The phrase ‘loins girt about with truth’ literally means ‘to
have the belt of truth around your waist’. Keep in mind that the apostle Paul
is using a Roman soldier’s armor to describe the preparation of the Christian
for spiritual combat. During the era of the
The first step in the Christian’s preparation is a foundation of truth. We now live in an era where truth is shunned. I once had someone approach me and declare confidently that there was no such thing as absolute truth. I responded by asking, “Are you absolutely sure?” The claim that there is no such thing as truth is a logical contradiction for if that statement is true, then it also must be false. How can a culture have a foundation based on an assumption that nothing is absolute? Truly our modern culture is building its foundation on shifting sand.
Having the confidence that we can indeed know what is true
provides us with a firm foundation on which to secure our armor and our lives
upon. A house built on an unstable foundation is certain to fall. It may stand
for a while, but when the foundation is stressed, it cannot stand. The same is
true for our lives. Even those who reject truth appear strong as long as life
remains in control, but when everything around us spirals out of control, only
those founded upon the Rock will stand secure. When terrorist destroyed the
towers in
As moral relativism has crept into the church, the
foundation of the church has also eroded. Spiritual maturity is not possible without
a firm grasp upon the truth. We are instructed by God to take a firm hold on
the instructions found in God’s truth and not to let go, for they are our life[1].
When truth becomes relative there is no way to determine what is right or wrong
and the people within the church are easily swept away by every wind of
doctrine. This is why the scriptures teach that God has appointed individuals
within the church to disciple God’s people to know the truth of scripture so
they are not carried away by error. One of the best examples of this is found
in Ephesians 4:11-15
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
The purpose of these positions of leadership are to teach doctrine to the church and to bring each person into the knowledge of Christ so that we can have unity, be equipped for ministry, and to not be carried away by every wind of doctrine. When we have an understanding of the truth of scripture, our spiritual lives will be secure and able to stand against all of the deceptions of the devil. Many claim to be of God and claim to have spiritual revelations, but through truth we are able to discern what is of God and what is error. The Bible states that the spirit of the prophets are subject to the prophets[2]. In other words, those who claim to be a prophet are subject to what God has already revealed to those we know were prophets. God will not contradict His eternal truth for this would cause confusion; therefore, if a prophet’s words contradict what has already been revealed, we are not to believe him[3] for God is not the author of these things[4]. Knowing the truth and obeying the instructions of scripture is the anchor of our faith. Truth is essential for binding together the whole armor of God and having victory in our walk of faith.
The breastplate of a soldier is designed to protect the
vital organs and the heart. This is a symbolic word picture of how
righteousness protects the hearts of God’s people. The Bible warns us to guard
our hearts with all diligence for out of it come the issues of life[5].
Let us first define what it means to be righteous. The word ‘righteousness’ is
the Greek word ‘dikaiosune’ (pronounced dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay) which means: integrity,
virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking, feeling, and acting.
We, by nature, do not have correctness of thinking and therefore act according
to what is right in our own eyes. Throughout the Bible man is condemned for
doing what is right in his own eyes and we are specifically warned twice in
scripture that there is a way that seems right to man’s way of thinking, but
the end of what we think is right from the perspective of the flesh leads us
into the ways of death[6].
True righteousness is foreign to man. We are credited with the righteousness of
God and therefore must put on that righteousness in order to walk according to
God’s ways. Look at 2 Corinthians 5:
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
According to the scriptures, Jesus was credited with our
sins and we were credited with His righteousness. The Apostle Paul testified of
this in Philippians 3:
9 And be found in him, not
having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through
the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Even as Christians we struggle to keep from falling back
into the human way of thinking. It is only natural to believe that we are the
source of our own righteousness; however, it is not what we do nor is
righteousness anything we merit. We obtain righteousness by being found in Him
(Christ) and we receive the righteousness that comes from God by faith. This is
not only a New Testament principle but has been taught from the beginning. Isaiah 61:10a teaches:
10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness…
Isaiah teaches that we are covered with the robe of God’s
righteousness and that our own righteous acts are vile in God’s sight[7].
