TBP - The Belt of Truth
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Stand Firm Then (Ephesians 6:14)
Stand Firm Then (Ephesians 6:14)
Having – an event that happened and continues on to the present. We already have on and are “always” wearing.
Having Girded…Your Loins With Truth
Having Put On…Breastplate Of Righteousness
Having Shod…Feet With The Preparation Of The Gospel Of Peace
The Belt Of Truth
The Belt Of Truth
Elementary - Without Truth The Armor Makes No Sense. All The Other Pieces Are Based On This One.
First piece put on. It’s what holds everything else together. No belt, everything else falls down or apart or off.
Essential - It Is Primary And Is Critical To Our Armor’s Proper Functioning.
It Is Essential In Combatting Satan’s tactics
“You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. “But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.
The Problem: What Is Truth?
The Problem: What Is Truth?
Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in Him.
Definitions of alḗtheia - truth
The unveiled reality lying at the basis of and agreeing with the appearance of things.
The Bible reveals the reality that lies at the base of everything.
I’ve seen it’s truth claims played out in my life and in the lives of others.
Integrity, virtue, upright, sincere, genuine, true motives, things that we are to strive for.
For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,
and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Truth is tied to our sanctification – rhema and logos. Will touch on later with the Sword of the Spirit.
“Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.
so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
The word of God, the truth of God is a big part to our sanctification.
It’s interesting to note that the armor begins with the belt of truth and then hanging from the belt is the Sword of the Spirit, which is the last piece mentioned. Bookends.
The Principle: Truth - Unveiled Reality
The Principle: Truth - Unveiled Reality
Truth By Nature, Then, Must Be Objective
A standard outside of myself and my existence
In science, this is similar to having a control group. You have to have something as your starting point in order to compare what is different or what changes.
Truth Must Transcend Time, Culture, And Human Experience
The only thing that meets that criterion is God.
God has unveiled Himself through His Word.
God The Father has revealed Himself through His Son, Jesus.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
He is the truth lying at the basis of everything.
This is why Jesus could say:
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
God not only sets the standard, He is the standard.
He does not change.
He is always accurate.
Which is why He can be trusted. And why He will be faithful to His promises.
As a result, we, ourselves, cannot set some kind of standard and call it truth. We can only call it an opinion, or a preference, or a cultural or sociological difference.
Headhunting tribes believes it is ok to kill the enemy and eat them. That is a cultural difference.
Murder is still wrong regardless of culture. Why? Because God is life, God creates life, and God breathes life into people.
Many years after his conversion, the great thinker C.S. Lewis said of his days as an atheist: “How had I got this idea of just and unjust?...A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line.
In Practice: Truth - Integrity/Character
In Practice: Truth - Integrity/Character
Integrity/Character Is Conformity To The Standard (vs. 1)
Integrity/Character Is Conformity To The Standard (vs. 1)
God’s Kingdom – His reign, His rules
Jesus is the Judge – the arbiter of truth and justice
Impartial
He will come to judge living and dead
In light of His appearing and His Kingdom, we are to live our lives.
How do we know if we have deviated from the standard? You line up against the standard.
Our Responsibility (vs. 2)
Our Responsibility (vs. 2)
Preach The Word.
This is the whole counsel of God’s word.
We have no liberty to invent the message, but only to communicate it.
It’s God’s Word, God’s Truth.
We are to share God’s standard.
We are to share what we do when we deviate from that standard.
confession and repentance.
Reprove, rebuke, exhort.
Reprove: Convince, Correct – to be shown where one is in the wrong – behavior– this is what you’ve done wrong and here’s how you can correct it.
Rebuke: Evaluate, admonish strongly – to be shown where one is in the wrong – thinking/belief– this is where your thought process went astray, make a better assessment next time. “You weren’t thinking clearly…”
Exhort – to comfort, encourage, challenge, and help one to improve, to embrace what’s true. To call alongside for encouragement. You can do this.
Be Prepared
In Season And Out Of Season.
kairos - opportune moment.
eu-kairos - good opportunity.
a-kairos - without opportunity.
convenient and inconvenient.
when times are good and when times are bad.
in context - when the message will be well received, when the message will not be well received.
We have no control over the response of the message, only in the faithfulness in giving it.
Careful Instruction
teaching what has been taught.
Passing on authoritative information.
Here’s what God says…Accurately.
Not inserting my thoughts.
Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.
The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.
Be Patient– in respect to persons
1 Peter 3:15 – defend the hope of the Gospel in gentleness and reverence.
Colossians 4:5–6 – Our speech should be full of grace as if seasoned with salt.
Ephesians 4:15 – speak the truth in love.
Instruction - again we are to bring our lives into conformity to God’s Word, God’s Will, and God’s Way.
The goal - maturity and stability.
As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
Itching Ears (vs. 3-4)
A time will come - kairos
Will not endure sound doctrine
Healthy, pure, orthodox teachings that has stood the test of time.
This is what we are to think and believe and how we are to act , our behavior.
Wanting to have their ears tickled
Wanting to hear things merely out of curiosity or to feel good, rather than for spiritual growth.
Don’t want to be challenged, or have something thought provoking.
Don’t want to be convicted. We want to be pampered.
Please scratch that itch. I have an itch to hear something pleasing.
Accumulate teachers to preach and teach what they WANT to hear
According to their own desires.
More frequently translated in the negative sense – lustful desires.
Usually so they can keep living their lives the way they want to.
Usually so that they can continue to sin and still feel forgiven.
Many Will Turn Away Their Ears
Tuning out
To turn away also is used in the context of “inciting people to rebellion.”
In other words – “To turn one away from Caesar…”
From Not Liking The Truth To Redefine The Truth.
So this turning away doesn’t just become tolerant, it becomes the enemy.
Turn from truth and to...
Turn to Myths.
Commonly rendered as a tale or a fable or that which is fabricated by the mind in contrast to reality…
Mostly used in the NT denoting a fable full of falsehoods and pretenses.
2 Peter 1:16– cleverly devised tales (appear wise, and with the intent to deceive)
1 Timothy 4:7 – worldly (profane, unholy) fables fit only for old women
1 Timothy 1:4 – myths give rise to speculation rather than furthering God’s plan.
The Process: Truth Rejected
The Process: Truth Rejected
They ignore it
Romans 1:18 (NASB95)
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
They try to run from it
2 Timothy 2:18 (NASB95)
men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some.
They begin to get impatient with it (not endure - not listen to)
They then trade it in and embrace the falsehoods as their truth. (accumulate teachers to hear what they want to hear).
They redefine truth.
Romans 1:25 (NASB95)
For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Finally, they are in a full rebellion against the truth.
What Can We Do About It?
What Can We Do About It?
Know The Truth.
So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
Continue In The Words Of Jesus: Study The Truth
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
Teaching - Here’s the standard
Reproof - Here’s where you have wandered from the standard
Correction - Here’s how to get your life back in line with the standard
Training in Righteousness - here’s how you stay true to the standard, educative discipline
teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Memorize And Meditate Upon The Truth
Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.
Follow The Truth: Apply It To Your Life.
Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
Closing Song: Good Good Father, Forever Reign