2002-01-01
Good Morning Faithful Ones,
The Spirit leads me to discuss the terms “stand firm” and “take up” as they are used in EPH 6: 11. We already know that all believers are in possession of a great treasure entrusted to them when they repent and come to faith in Christ. While a part of that treasure is our salvation, of course, the part of it referred to here is the Gospel, the word of God. 2 TIM 1: 13-14 is the advice given to Timothy, his young protégé, by Paul, who he was already imprisoned in Rome. “Hold firmly to the true words that I taught you, as the example for you to follow, and remain in the faith and love that are ours in union with Christ Jesus. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Who lives in us, guard the treasure entrusted to you.” In the context of putting on God’s full armor to battle the adversary, Paul gives us the “how-to” in EPH 6: 11. “Take up all the armor that God gives you, so that you will be able to stand firm against the devil’s evil tricks.” How can we miss the whole point that the truth really matters to God and to our very ability to gain eternal life? That doesn’t even mention how important the truth is to the devil’s eventual defeat. You see, the devil really hates the truth, which is why JN 8: 44 characterizes him as “the father of all lies with no truth in him.”
The words, “take up,” are a military term denoting the final preparation necessary before doing battle. It is part of the call to immediate action. Obedience is essential to victory. In our case, we are being told to don God’s full armor now, not at some unspecified time in the future. Not only that, but we must absolutely be trusting and obedient of Christ, our Leader in battle, if we are to win the victory. This is a victory that must be won in His name. It isn’t hard to imagine what would happen if soldiers were in a battle against the enemy, and none of them would obey the orders they had been given. I can’t help but think of the words of IS 53: 6a when it spoke of “we were like sheep gone astray, each one going its own way.” Sheep are not bright animals, nor can they survive on their own. They need a shepherd’s care for that. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what would happen if we didn’t trust and obey our Good Shepherd, Who is willing to give His life for us [JN 10: 14-18; JN 15:13].
The words, “stand firm,” are used once again in EPH 6: 14-15. “So stand firm, with truth as belt tight around your waist, with righteousness as your breastplate, and as your shoes the readiness to announce the Good News of peace.” In ancient times when a soldier got dressed for battle, everything he put on had to be done so correctly. Each piece of his battle wear had a purpose connected with enabling him to fight effectively and preserving his life. When we consider what God is asking us to do, the same principles apply. The tight belt of truth says, we must stick exactly to the word of God as it is written. We are not to add or subject anything, and we are most certainly not to extract citations from the Bible and place them in artificial, human-concocted constructs. The latter is what apostate sects and cults do. The issue of righteousness is defined by God, not by mankind. Being righteous means having one’s thoughts, attitudes, and behavior in line with God’s-making one’s agenda align with that of the Deity, not with one’s own agenda or that of another person. As to the issue of spreading the Gospel, I love Isaiah’s way of putting it in IS 52: 7 [KJV], “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publishseth salvation; that saith unto Zion Thy God reigneth!” Now, I realize this language is outdated, but we can appreciate the beauty of it and the great message it conveys. Just for those of you who struggle too hard with the old English, here is the same verse in modern English from the Good News version of the Bible. “How wonderful it is to see a messengers coming across the mountains, bringing Good News, the news of peace. He announces the victory and says to Zion, ‘Your God is King.’” In either version, it’s a gorgeous message made possible only when we trust and obey the Lord, when we “take up” His full armor and “stand firm” in holding to the truth and using that armor to bring the adversary to defeat in Christ’s name.
It’s one thing to discuss the principles of God’s teaching, but it is another to find how we must apply it to our individual and congregational lives in the modern day world. By reading the messages I’m directed to write daily, it is my fondest hope that each of us (including me) are drawn to examining our own lives against the subjects discussed. I had a very unhappy childhood and dealt with that by developing an active fantasy life. Sometimes as a child I got to the point where fantasy and truth got very mixed up. I told some whoopers in my day, ones that adults around me saw for what they were. As I got older, I began to see the folly of this, but it took me a long time before I had completely stopped. To make matters worse, I’m a bad liar. I don’t do it well. The Lord has demonstrated such marvelous patience with me, as He pushed me toward the realization of my need to conform to God’s way, telling the truth. Once I recognized the insatiable hunger that I have for God’s word, all of my former behavior was at last seen for what it was-the work of the devil and my giving into him. Paul not only spoke to Timothy in 2 TIM 1: 13-14, he speaks to each of us, including me. Understanding this has become one of the greatest blessings of my life. I hope you will take the time to see how all of this impacts your own lives.
PRAYER: O Lord, this morning You bring us to songs of praise and acknowledgement of Your Supremacy as King over all. PS 95: 1-3, “Come, let us praise the Lord! Let us sing for joy to God, Who protects us! Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and sing joyful songs of praise. For the Lord is a mighty God, a mighty King over all the gods.” PS 97: 1-6, “The Lord is King! Earth, be glad! Rejoice, you islands of the seas! Clouds and darkness surround Him; He rules with righteousness and justice. Fire goes in front of Him and burns up His enemies around Him. His lightening lights up the world: the earth sees it and trembles. The hills melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim His righteousness, and all the nations see His glory.” You reveal to us in the Scriptures Who you are and what You do for us. When we understand this in light of what is in today’s message, we can see why it is so important that the exact truth be told. Liars will be caught short and brought to light. If they persist in their lies, they will experience eternal torment in the lake of fire and sulfur. Those who have discernment that comes from Your truth and their faith in it, will be protected from this horrific fate. Evil is connected to darkness, which is why it is often referred to as the “darkness of this world.” Your truth pierces that darkness and exposes it for what it is. PS 119: 105, “Your word is a lamp unto my feet, a light for my path,” the Psalmist wrote. You have made it clear, Dearest Abba, that we must be sanctified before we are ready to be glorified. We can now understand that liars are stopped in the process of sanctification and are not purified from their sin, thus wasting the opportunity for salvation given to them by the death of Your Son on the cross. We humbly confess our sins, repent of them, and come before You, asking to be filled with the Holy Spirit, willing to accept Christ’s leadership of our lives. You have our eternal adoration, worship, trust, obedience, loyalty, diligence, glory, honor, praise and thanksgiving. In His holy name, we pray. Amen.
Tomorrow, we will take a closer look at the belt of truth. In the meanwhile, note that I began today’s prayer with praise for the Lord. That’s because I believe no entity in our lives deserves it more. Praising God will be our most important occupation when we live with Him in heaven. It sure is appropriate for us to get into the habit of doing it now-actually the sooner, the better. This is not because God threatens us into it; it is because He deserves nothing less from us for the love, compassion, guidance, patience, encouragement, and presence that He offers us every second of our earthly lives. There is no greater, more truthful Source of love anywhere in the universe or in the heavens that our Abba. Peter and I send you our love too.
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn