In verses 10-12 we looked at the struggles that we all face in life and the realty that the struggles we’re involved in are not against each other or the circumstances we find ourselves in. What we struggle against is spiritual. We’re in a spiritual battle against Satan and his forces that are working to lead us away from God and to destroy us. Paul writes that the only way for us to be strong in this battle is to completely trust in Jesus as the source of our strength.

In verse 13 we talked about standing firm - making a choice to resist the attacks of Satan - not retreating - but remaining faithful - standing in the strong victory over Satan that Jesus has already won for us on the cross and through His resurrection.

In verses 14 to 17 we’re coming to an illustration that Paul gives to us to explain - in a very practical way - what we need to do to live - in the midst of this struggle - to daily live in God’s strength. The illustration Paul gives is the Armor of God. In verses 11 and 13, he writes, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand firm - so that you can resist” -so that you can daily stand in God’s strength. Like a soldier prepared for battle - when we put on God’s armor we’re prepared - strengthened - for the struggles of our lives.

In verse 14, Paul gives us the first piece of armor - which is what we want to focus on this morning: “Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth.” Stand in God’s strength by putting on the belt of truth.

Just about 3 weeks ago (09.17.01) I went to the interfaith prayer service at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium - down at the civic center. Despite my reservations - after a lot of prayer and counsel I went to the service to show support for the community. There were at least 7,000 plus people there including the Governor, both our US Senators, the mayor, and other politicians. And of course, representatives of every religion we could think of and then some: Catholics, Anglicans, Sikhs, Buddhists, Hindus, Mormons, Muslims, Christians, Jews, Satanists and on and on. Each one there to offer prayers - chants - incantations - and whatever to a least a dozen deities.

To give you a idea of how this went, we began in front of the auditorium led in prayer by a Shinto priest who called upon our dead ancestors to give us wisdom. That was followed by a native American who had us pray to our grandfather - their concept of God - so we prayed to our grandfather facing first north - the east - south - west - and then by reaching down and touching our mother earth.

Its hard to understand how people of differing “faith traditions” - as they call them - different religions which all claim truth - can so easily join together into one body proclaiming that truth is relative - experiential - in which there is no absolute truth.

Here we are on Brotherhood Way. A few years back someone had graffitied on a wall - “Sisterhood Way”. This is a very interesting street. Starting from the west is the Greek Orthodox Church - then the Masonic Temple - then KZV and the Cultural Center - the Church of Christ - us - the Jewish School - the Jewish Temple - and at the very top the Roman Catholic Church. Often, on this street, we hear the statement, “We’re people of different faith traditions.” Never question the reality of someone else’s personal faith journey as if implying that an absolute truth may exist.

In our schools - courts - politics - community - we’re told that we must be tolerant - inclusive - open to the experiences and beliefs of others. “Truth is relative to how I experience life.” “We’re to embrace homosexuality as an alternative sexual orientation.” “One should not be so dogmatic as to define marriage as only being a monogynous relationship between one male and one female.” “God is who I experience Him - or her - or it - to be.”

According to the people who research these things - 50% of the adults in America believe that “everything in life is negotiable.” 60% of all adults believe that, “nothing can be known for certain except the things you experience in your own life.”

In a recent survey - only 23% of evangelical Christians agreed with the existence of absolute truth. Think about that. Over 75% of evangelical Christians are saying that nothing can be known for certain. If there is no absolute truth, then by definition nothing can be said to be absolutely true. To the majority, apparently, it's all relative.

Who really created everything we see around us? Was Jesus really who He claimed to be? Did He really die for our sins? Can we really know God? Nothing is certain. Might be. Might not be. Who knows for sure?

Paul writes, “Put on the belt of truth” - because in this world which Satan has deluded into thinking that truth is what we create it to be - weakened us so that we’re vulnerable to his attacks - open to his leading us to our own destruction - in this struggle we desperately need the strength of God’s truth to uphold and give direction to our lives.

For the soldier the belt went on first. The belt Paul describes was really an undergarment - essential to a soldiers uniform. The belt held everything else together. It kept the breastplate in place. The sword was attached to the belt. The belt gathered the soldiers tunic and kept it up.

We’ve seen these comedy routines where someone’s pants fall down around their ankles and they try to go on with things trying to hold their pants up with one hand. It would very difficult to fight a battle if your tunic kept falling down around your ankles.

The belt is essential to the uniform. The belt tied tightly around the waist - the soldier was ready for action - knowing a sense of inner strength and confidence - girded for battle.

And, the belt went on first. So is the truth for our lives that Paul writes of. Our armor - our preparation - for spiritual battle begins with the belt of truth. What is this truth is that Paul is writing of? That’s so essential for our lives?

In Ephesians 4:21, Paul writes that Jesus is the truth. God, in Jesus Christ, the living Word of God - God has revealed to us the absolute truth we need to know in order to know God - to be saved - to live life in obedience to God.

In John chapter 14, Jesus is in the Upper Room - it’s the Last Supper - just prior to Jesus’ betrayal and crucifixion. Jesus is sharing with the disciples truths which literally stagger the imagination.

