Buckle Up

Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness (Eph 6:14).

Just as Q tells James Bond about his latest gadget for the next assignment, Paul begins describing the individual pieces of this amazing weapon system.  He identifies each component and lets us know why it’s critical in battle.  “Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness” (v14).  The first two pieces are the truth belt and purity flak jacket.  We already know our enemy.  Satan and his toadies (Eph 6:11-12).  Next, we know this isn’t going to be traditional warfare.  Instead, the devil and his troops will use terrorist tactics, ambushes and sneak attacks.  And we know that this is going to be violent, hand-to-hand combat.  So the apostle gets specific as he pulls each piece of gear off the rack and tells us what it will do.

Once again, Paul pounds it through our heads what our posture will be in battle.  “Stand” (v14).  Once again we see the Greek verb histemi.  It means to stand after taking position, stand firm and hold one’s ground.  This is the third time in four verses Paul uses this word.  When you include its kissing cousin “withstand” (Gr. anthistemi) from the last verse, this is the fourth time.  He’s clearly making a point.  A BIG point.  

Hang in there.  Hold your position.  Don’t give up your spot.  Stand your ground.  In just about every sport, coaches want their players in what they call the ready position.  Feet shoulder width apart.  Knees bent.  Butt down.  Hands out.  Head up.  Think of basketball player in a defensive stance ready to shutdown his opponent.  A linebacker crouching just before the snap.  A third baseman getting low at the hot corner.  Stand.  Get ready.  The attack is coming.  For the Ephesians, the heresy that did damage down the road in Colossae is headed their way.  For you and me, the question about a spiritual attack isn’t if but when.  Don’t get caught daydreaming.  And when it comes, hang in there.  Stand your ground.  In the strength of God, hold your position.  That’s only possible because of the sweet suit of armor He’s given us.

MacArthur says God’s armor is essential for spiritual warfare.  “Whether confronting Satan’s efforts to distrust God, forsaking obedience, producing doctrinal confusion and falsehood, hindering service to God, bringing division, serving God in the flesh, living hypocritically, being worldly, or in any other way reject biblical obedience, this armor is our defense.”  This set of gear isn’t just for special situations.  It’s to use 24-7-365.  We’re suited up and ready to go ‘round the clock.  Don’t forget to put it all on either.  This is “the whole armor of God” (Eph 6:11, 13).  We need it all.  Not using the complete set creates spots of vulnerability for our enemy.  There’s a reason for all of it.  OK, let’s take a look at these amazing individual components.  Sorry, Q.  But this is a whole lot better than anything your boys have cooked up in the lab for 007.

The first thing we see is “the belt of truth” (v14).  The belt pulls everything together.  In the first century, the warrior’s belt would tighten all loose clothing before going into battle.  It keeps all other parts tight so they don’t get in our way in battle.  There’s no saggy, baggy pants for this soldier.  Tightening your belt allows you to move quickly.  Just ask the Israelites before they beat feet out of Egypt (Ex 12:11).  Seems that the writer of Hebrews tells us something similar.  Before we run the marathon of faith, “let us lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely” (Heb 12:1).  God’s truth belt takes care of that.  Put it on and buckle up.

This particular belt pulls together all the spiritual loose ends in the truth of God.  And since Jesus refers to Himself as the personification of truth (Jn 14:6), this is His belt.  Seven hundred years before Christ was born, Isaiah predicted that Messiah would be wearing it.  “Righteousness shall be the belt of His waist, and faithfulness the belt of His loins” (Is 11:5).  Jesus said that to be one of His followers is to always be ready.  “Stay dressed for action” (Lk 12:35).  Put it on and buckle up.

Next up is “the breastplate of righteousness” (v14).  Think of a flak jacket or piece of body armor that protects your torso.  It guards your vital organs including your heart.  Solomon warned his son to protect your heart at all costs (Prov 4:23).  Just as a wound to the chest or abdomen was almost always fatal in the first century, a wound to our spiritual heart is spiritually deadly.  My heart must remain soft.  Soft to God’s guidance.  Soft to the people around me.  Once again, Isaiah had a clear view of what Messiah would be wearing.  “He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head” (Is 59:17).  Paul told the folks in Thessalonica that as believers we need that very same body armor (1Th 5:8).  Go ahead.  Strap it on.  Put it on and buckle up.

Don’t miss the point of what you’re putting on.  Or should I say WHO you’re putting on.  This is the belt of the truth about Jesus.  This is the body armor of His righteousness.  We’re putting on Christ.  This is Paul’s VERY practical way of reminding us that when we place our faith in who Jesus is and what He’s done, we are in Christ.  He uses this idea in way or another at least 28 times in this letter to the Ephesians.  We already have everything we’ll ever need in Jesus.  The apostle knows that when we understand who we are and what we have in Christ, we’re geared up and ready for anything.  But only when we trust in what He’s done that we could never do.  Jesus lived the perfect life that I completely failed at living.  He died the brutal death for my sin that I most certainly should have died.  He rose to a breathtaking new life that in no way do I deserve.  There was an amazing trade that bloody Friday at Golgotha.  “For our sake He (God) made Him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him (Jesus) we might become the righteousness of God” (2Cor 5:17).  Luther calls this the Great Exchange.  Jesus gives us His righteousness.  Jesus gives us His truth.  

Go ahead.  Strap them on.  And get ready.  Put them on and buckle up.