We become righteous by putting our faith in God’s forgiveness, and then we
receive His righteousness and put it on by walking in God’s ways and abiding in
Him. Those who follow God’s righteousness will find mercy, life, righteousness
and honor[8].
So the question to be answered is how do we walk in God’s righteousness. To
help answer this question, look at Psalm
119:171-174
171 My lips shall utter
praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes.
172 My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy
commandments are righteousness. 173
Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts. 174 I have longed for thy
salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.
Let us also go back a few verses in this same chapter and
look at Psalm 119:9-12
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according
to thy word. 10 With my whole
heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. 11 Thy word have I hid in mine
heart, that I might not sin against thee.
12 Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.
God’s commandments are righteousness and it is the word of God that corrects, instructs, reproves what is wrong and provides good doctrine so that each Christian can be thoroughly equipped for this walk of faith and the work God has called us to do[9]. Jesus also stated that anyone who loves Him will keep His word and through this we have an abiding relationship with both the Son and the Father[10]. Jesus also taught that we are cleansed by the word[11]. This agrees with the passage above in Psalm. For those who have received Christ, the word renews our mind, cleanses our lives and transforms our way of thinking so that we can walk in righteousness. The more time you spend in the word, the more you will see God build your understanding line upon line and precept upon precept. Each time you study, your understanding grows and your ways of thinking are shaped into the way of righteousness. Each time you go through the entire scripture again, more is added to your foundation of faith and you become deeply grounded on the Rock of your salvation.
You will never exhaust the depth of God’s word but will find that as God is revealing His truth to you He will open your eyes to see what was previously hidden in plain sight. You will see the same passage from a different perspective and new truth will be revealed. The amazing thing about God’s word is the depth of the scriptures that are revealed to us as we grow deeper in our faith. There are no private interpretations for each revelation of truth is consistent with the entirety of God’s word. The only thing that changes is our ability to see and understand it. Our understanding is limited by our frame of reference, the depth of our faith and the Spirit of God opening our eyes to see and understand. You cannot understand the deeper things of God unless the Spirit reveals truth and the Spirit will not reveal truth until we obey the command to diligently study to show ourselves approved.
Most people never get beyond the surface of the scriptures
because they do not seek. The Lord has promised that if we seek, we will find[12].
In fact, God has promised that you will seek and find Him when you seek with
all your heart[13]. God
wants you to find Him but He has not promised to make the Christian life easy.
The call of the Christian is to seek Him for He is the rewarder of those who do
so diligently[14]. The
fact is that a teacher, preacher, book or study can inspire you and give you a
limited understanding, but it pales in comparison to the depth of understanding
that God reveals to those who seek Him. Many people have head knowledge and
know the overall doctrine that identifies their local denomination, but have
little understanding about true faith and what it means to walk in fellowship
with the Lord. If man is the source we look to for learning we will be limited
severely; however, if we believe the scripture’s promise that we will be taught
by God, then we will also have the promise of Psalm 119:97-105
97 O how love I thy law! it
is my meditation all the day. 98
Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are
ever with me. 99 I have
more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my
meditation. 100 I understand
more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. 101 I have refrained my feet from
every evil way, that I might keep thy word.
102 I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast
taught me. 103 How sweet are
thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104 Through thy precepts I get
understanding: therefore I hate every false way. 105 Thy word is a lamp unto
my feet, and a light unto my path.
Do you have more understanding than your teachers? You will if you seek the Lord and study His word for the Lord Himself teaches us through His word. This passage speaks of meditating on the word. There are various doctrines on meditation but the Bible only allows for one form of meditation – to think upon His word. As we contemplate the meaning of His word, He opens our eyes to see what no teacher can teach us and no book can reveal.
The human understanding is blind from seeing the hidden things of God. There are examples of this in the scriptures. The Bible tells us that the darkness of sin blinds our eyes but as we enter the light of righteousness we see[15]. Those who resist the Holy Spirit’s call have their eyes darkened so they cannot see[16] and those who have grown complacent to the word of God will have their eyes closed[17]. When Jesus walked with the disciples on the road to Emmaus after Jesus rose from the grave, the Bible says that their eyes were held that they should not know Him. They knew Jesus before His crucifixion and communed with Him during their walk, but could not see until their eyes were opened[18]. Even the twelve chosen apostles could not understand the plan of redemption even though Jesus clearly spelled out His coming crucifixion. It was not until they were given understanding after the resurrection that they grasped the concept of God’s plan.
