Skip to main content

The Belt


           Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, (Ephesians 6:13-14a)
  
          Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7) 

          In today’s passage, notice first that putting on the armor doesn’t result in our winning. It results in our standing. The victory has been won, but that doesn’t mean the battle is over from our perspective. Keep in mind from what has been said recently: victory or loss for us doesn’t involve doing anything to the enemy. We don’t do damage to the flesh, other people, the world, or the devil. We may frustrate the plans of one of those, but the goal isn’t to demonstrate our power. It is to remain with God, to come through the struggle without being separated from Him, and, if possible, to draw someone else nearer to Him. Those two things are victory for us. That is why submitting to God is the means by which we resist the devil. He’s trying to pull us away.
           Notice secondly, that the first piece of armor is the belt of truth. Truth is the first means by which we must defend ourselves. It’s not Wonder Woman’s golden lasso which forces others to tell the truth, it’s a belt. Roman soldiers wore belts primarily to keep their sword conveniently at hand. I think they also wore them as added protection for their bowels. In addition, as those who lift things know, a belt can help stabilize muscles so that you can lift without hurting yourself.
           According to the ancients, the bowels were the seat of the emotions. Therefore, truth is what holds our weapons (we’ll get to that.) Truth is what protects our emotions. Truth also holds our emotions in check and stabilizes and supports them. Our emotions don’t protect us. Our feelings do not determine truth. We are stronger and less likely to hurt ourselves when we allow ourselves to be limited by truth just as the person using the lifting belt is. Truth is what should contain, direct, and support our emotions.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Right Road

          Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:7-12)                  For years before GPSes existed, I told people I wanted something in my car that would tell me, “Turn left in half a mile…turn left in a quarter mile…turn left in 500 feet… turn left in 100 feet…turn left now …You missed the turn, Dummy!” The problem isn’t necessarily that I get lost so much as I’m afraid I’ll get lost. I don’t want to have to spend my whole trip stressing over the next turn. I have the same problem with my spiritual journey.   
Post a Comment
Read more

Died as a Ransom

                 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. (Hebrews 9:15)                  This is something I’d really rather not think about but here it is and it’s important. I was reading in Bold Love about seeking revenge.  The author wrote of seeking justice when a supposed Christian does something sinful, harmful, and/or horrific, like sexually abusing a daughter.  And the thought that came to mind was of God asking if Jesus’ death was sufficient payment to me for the sin committed against me.                I have no specific longing for revenge, vengeance, or justice. I’m sure there are some lurking somewhere in my heart, but this wasn’t a response to one. It was more a question of principle. Jesus’ death was sufficient payment for to God for our sins.  That’s the standard Sunday Schoo
1 comment
Read more

Out of the Depths

  Out of the depths I have cried to You, Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the sound of my pleadings.   If You, Lord, were to keep account of guilty deeds, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, so that You may be revered. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and I wait for His word. My soul waits in hope for the Lord more than the watchmen for the morning; Yes, more than the watchmen for the morning. Israel, wait for the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption. And He will redeem Israel from all his guilty deeds . (Psalm 130)             I like Mr. Peterson’s interpretation of the first line. “The bottom has fallen out of my life!” Of course, the problem for some of us is the fact that we’re drama queens, and/or we’re weak. Any time anything happens that disturbs our sense of mastery and control, the bottom has fallen out of our lives. If the past couple of days have taught me anything, they’ve t
1 comment
Read more