraved conduct (morally corrupt) and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

1 Timothy 6:3-5
3If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

We believe in divine healing but he gospel is not divine healing.
The gospel is not prosperity. Not changing houses, cars or gadgets.
The gospel is not making money.

The gospel removes the pus of sin, and heals our sin reconciling us with God.

Today, you must be encouraged and say to yourself: “Lord I do not brother about what I have or do not have. I do not brother about what house I am living in or what car I am driving. I want to have a relationship with Jesus through the true Gospel. I will put that truth in my waist. I will not compromise the truth of the gospel.”

I will not sell the gospel truth. I will not make profit of the gospel. I will not add to the gospel to gather people. I will not sugar-coat the gospel truth.

Today we must tell the world that the disease worse than cancer is sin. A man can be cured or healed from cancer and go to eternal judgement, but there is only one person who can deliver us from sin and judgement, that is Jesus alone.

Stand for the gospel truth. There are people who have given their lives for the truth of the gospel.

ILLUSTRATION

Polycarp (AD 69-155) was a personal disciple of the Apostle John. As an old man, he was the bishop of the Church at Smyrna in Asia Minor (present-day Turkey). Persecution against the Christians broke out there and believers were being fed to the wild beasts in the arena. The crowd began to call for the Christians’ leader Polycarp. So the authorities sent out a search party to bring him in. They tortured two slave boys to reveal where Polycarp was being hidden.

It was a Friday afternoon. Polycarp was resting upstairs in a country home. They came in like a posse, fully armed as if they were arresting a dangerous criminal. Polycarp’s friends wanted to sneak him out, but he refused, saying, “God’s will be done.”

In one of the most touching instances of Christian grace imaginable, Polycarp welcomed his captors as if they were friends, talked with them and ordered that food and drink be served to them. Then Polycarp made one request: one hour to pray before they took him away. The officers overhearing his prayers (that went on for two hours) began to have second thoughts. What were they doing arresting an old man like this?

Martyrdom of Polycarp
Despite the cries of the crowd, the Roman authorities saw the senselessness of making this aged man a martyr. So when Polycarp was brought into the arena, the proconsul pled with him: “Curse Christ and I will release you.”

REPLY: “Eighty-six years I have served Him. He had never done me wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who has saved me?”

The proconsul reached for an acceptable way out: “Then do this, old man. Just swear by the genius of the emperor and that will be sufficient.” (The “genius” was sort of the “spirit” of the emperor. To do this would be a recognition of the pagan gods and religion.)

REPLY: “If you imagine for a moment that I would do that, then I think you pretend that you don’t know who I am. Hear it plainly. I am a Christian.”

Polycarp stood firm.

The proconsul threatened him with the wild beasts.

REPLY: “Bring them forth. I would change my mind if it meant going from the worse to the better, but not to change from the right to the wrong.”

The proconsul’s patience was gone: “I will have you burned alive.”

REPLY: “You threaten fire that burns for an hour and is over. But the judgment on the ungodly is forever.”

The Death of Polycarp
The fire was prepared. Polycarp lifted his eyes to heaven and prayed: “Father, I bless you that you have deemed me worthy of this day and hour, that I might take a portion of the martyrs in the cup of Christ. . . Among these may I today be welcome before thy face as a rich and acceptable sacrifice.”

As the fire engulfed him, Polycarp breathed his last.

Moving forward, the truth is:

• Speak the truth to one another. Speak the Truth.
In the imperatives, Paul exhorts the people to speak the truth to each other in love, so that they may all mature in the faith (4:15).

Ephesians 4:25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body

Many Christians take lying very lightly. We would not consider seeing a bad movie or committing a murder but many of us lie every second sentence we speak. Telling lies has come easy for us; it has become a part of people’s lifestyle. Someone said like this, “Man lie the most, but woman tell the biggest lies.”

Mark Twain, “A lie can travel half way around the world, while the truth is still lacing up her boots.”

We not only believe in the true gospel but each one of us speaks the truth.
Husband and wife will speak the truth.
Parents and children will speak the truth.
Masters and slaves will speak the truth.
Brothers and sisters at church will speak the truth.

The spiritual battle is to speak the truth.

Many families are breaking because there is no truth. There is no truth between the husband and wife. They see to the face and speak like but they are believers. They sing, they pray, they preach. They look like Christians but no truth.

The enemy is after lies.

John 8:44
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Lies have a destructive effect.

A pattern of truthfulness is part of normal community life after putting off the old self and putting on the new self (4:25) and is necessary for unity. However, in 5:8-9, we find that living lives characterized by truth is not something that one does in one’s own strength, but that this is a fruit of light and an outward sign that one is walking as a child of light. Thus, the desire and ability to live a life characterized by truth are gifts from God which each believer is expected to act upon and incorporate into his or her life. Paul discusses truth first as a divine gift and then as a human responsibility.

CONCLUSION

Beloved, let us heed Paul’s exhortation and stand firm with the belt of truth buckled around our waist. As we embrace the truth found in Jesus Christ, let us be vigilant in our pursuit of truth of the gospel. This piece of the armor of God is essential in our daily spiritual battles. In a world desperate for authenticity, may our lives bear witness to the transformative power of truth, drawing others closer to the ultimate Truth Himself.

As followers of Christ, we are called to be people of truth in a world that often embraces deception and falsehood. The belt of truth serves as a constant reminder of our commitment to Christ, our foundation of truth, and our defense against the enemy’s schemes.

Let us go forth, armed with the belt of truth, and be beacons of light in a darkened world. Amen.