One of things I enjoy most about losing weight is needing to tighten my belt another notch. It gives me a sense of accomplishment when I have to use the next hole down in order to keep my pants up. So far I haven’t needed to go shopping for new pants, but I may need to get a smaller belt size soon.
Just like a belt holds my pants up, so the Truth is what holds our faith together, especially when the world is falling down around us. That is why the first piece of the armor of God Paul tells us to put on is “the belt of truth…” (Ephesians 6:14 NLT).
Some may ask, like Pontius Pilate, “What is truth?” (John 18:38). King David provides the answer in Psalm 119:160, where he says, “The very essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever.” Jesus Himself endorsed this when He prayed, “Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.”
The truth, as found in God’s Word, is the belt that holds the rest of God’s armor together. If we do not put it on daily we risk being “tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching…influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.” (Ephesians 4:14). This was why the people of Berea were commended because they “searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.” (Acts 17:11).
It is not enough to listen to a preacher or someone else telling us “the truth.” That’s a good way to be led astray and for our faith to fall apart. Day by day, we must search the Scriptures for ourselves and “Stand [our] ground, putting on the belt of truth…” (Ephesians 6:14).
How about you? Did you put on your belt today?