What is the belt of truth?

The belt of truth is the first piece of protection listed in the apostle Paul's description of the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-17). The belt of truth is a gift from God and acts as believers' first line of defense against whatever the world may throw. As I’m sure you're aware, living in this world can be hard. And sometimes it just feels like so much. Fortunately, we have a Lord, who has not left us defenseless.

The reason the belt of truth is listed first is because it's so foundational to establishing our faith. Jesus said that He is “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Knowing God's Truth and recognizing His Truth is incredibly important to the Christian life. And in this visual example, Paul is going, "Look guys, everything else is going to rest on this first piece of armor."

Let's take a moment to clarify what Paul is talking about when he says "belt." This isn’t like belts we have today—a thin strap that looks nice with your outfit and holds up your pants. This isn’t even a slightly tougher belt like a military-issued one. Imagine a heavy, thick leather strap with a band of metal worked into it, including a large protective piece that hangs down in front. This is a serious piece of armor that could physically protect a soldier's body from harm, plus hold their sword and any other weapons close at hand.

Now that we have that mental image of this belt, how do we see this as a "belt of truth"? The belt was the first thing a soldier would put on, for everything else would layer upon it. Likewise, God's Truth is the foundation of everything for a believer. Without God's Truth, everything else we might claim about our faith is useless. Without the Spirit of truth, we have no faith at all (John 15:26).

Different translations have slightly different words about how to wear the belt of truth. NASB says “having belted your waist with truth.” NKJV says “having girded your waist with truth.” And if we’re going to go way back, the Old King James says, “having your loins girt about with truth.” All of these are saying the same thing: take action.

When we put on the belt of God's truth, that means we accept God's Truth and use it as a foundation for our protection against the devil's schemes. Without this protection, we will become vulnerable to his trickery and deception (Ephesians 6:11). By putting on the belt of truth, we are protecting our innermost self from those who would deceive us.

ALSO SEE:

What is the full armor of God?What is the shield of faith?What is the Bible?What does it mean that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life?Can something be true for one person and not for someone else?How can I learn to trust God?What does it mean to talk by faith not by sight?With all the different religions, how can I know which one is right?What does the Bible say about doubt?How much power does Satan have?