Another example of this can be seen through the life of Hagar in Genesis 21. When Hagar was driven away from Sarah so that her son would not be an heir with Isaac, she wandered through the wilderness. She ran out of water and began to dehydrate. She eventually lost hope and put her son under a tree and walked away from him because she did not want to see him die. She sat down and wept. The Lord called from heaven and promised to make her son a great nation and then the Lord opened her eyes to see a fountain of water and preserved both of their lives[19]. The water was there all the time, but Hagar could not see it until her eyes were opened.
In the same way, the fountain of life is present in the
living word of God. The truths that refresh us and give life have always been
there but we cannot see it until our eyes are opened by God. The Lord is the
fountain of living waters[20]
and to those who receive Him, the living water shall be within them a fountain that
flows out through our lives. Look at John
4:
14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
Take note that the living water does not come from us, but
that which is within us. God has promised that His Spirit resides in the lives
of those who receive the gift of salvation and from this Spirit we have
understanding, life, and righteousness[21].
Once we have the Holy Spirit within us, we then have the promise that those who
understand will draw counsel out of their hearts like drawing out of deep
waters[22].
We are not drawing from our own hearts, but from the Spirit in our hearts that
has been given to us. We are promised by God that the Holy Spirit within us
teaches us all things concerning the word. This is explained in 1 John 2:
27 But the anointing which
ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you:
but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no
lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
This understanding does not come from the human intellect,
nor does it come from the human heart. It does not originate from man, but from
the Spirit of God given to us who abides in us and we in Him. Take care to
observe the last phrase of this passage. The purpose of this understanding is
so that we shall abide in Him. Many claim to have revelations, but if we are
not being taught how to keep His word and abide in Christ, these revelations
are not from the Spirit of God. This is further explained in Ephesians 1:17-19
17 That the God of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge of him: 18
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the
hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the
saints, 19 And what is the
exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the
working of his mighty power,
This is how our eyes are opened. Once again notice how that knowledge of God is central to our understanding. As you read the scriptures take note of how many times God instructs his people to have knowledge, study or apply the instructions of scripture. The Spirit of wisdom is the revelation of the knowledge of Christ. The ultimate goal of the Christian is to conform to the image of Christ as taught in scripture. The power of God is given to those who understand the word and the hope of His calling. All of this can be summed up with one statement – God opens our eyes so we may see, understand, and have correctness of thinking. Righteousness is having a correct way of thinking so that we act in the way that is correct in God’s sight. This righteousness does not come from man’s sense of right and wrong, but from God’s revelation of Himself and how we conform to Him.
Once God reveals His righteousness to us, we put on that
righteousness and receive His engrafted word which is able to save our souls[23].
The word is grafted into us and we are grafted into Christ[24]. So when we put on the Lord’s righteousness,
we are protected for it preserves our heart and guards our lives. We are
promised that integrity and uprightness will preserve us[25]
and that righteousness will shield us from evil. Look at this passage from Proverbs 2:7-11
7 He layeth up sound wisdom
for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. 8 He keepeth the paths of
judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and
equity; yea, every good path. 10
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy
soul; 11 Discretion shall
preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
This summarizes the breastplate of righteousness. Through righteousness we have discretion, understanding, and we learn how to walk down every good path God has laid before us. Through righteousness we are preserved and are prepared for the battles now and what lies ahead.
The message of the gospel can be summed up with this declaration
the angels made in Luke 2:14
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
As the angels proclaimed the good news that a savior was
born, they rejoiced that God was bringing peace on earth and good will toward
man. In a message to the people of Lycaonia, the apostle Paul stated that God
once allowed people to walk in their own ways, but now calls for repentance. To
some, the call to repentance is disheartening, but to those who desire to know
God, this is good news indeed. No longer do we have to walk in ignorance
without hope, but we have the power to become a child of God[26]
who will become heirs to His kingdom[27]
and we can now have fellowship with our Creator[28].
