Saturday 5 April 2014

Truth and righteousness

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, - Ephesians 6.14

The first two pieces of armour that Paul addresses are the belt, on which all the rest of the armour hangs, and the breastplate. Since our battle is spiritual it only makes sense that our armour will be spiritual as well because 'for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;'

Our belt is truth and our breastplate is righteousness. These are two concepts virtually unknown by the world.

When we put the armour on we must connect it all with truth. Truth underpins the rest of the armour. While the post-modern world tells us that we have moved beyond truth the Bible says that truth still exist and that Jesus is the source of truth. 

As the years have gone by I find that fewer and fewer people will acknowledge that there even is such a thing as truth. And of course if there is no truth everything else crumbles and there are no boundaries, no right, and no wrong. 

If we don't remember the truth of God's word and the truth found in Christ we are sure to fail. 

And then we have our bodies protected by the righteousness of Christ. It is a good thing it is not my righteousness because if it was I would surely be doomed. Only when we are 'dressed in His righteousness alone' can we be found 'faultless to stand before the throne.' In this wicked world my own righteousness will let me down. But in the inputed righteousness of Christ I can stand in victory. 

If I go out into this world confused about the truth and depending on my own righteousness I will not be able to stand even the shortest time. I must dress myself in His armour to suit me for the battle. 

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