The Whole Armor of God - Part 2
There are seven parts of Դhe whole armor of GodԠand we cannot do without any one part. If we endeavor to stand with any part missing, the watchful foe will speedily find it out, take advantage of our weakness and readily defeat us.
-
"Your loins girt about with truth"
When David was convicted of his sin, he spoke to God saying, Ԃehold, thou desirest truth in the inward partsԠ(Psalm 51:6). His loins had not been girt with truth, and the enemy of God and His people took advantage of Davidӳ weakness to dishonor the holy name of Jehovah. It is only as Godӳ word has its rightful place in our souls, only as Christ dwells in our hearts by faith, that we shall have the loins girt about with truth. A true heart thinks only of how his life affects the honor of the Lordӳ name. If we have any other motive than Christ for any word or action, the loins are not girt about with truth. Paul had to withstand Peter to the face because he was influenced by those who came from James, rather than by the truth of God. Many things can come in to displace truth from the inward parts. The love of this present world displaced truth in the heart of Demas, resulting in his forsaking one who was standing for the truth. Praying to the Father for his disciples, the Lord said ԓanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truthԠ(John 17: 17). With the Fatherӳ word in us, Christ will be the motive of our life, and the truth will fill our inward parts, the springs that give character to every inward thought and movement and every outward activity.
-
"Having on the Breastplate of Righteousness"
This breastplate ensures that the heart will not have an accusing conscience .If we do anything that is not right before god, we get a bad conscience, of which the enemy is not slow to take advantage. Hymenaeus and Alexander put away a good conscience, making shipwreck of the faith. These are examples of men who, as it were, threw away the breastplate of righteousness. We can acquire a bad conscience in very small matters which, if not speedily judged and confessed to the Lord, will hinder us greatly in conflict to which God has called us.