The gospel of peace is the entire message of scripture. Look at this passage
from Romans 5:1-2
1 Therefore being justified
by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by
faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of
God.
The first four books of
the New Testament are often referred to as the ‘four gospels’ but the truth is
that there are sixty-six books in the gospel message. The gospel of God’s love
and redemption are communicated to us from Genesis to Revelation. We are shod
with the preparation of the gospel of peace by studying the word, preparing our
hearts and knowing how to answer those who oppose the gospel or ask for the
reason for our hope[29]. If
the gospel message is a message of peace, why are we preparing for war and
arming ourselves as a soldier for battle? Consider this passage from Matthew
10:
4 Think not that I am come
to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
How can the gospel be a
promise of peace on earth when Jesus stated that we should not expect peace on
earth? The peace is with God, but not necessarily with those who are at war
with God. While we were lost in our sins, we were enemies of God[30] and
our flesh was at war against the Spirit of God[31].
When we yield ourselves to Christ, we have peace with God but now we are at war
against the flesh and also enemies of the world. Since the world hates God, we
have been forewarned by Jesus that those who hate Him will also hate those who
belong to Him[32]. 1
Peter 2:11 states:
11 Dearly beloved, I
beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which
war against the soul;
Even though we have peace
with God, the flesh continues to war against God. This passage warns us that
fleshly lusts wars against our souls and in a previous portion of this study we
looked at the warning that sin in the flesh will also war against our minds
trying to bring us back into captivity to the flesh. Once we are born into the
Spirit, we are now at odds with the world. This is the sword Jesus was
referring to. Anyone who hates Jesus will hate His followers[33]. The
world claims to love Jesus but in truth they love a false Jesus that has been
made in their own image who is fashioned according to the flesh. We are warned
that anyone who presents another Jesus or another gospel should be rejected for
they are not of God and do not know God. Anyone can name their god ‘Jesus’ but
the world will not tolerate the Christ of the Bible. This is why preparing for
war with the gospel of peace is part of spiritual warfare. We must realize that
Jesus prepared His followers to be rejected by those who are rejecting the
gospel. Look at Matthew 10:21-22
21 And the brother shall
deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children
shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to
death. 22 And ye shall be
hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end
shall be saved.
You are called to be the
light of the world and those who love darkness will not rest in peace while the
light shines upon them. Jesus also warned that if the world speaks well of us,
this is a sign that we are indistinguishable from the world and the world loves
those who proclaim a false gospel that does not challenge the ways of sin. If
the world that is at war with God loves our message this should indicate that
our message is of the flesh. We are not called to comfort the world but through
the gospel to call those who are willing to come out of the world so that they
too can have peace with God. Consider this passage in Isaiah 57:20-21
20 But the wicked are like
the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 21 There is no peace, saith
my God, to the wicked.
There can be no rest and
there can be no peace between those who uphold the light of the gospel and
those who despise the light. Why do the wicked file lawsuits to get a cross
removed from a graveyard? Or the phrase “In God We Trust” removed from coins?
Why are children not allowed to bow their heads in silence? Any reminder of
godliness ignites the battle in the war against God. All who are without Christ
are enemies of God; however, not all will reject the gospel. Our preparation is
not only to fend off the attacks, but also to reveal the truth to those God is
calling into salvation.
Our society has
conditioned many people to hate the gospel and this indeed causes a lot of
resistance to those who have skewed ideas about Christianity. This is
compounded by well meaning but misguided Christians who have not prepared the
gospel of peace and have given a misrepresentation of the gospel. Have you ever
seen a street preacher with a bull horn shouting at passersby? While I am sure
there are many who are trying to proclaim the good news, there are many who
proclaim the bad news. I have had them shout to me that I am going to hell. The
thought that comes to my mind is, “Why does this person who does not even know
who I am just assume that I and everyone they meet are doomed for hell?” I
watched a spokeswoman of one group that has made the news many times proclaim
that all Americans are doomed except their church. She even stated that the
lost can’t be saved because judgment has already been pronounced and that God
rejoices over the death of sinners. Perhaps those who believe that God loves to
condemn should read Ezekiel 33:11 where God says, “I have no pleasure in the
death of the wicked”.
