Armor Up! The Belt of Truth and the Breastplate of Righteousness

Today, we continue the blog series on the study of the Armor of God that Paul wrote about in Ephesians 6:10-18. Last week, I gave a brief introduction of the whole armor, and today we will begin studying the individual parts, starting with the belt and breastplate.

As many times as I have studied and read these verses in the Bible, something just struck me.

The very last two words of the phrase, “armor of God.” This isn’t our armor. This is God’s, and we are to put it on with a sense of urgency. The battle for our spiritual lives isn’t something that we should be slow to defend.

This is life or death.

We need to be prepared to be battle-ready at all times. There is a spiritual war going on in the heavenly realms for our souls. Scripture says that the enemy is already defeated, and he knows that he is defeated; but until Jesus comes thundering back to this sinful world, the enemy will do all that he can to dislodge us from the protection of our loving Father.

So lets, “armor up” and get to work!

More than likely, Paul was in prison and chained to a Roman soldier while writing his letter to the Ephesians. He used this opportunity to encourage the Ephesians and more than likely used the soldier’s proper gear to describe the armor of God in terms that the people would be familiar with. During those times, Roman soldiers were a fixture in the cities with the Jews and the Gentiles. By using terms that were familiar to them, the people could visually see each piece of armor and connect with Paul’s message of the armor of God.

The first three pieces of the armor (belt, breastplate, and shoes) that Paul describes are pieces that the soldiers wore continuously on the battlefield. In the event of actual fighting, the last three parts were readily available for the soldiers to put on (shield, helmet, and sword).

The Belt of Truth

The soldiers used the belt not only to hang all the armor on, but it was also used to cinch up any extra material from their tunic that may have been exposed to his enemy. Due to hand-to-hand combat, the soldiers could be at a disadvantage with that exposed material, to where the enemy could use it to his advantage and defeat the soldier.

Putting on the belt of truth for us means to stand with integrity, to have a commitment to God’s Word, and to believe His Words are real. We are to be girded with the truth.

The Breastplate of Righteousness

The breastplate protected and covered the soldier’s heart and other vital organs.  Jesus protects our hearts against schemes of the enemy, and it’s through His righteousness – not our own, that covers and protects us.

The power of the heart is crucial to our lives as believers. Left unprotected, it could lead us onto a path of self-destruction that would lead us to a sinful, deceitful life. Thankfully, we have a God that loves us and will never forsake us, no matter how far we stray from Him.

Armor Up!

Listen, friends, I know how easy it is to stray; and I am forever grateful for the Lord’s redeeming love, but the memories of being in that bottomless, dark pit of despair is all it takes for me to take notice of what is going on around me. Something that appears to be harmless and straightforward can turn into a chain of sin. If I can prevent that feeling by merely putting on armor, then you can bet that I will have the armor of God on me twenty-four-seven!

Can I Pray for You?

If you are facing difficulties in your life and need prayer, please email me. I would love to pray for you! Please know that you are not alone and that you are loved!