Jesus says, “Believe in God, believe also in me.” Imagine, Jesus equates trust in God to trusting in Him. He’s speaking of Himself as God. Jesus speaks of the believers future dwelling with God and His own return to bring us into that eternal dwelling.

Thomas - confused - asks Jesus “How?” - “How are we to know the way to God?”

Jesus replies with this incredible revelation about Himself - John 14:6 - “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.”

What an awesome claim! Jesus doesn’t say, “I show a way. I teach a truth. I give a life.” Other religious leaders fit into these categories. Buddha called himself “the way-shower”. Mohammed called himself a teacher of truth. Many prophets throughout history have offered to lead one to life, but none of them can make the absolute claim Jesus did.

How can Jesus make such a statement - so absolute - so dogmatic - so exclusive? In our “inclusive” society - where truth is relative - today this verse is not “politically correct”. In fact, many people today would like to avoid this verse or make it say something that it does not say - to soften the words of Jesus and make them more palatable to our culture today. But, according to the best Biblical scholarship - these words of Jesus mean absolutely what it sounds like Jesus is saying.

“There is no other way - no other truth - no other life. When you come to me you are meeting God; you have found the ultimate reality and the truth. When you come to me you then and there possess the life.” (John 14:1-6)

Paul writes, put on Jesus Christ. Gird yourselves with Jesus. Jesus is the truth. He alone can meet the error and confusion and delusions of this world and give true direction and understanding to our lives. He is the absolute essential if we are ever to live with strength through the struggles of this life and into eternity with God.

In thinking through what this means for us today - how we can be girded truth - by way of application - I’d like to share what Jesus said in John 8:32. Jesus was speaking at the Temple in Jerusalem - very practical words to the Jews who were gathered there listening to Him - encouraging them to keep trusting in Him. Jesus said this - John 8:32 - “you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

In this world where the idea of finding absolute truth - truth about God and what it means to know Him and live in His strength - where all this sounds like such an absurd idea. Jesus says, “you shall know the truth - singular - absolute - and the truth shall make you free.”

What most often keeps people from trusting Jesus as their Savior - from knowing His truth and strength and freedom - is that they think they’re OK the way they are. They may need a few minor adjustments here and there but no big changes are required. They feel comfortable with their own understanding of what is true.

But Jesus speaks the truth about what’s really going on in our hearts. Outwardly we may be the most beautifully moral and upright person - for years a devoted faithful attendee and supporter of the church - successful by all the world’s standards. But unless we’ve personally received Jesus as our Savior - we’ve not been set free from the sin in our heart.

Probably some here this morning - suffer inwardly from a terrible sense of failure - of shame about things in your past. Millions suffer inwardly from hurt - despair - even depression over the past or present. When we come to Jesus as our Savior - God forgives our sins - and we need not feel guilty for them.

So many today are gripped by fear - worried - anxious - insecure. I’ve known people who couldn’t go outside their house. They we’re too afraid. Maybe that’s extreme. But most of us have fears that limit us and keep us from doing what we long to do. Knowing the truth of a relationship with God - how our Heavenly Father who loves us so much that He forgives our sins through the death of His Son Jesus - how He cares for us - knowing God’s truth gives us confidence to live life boldly.

Then there’s anger - and how God reassures us that the burdens which drive us to hatred - bitterness - and rage - are the burdens that He dealt with on the cross through Jesus - and the freedom we can have if we will just trust Him to take care of us.

Pride is another hang-up - a proud - aggressive - arrogant spirit that indulges in prejudice and bigotry. In trusting Jesus - we come in humility knowing that it’s only by His grace that I - or you - or any of us are saved. Not by anything we’ve done or could do.

The bottom line is that Jesus offers us freedom from what tears at us deep within - what keeps us from being all that we’re meant to be - what binds us and limits us - what opens us up to the attacks and influences of Satan - what weakens us when we desperately desire to be strong.

This is what Jesus is talking about - His wonderful truth is that there is a way out. "Bring them to me," - whatever binds you - what weakens you. Jesus tells us. "Bring yourself to me. Listen to my words. Trust me and I will set you free. I will be your strength for life.”

There’s a story about a man who came to his old friend - a music teacher - and he asked him in the off-hand - uncaring - way that we say things, “What’s the good news today?” The music teacher never said a word. He walked across the room, picked up a hammer and struck a tuning fork. As the note resonated through-out the room, he said, “That’s ‘A’. It’s ‘A’ today, it was ‘A’ 5,000 years ago, and it will be ‘A’ 10,000 years from now. The soprano upstairs sings off-key. The tenor across the hall sings flat. And, the piano downstairs is out of tune.” He struck the note again, and said, “That’s an ‘A’ my friend, and that’s the good news for today!”

That’s who Jesus Christ is. The absolute unchanging truth of God - the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) That’s strength that never yields. Strength that can always be counted on.

This morning each of us has a choice - to put on truth or to leave it off.

The Apostle John writes, “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” (John 1:12)

That’s putting on the belt of truth. We must first individually choose to receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord then we can know His strength and protection and power in our lives. And then when we feel defeated - under attack - when doubts weaken us - we trust Him. Those are the times when we need to choose to believe in the only One who is worth listening to - the only one who has the explanation for life. Believe in Him. Act on His words.