All of these serve to
create a misunderstanding of biblical Christianity and become a hindrance for
those who would otherwise be open to the gospel. The Bible foretold this very
thing and warned that false prophets from within the church will cause the way
of truth to be blasphemed[34].
Keep this in mind when you see resistance to the gospel for many times the
light that shines through our lifestyle of faith will break down the
misconceptions about God and in time will present opportunities to lead
individuals to Christ who were once resistant. Not everyone who doesn’t respond
is rejecting the truth. God works with each person and removes the barriers in His
own time as He reveals Himself to those around us. The scripture instructs us
to guard our conduct so that those who watch us do not have any evil to point
out in our lives or conversation. Look at 1 Peter 2:11-12
11 Dearly beloved, I
beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which
war against the soul; 12
Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak
against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall
behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Some of the very people
who will speak evil of your good works and call Christians evildoers will have
their hearts softened by what they observe in our lives if we are acting in a
way that honors God. Even while someone is mocking Christianity, God may be
working in their lives. What appears to be a hopeless rejection of the truth is
actually a testimony working in the lives of those who may be seeking to find
fault in your life. When God visits them and opens their eyes, suddenly the
faith they mocked will be the glory that reveals the goodness of the Lord and
calls them to repentance. This is why we are commanded not to curse those who
curse us but to bless them[35]. The
passage above goes on to command us to submit to every man-made ordinance for
the Lord’s sake. The only laws we are permitted to break are the laws that
directly violate God’s commands in His word. We as Christians are required to
submit ourselves to regulations for the Lord’s sake so that we honor and
glorify Him before the world.
The preparation of the
gospel of peace is also applied to our obedience to the scriptures. Look at Philippians
4:
9 Those things, which ye
have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of
peace shall be with you.
The Bible teaches us that before we can be an effective
witness or worker, we must first be applying these things in our personal
lives. We are told that we must first fulfill our own obedience to the gospel
before we can look outward and try to correct the things we recognize as
disobedience in our church and culture[36].
When the apostles instructed leaders to teach others, it was made clear that
they must first have these things in their own lives. Look at 2 Timothy 2:1-7
1 Thou therefore, my son,
be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many
witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach
others also. 3 Thou therefore
endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No man that warreth entangleth
himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath
chosen him to be a soldier. 5
And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he
strive lawfully. 6 The
husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. 7 Consider what I say; and the
Lord give thee understanding in all things.
How can we instruct others and expect God to bless our ministries if we are not living what we are preaching? God is patient with our weaknesses, but He does not bless hypocrisy. The preparation of the gospel of peace is preparing our own lives to live in God’s will by applying the principles of scripture to our daily life. Rather than being entangled again by the flesh, we examine our ways and remove the things that hinder us. The Bible tells us to ponder the path before us and let our ways be established[37]. We are instructed to examine our ways so that we remove our foot from evil and do not turn aside from the path of life. Each Christian must examine their lives and ponder their ways. What in your life hinders you and entangles you? What are the things that draw you to the right or the left and cause the compromises that lure you into temptation? We must examine our ways and remove anything that builds up the flesh or distracts us from the right way.
The passage above compares our race to athletics. Can an athlete be competitive with excessive weight on his shoulders? Most Christians are unwilling to give up the things that hinder their spiritual walk. Entertainment and our old lifestyle seems important when our focus is on the world. When the things that have no eternal significance hold undue value in our lives, they will hinder us from running with endurance; however, when we let go of the things we thought held value, we are able to run this race victoriously and we find that we do not even miss the things we thought were important.
