When Apostle Paul wrote the iconic passage of Ephesians 6:10-20, I suspect he had at least two
Old Testament passages in mind (emphasis mine):
Isaiah 59:17 He put on righteousness as a breastplate,
and a helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,
and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.
And:
Exod 14:13-14 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand firm and see the salvation of the
LORD that he will provide for you today; for the Egyptians that you see today you will never, ever
see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you can be still.”
The passage in Isaiah is about LORD’S coming to bring justice, but this Exodus passage is about spiritual warfare. Paul borrows from the LORD’S wardrobe for spiritual warfare, because as Paul states earlier, this battle is never about flesh and blood, but about forces in the unseen realm. The other passage Paul borrows from is about God delivering the Israelites from the Egyptians. The phrase “Stand” and “Stand firm” is repeated four times in Ephesians 6:10-20. When a Biblical author repeats a word, we give it special attention. Like the Israelites, we face an enemy far greater than us (and we cannot even see them). Like the Israelites, we have a deliverer who can vanquish that enemy completely. Also, like the Israelites, we must trust our deliverer and obey. To do that we need to be prepared: “ 6:14 Stand firm therefore, by fastening the belt of truth around your waist”
It is notable that the very first part of our wardrobe of defense is not really a weapon at all. It holds our wardrobe together. It holds our sword. It is used to tuck in the tunic so one can run faster, it protects the groin (in Roman armor), and it holds other small equipment (like a dagger). It is arguably the foundation of the wardrobe.
So it is with Truth. I use a capital T because “my truth”’ or “your truth” have no place in this wardrobe. This is God’s Truth. It is the only Truth that conforms fully to reality. In fact, Jesus said “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” (John 14:6). It is by knowing the Truth that we are set free from bondage to all sorts of slavery, including slavery to sin (John 8:32). However, unless you know this Truth, how can you act on it? It is with Truth that we destroy lies. Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5:
For though we live as human beings, we do not wage war according to human standards, for the
weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, but are made powerful by God for tearing
down strongholds. We tear down arguments and every arrogant obstacle that is raised up
against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ.
We cannot tear down arguments without knowing the Truth. No fancy rhetoric will do as that is playing in the enemy’s realm by manipulating words (1 Cor 2:1). Jesus used the Truth of scripture when being tested by Satan in the wilderness. He knew it by heart. (Matt 4:1-11)
Further, our primary enemy, Satan, is the OG liar. Of him, Jesus says:
John 8:44 You people are from your father the devil, and you want to do what your father
desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth, because there is
no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, because he is a liar
and the father of lies.
How do you defend against lies? With the Truth. That requires knowing the Truth.
Back to John 14:6, the Truth is not just about facts. It is about knowing the One who embodies Truth, Jesus. In Acts 19:11-20 there is a story about some exorcists who went around casting out demons in Jesus’s name, but they didn’t know Jesus. When confronted with this fact, one demon attacked them, and they left running away naked and wounded. How could this demon do this? Because the exorcists did not know Jesus so did not have the protection or authority given people who have made Jesus Lord of their lives. They were not even part of the army of God.
So how does one put on the Belt of Truth?
Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart God raised him from the dead (Rom 10:9).
Find someone to disciple you in the faith so you can learn the Truth (1 John 2).
Read and memorize scripture (Matt 4:1-11).
Walk in obedience to God (1 John 1:6)
Spend time with the Father in prayer and be fathered by him (1 John 5:18-20).
“5:18 We know that everyone fathered by God does not sin, but God protects the one he has fathered, and the evil one cannot touch him”
コメント