Ephesians 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.
It’s important to remember that Paul was in prison and under constant guard when writing to the church at Ephesus. Day after day he was forced to stare at his soldier’s armor. There before him was a picture of the armor needed by Christians to fight the forces of evil. In verses 14 through 18 of Ephesians 6, Paul lists six, seven if we count prayer, pieces of armor or weapons with which God supplies His children.
The first three pieces–girdle, breastplate, shoes–are permanent in the sense that the believer is never to be without them. For the Roman soldier, these were for long range preparation or protection and were never removed on the battle field. The shield, helmet, and sword were kept ready for use when the actual fighting began.
The Roman soldier always wore an outer garment which was often draped loosely over his body, that served as his primary clothing. Since it could impede hand to hand combat, he needed to cinch it up and tuck it under the leather belt that girded his loins before engaging in battle.
The ordinary citizen would have experienced a similar situation if he had a robe that needed to be removed or tucked into his belt before engaging in a task that required heavy work or great haste.
Girding the loins was a mark of preparedness, and the serious soldier would be sure to secure his tunic with his belt. In addition, this belt served to hold other pieces of armor in place, such as the breastplate, and a sheath for the sword.
For the Christian, this belt is truth. A content of God’s truth is absolutely essential for you and me in the battle against the schemes of Satan.