Ephesians Part 36
The attack on truth is not just societal, but deeply spiritual. Satan has always been a deceiver. When he approached Adam and Eve, he twisted God’s words to confuse and corrupt their understanding. His strategy has not changed.
“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth . . .” (Ephesians 6:13-14).
Paul begins the description of the armor of God with the belt of truth. In a Roman soldier’s uniform, the belt secured and stabilized every other piece of armor. In the same way, God reveals that truth must support and hold together everything in the Christian life. Without truth, we cannot stand. Without truth, the rest of the armor becomes useless.
The battle for truth has always existed, but Scripture and our present world reveal an intensified attack against truth itself. Society is working hard to eradicate the very idea that truth exists. George Orwell’s 1984 imagined a world where the so-called Ministry of Truth systematically rewrites truth and promotes false ideologies. War is declared to be peace, freedom is declared to be slavery, and ignorance is praised as strength. Language is altered so people eventually lose the ability to think independently. The frightening part is how close this fictional warning now approaches reality.
We live in a time described by philosophers as the political subordination of reality. Social media, constant misinformation, and the speed at which falsehood spreads create an environment where truth is overwhelmed by noise. It is not that truth no longer matters, but that truth is continually at risk. As Orwell once observed, in times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.
The attack on truth is not just societal, but deeply spiritual. Satan has always been a deceiver. When he approached Adam and Eve, he twisted God’s words to confuse and corrupt their understanding. His strategy has not changed. He still blends truth with error, quotes scripture in misleading ways, and introduces doubt to pull people away from God. He works through deception, distraction, division, desire and doubt.
In the broad definition of the Christian church world, biblical truth has also been diluted or directly rejected. There are teachings that deny what God has clearly revealed. Some claim the law is abolished. Others present distorted ideas about life after death, heaven, hell and even the nature of God and His family. When truth becomes compromised, worship becomes misdirected. Satan is comfortable sitting in a church pew if what is taught no longer reflects what God actually says.
Scripture warns us repeatedly about this danger. Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 4:1 that “in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.” People will choose teachers who tell them what they want to hear rather than what God has spoken. They will turn away from truth and embrace stories that fit their desires. But Paul tells Timothy that a true servant of Jesus Christ nourishes God’s people in sound doctrine and in the words of faith that come from scripture alone (1 Timothy 4:6).
In John 17:17, Jesus Himself asks the Father, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” Truth exposes lies, so it creates tension. It separates those who will follow God from those who will follow deception. Paul told Timothy to devote himself to scripture, exhortation and doctrine. To meditate on the truth so deeply that progress becomes visible to all.
We must love the truth or we will not stand. Paul warned in 2 Thessalonians 2 that people will be deceived because they did not love the truth. This is a war over hearts, minds, loyalty and what we will believe. Will we trust God’s Word or be carried away by the spirit of lawlessness already at work in society?
Because Satan influences the world, pressure to abandon truth will continue to intensify. Control over thought, behavior and even moral convictions will increase. The world will demand conformity to beliefs that are not grounded in God’s Word. Christians must be ready to resist by holding firmly to truth. Proverbs 23:23 urges us to buy truth and refuse to sell it. Without truth, we lose our ability to stand and fight. Without it, the rest of the armor has nothing to anchor to.
Let us hold fast to the truth, love the truth, and be nourished by the truth. Then we will stand firm in a world drowning in deception, fully equipped to follow Christ.
UYA Team | uya@ucg.org
United Young Adults (UYA) primarily serves the 18–32-year age group for the United Church of God. There are three main areas of contribution to the lives of the young adults: Promoting Spiritual Growth, Developing Meaningful Relationships and Making the Most of Your Talents. The Know Your Sword series is a daily expository message introducing God’s Word from a trusted perspective.
