Ephesians 6:14 says, “Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth.” For us to gird our loins is to strengthen our entire being. For the purpose of standing, our whole being needs to be strengthened with truth. Truth here refers to God in Christ as reality in our living, that is, God realized and expressed by us as our living. This is actually Christ Himself lived out by us (John 14:6). Such truth, such reality, is the girdle that strengthens our being for spiritual warfare. Our living must have a principle and a standard. This is nothing less than God in Christ expressed in our living in a practical way. When such a truth girds our loins, we are made strong.
The truth with which we are girded for spiritual warfare is the Christ we experience. In Philippians 1:21 Paul says, “To me to live is Christ.” This Christ whom Paul lived was his girdle of truth. This Christ was God expressed and revealed in Paul’s daily walk. Because Paul’s daily living was conformed to the pattern of Christ, he had the strength to face all opposition and adverse circumstances. Because Paul had been girded about with truth, he had the strength to stand.
Ephesians 6:14 also speaks of the breastplate of righteousness, which covers our conscience, signified by the breast. In fighting against Satan, our accuser, we need a conscience void of offense. But no matter how good we may feel our conscience is, we still need to have it covered with the breastplate of righteousness. Righteousness is a matter of being right with both God and man. If we have a problem with either God or man, Satan will accuse us, and there will be holes in our conscience through which our faith and boldness will leak out. Therefore, we need the covering of righteousness to protect us from the enemy’s accusation. Such righteousness is Christ (1 Cor. 1:30).
The righteousness which covers our conscience and that guards us from Satan’s accusations is Christ Himself. He is the breastplate of righteousness that covers our conscience. Hence, we are covered not by our own righteousness but by Christ as our righteousness. Furthermore, the breastplate of righteousness is related both to Christ and to His blood. In experience we cannot separate the blood from Christ. Apart from His blood, Christ cannot cover us. Under the cleansing of His blood, He becomes our righteousness to cover our conscience.
Ephesians 6:15 says, “Having shod your feet with the firm foundation of the gospel of peace.” Our feet need to be shod in order to strengthen our stand in the battle. The phrase “the firm foundation of the gospel of peace” means the establishment of the gospel of peace. Christ made peace for us on the cross both with God and with man, and this peace has become our gospel (Eph. 2:13-17). This has been established as a firm foundation, as a readiness for our feet to be shod with. Thus, we shall have a firm footing that we may stand to fight the spiritual warfare. The peace for such a firm foundation is also Christ (Eph. 2:14).
The gospel of peace spoken of in Ephesians 6:15 is the peace accomplished by Christ on the cross for us to be one with God and for the Gentile believers to be one with the Jewish believers. This peace is our gospel. With this peace there is preparation, readiness, a firm foundation. This firm foundation is a secure footing for our standing. Therefore, the peace accomplished by Christ on the cross is a firm footing, a firm foundation. As we fight against the evil powers, the peace Christ accomplished is a firm foundation for our peace. If we would take part in the spiritual warfare, our feet must be shod with this firm foundation. We fight in peace and with peace; we fight by standing in peace. Christ is the peace for us to be one with God and with the saints. This peace is the firm foundation that enables us to stand against the enemy.
The girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, and the firm foundation of the gospel of peace are all Christ. He is our truth, our righteousness, and our peace. Christ is God expressed and revealed, Christ is the righteous element that covers us, and Christ is the peace that enables us to stand. Therefore, if we would be victorious in the spiritual warfare, we need Christ as our girdle of truth, as our breastplate of righteousness, and as our peace to be our firm foundation.
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