How many times have we said that we just don’t have time to spend with God, but we have hours to spend in front of the TV? Think back one year. How many TV shows watched do you still hold dear? Over that same year, what value would you find if that time was spent seeking God. Putting off the weights that hinder us is the word picture scripture paints to illustrate the necessity of removing the things that weigh us down in our spiritual walk. How can we be an effective soldier if we are too weighed down with the things that entangle us from our old life so that we are not able to be effective in our spiritual lives? Even good things can be a hindrance if they take priority over the things that establish us in the faith or hold greater value than our relationship with the Lord.
Being established in the gospel of peace is essential to
standing firm in the faith. The Bible uses the armor of the Romans to
illustrate this truth in our spiritual warfare. The Roman soldier’s uniform was
a radical change from the standard of the day. Instead of heavy armor to
protect him, the Romans wore very light armor. Rather than protecting the feet
with metal armor, the Roman strategy was to focus on sure footing. The Roman
Soldiers wore a Caligae which was a sandal laced up with many secure leather
latchets on the foot and leather laces up over the calf. This would keep the
sandal firmly in place. The sole of the shoe was leather with hobnails built in
which firmly gripped the ground to give them a strong footing during battle.
The Roman idea was that if the soldier could maintain strong footing he had a
great advantage during battle. This strategy helped the Roman army to conquer
the entire known world of that day. In fact, the Roman army was never
conquered; the fall of
This is the picture being painted by the scriptures in
Ephesians. The Bible tells us that the word of God gives us hope so that our
souls are anchored upon this sure foundation so that we can have confidence[38].
Proverbs discusses this very subject and it goes hand in hand with this portion
of study. Look at Proverbs 3:21-26
21 My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: 22 So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. 23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. 24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. 25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. 26 For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
Those who prepare their hearts by abiding in the
instructions of scripture will have the sure footing that comes from a life
grounded in the word. Before Christ we stood on shifting sand and remained
under condemnation. Jesus said that the world is already under condemnation,
but through Him we are delivered from that judgment and now have peace with
God. God’s righteousness demands justice for the wages of sin is death and
anything that violates the law is guilty before Him. Justice demands judgment,
but in Christ we have peace for He is our justice. Because the penalty for our
sins was upon Jesus, we have this wonderful promise from Psalm 85:9-10
9 Surely his salvation is
nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land. 10 Mercy and truth are met
together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
In Christ alone mercy and
truth stand in agreement. Only in Christ does the righteousness of God have
peace with man. Rather than condemnation, we have peace because of His
salvation. The world may be at war with God and we may be threatened by the
world, but in Christ we still have peace, joy and His comfort. Only the
Christian who walks in obedience has the promise that God prepares a table for
him in the presence of his enemies and we will be comforted and refreshed as
our Lord leads us by His hand[39].
Eddie Snipes
Exchanged Life Outreach
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Return to the Bible Studies Page
[1] Proverbs 4:13
[2] 1 Corinthians 14:32
[3] 1 John 4:1
[4] 1 Corinthians 14:33
[5] Proverbs 4:23
[6] Proverbs 14:12, Proverbs 16:25
[7] Isaiah 64:6
[8] Proverbs 21:21
[9] 2 Timothy 3:16-17
[10] John 14:23
[11] John 15:3
[12] Luke 11:10
[13] Deuteronomy 4:29, Jeremiah 29:13
[14] Hebrews 11:6
[15] 1 John 2
[16] Romans 11:10, Luke 19:41-42
[17] Acts 28:27
[18] John 24:13-31
[19] Genesis 21:19
[20] Jeremiah 17:13
[21] John 7:37-39, 1 John 3:9, 1 John 4:13,
[22] Proverbs 20:5
[23] James 1:21
[24] Romans 11:17-24
[25] Psalm 25:20-21
[26] John 1:12
[27] James 2:5, Titus 3:7, Ephesians 3:6, Galatians 3:29
[28] 1 John 1:3, 1 Corinthians 1:9
[29] 1 Peter 3:15
[30] Romans 5:10
[31] Galatians 5:17
[32] John 15:18-19
[33] John 15:18-19
[34] 2 Peter 2:2
[35] Romans 12:14
[36] 2 Corinthians 10:6
[37] Proverbs 4:25-27
[38] Hebrews 6:17-20
[39] Psalm 23