Answer
Ephesians 6:14 is part of Paul’s discourse on spiritual warfare. The verse reads, “Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness” (ESV). To understand the significance of the command to “stand therefore,” we should also understand the need to “take up the whole armor of God” (verse 13).
Ephesians 6:10–20 contains Paul’s famous metaphor of “the whole armor of God,” which equips and prepares believers to resist “the schemes of the devil” (verse 11). The passage follows a broader discussion on righteous living, modeled after our Lord (Ephesians 4—5). Paul’s transition to spiritual warfare reflects both the internal struggles against sin and external battles “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12, ESV).
Paul’s command to “stand therefore” in Ephesians 6:14 shows that it is important for believers to hold their position as they encounter evil forces. How will we stand against the devil and his minions? In the preceding verse, Paul urges believers to “take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm” (verse 13, ESV). Taking up the whole armor of God represents a posture of spiritual preparedness and readiness in the face of adversity.
The imperative to “stand therefore” is connected to God’s faithful protection of His children. Those who “stand therefore” have a firm, established position. They resist movement, and they do not collapse under pressure. Paul was well-acquainted with God’s protection: “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8–9, ESV). It is the gracious power of God that sustains believers through trials and temptations.
In the Old Testament, similar commands to “stand firm” are associated with God’s presence and deliverance. For instance, in Exodus 14:13, Moses commands the Israelites to stand firm and witness God’s salvation from the Egyptians: “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again” (ESV).
Paul’s instruction in Ephesians 6:14 resonates with other Pauline passages to stand firm. In 1 Corinthians 16:13, Paul exhorts believers to “be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong” (ESV). Believers’ watchfulness, steadiness, and strength come not by their own strength, but by the strength of the Lord.
In Ephesians 6:14, Paul’s imperative to “stand therefore” is a rallying cry for believers to maintain their position in Christ amid spiritual warfare. We are not “tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind” (Ephesians 4:14). We stand on the solid rock of God’s truth, revealed in Christ. This stance is a powerful expression of faith in God’s sovereign authority and power. God is the source of our strength and protection from evil. As the psalmist declares, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1, ESV). Thus, “stand therefore” (Ephesians 6:14) is both a command and a declaration of the secure position believers have in the hands of God (John 10:28).
