GIRD UP YOUR LOINS

"Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."  (1 Peter 1:13-16 RSV).

"Girding up one's loins" is not an expression that we are very familiar with in the 21st century, but it was a very common phrase in Bible times, and everyone back then knew exactly what was meant by it.  When Peter penned his first general letter to the churches of his time, he was inspired to use this particular phrase to communicate the specific imagery that the people of the time would understand and relate to. 

In Bible times the men and women wore long tunics or robes which varied in length.  The women usually wore a longer tunic that reached to the ankles, while the men's tunic was normally shorter and to the knee.  The literal meaning of girding the loins was to take a cloth or leather belt (the girdle) and attach it around the waist above the hips (the loins).  This belt served a lot of useful purposes.  It secured the tunic in place, it helped support the lower back (which was especially useful for men who typically did a lot of heavy lifting), and it was a convenient place to attach things to free up the hands (a purse or scrip, a dagger, a tool, etc.).

One very important function that the belt, or girdle, provided to ancient people was to cinch up one's tunic.  When folks back then needed to work, run, fight, or engage in any number of physical activities, their tunics could be very restrictive hanging loosely around their legs.  To solve this problem, they would gather up the loose material around their legs, pass it between their legs (kind of like a diaper), and secure the ends under their belt.  They could also tie the ends together if they had no belt.  This practice was known figuratively as "girding up the loins," and it meant to prepare oneself (both mentally and physically) to work, or to ready oneself for battle.  A similar expression that is used today would be to "roll up your sleeves."

Below is a picture created by artist Ted Slampyak for The Art Of Manliness website which illustrates how to gird the loins. 

  Scripture refers to "girding the loins" in many places.  The Israelites were told to eat the first Passover supper before they left Egypt with their shoes on, their walking staffs in their hands, and their loins girded (Exodus 12:11).  Elijah girded his loins before his miraculous 17 mile run from Mt. Carmel to Jezreel when he outran Ahab's chariot (1Kings 18:46).  Twice God told Job to, "Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou Me" (Job 38:3 and 40:7).  The virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 is described as one who, "girds her loins with strength, and strengthens her arms" (Proverbs 31:17).  Jesus uses the expression in Luke 12:35 when He is talking about being always prepared for His returning. 

In light of all this, Peter's caution that we gird up the loins of our mind makes perfect sense, especially after he just warned believers to "Be exceeding glad, though now, for a little while, (since it is needful,) you are made sorry by divers trials; that the trying of your faith, (much more precious than of gold, which perishes, though proved by fire,) may be found to praise, and honor, and glory, at the revelation of Jesus Christ."  (1 Peter 1:6,7).  In plain words, Peter is telling us that our faith in God is going to be purified by some very intense trials, and it is necessary for us to prepare our minds for warfare.  Satan wants to get inside our heads with his lies and deceptions, but God has given us a helmet of salvation that will help protect our minds from those lies (Ephesians 6:17).  It is the promise of God's grace and strength that is ours as part of the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ.  This piece of defensive armor is powerful through God.  With it we are able to cast down doubts, fears, insinuations, and every other type of negative thought that Satan would cast in our imagination.  Armed with the assurance of our salvation we are able to refute every argument and every reason why we should not believe.  We can then bring captive every evil thought and place it under obedience to Christ.  (See 1 Corinthians 10:3-5).  

The mind is our real battlefield, and our own thought-life, left unchecked and unguarded, is a gateway to our soul that the enemy can breach. Isaiah said, "Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD.  For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."  (Isaiah 55:6-9).  Our natural mind is carnal and often ruled by the passions and lusts of our sinful flesh (Romans 8:7).  God, however, has entered into a new contract with man - a new covenant that is unlike the Old Testament Mosaic covenant that was based on works.  "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people: and they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest.  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more."  (Hebrews 8:10-12).  

With the laws of God written on our hearts, and our motivation being love for Him Who gave Himself so that we could be saved, we can now be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2 and Ephesians 4:23).  It is not God Who fills our minds with fears - it is the evil one who does that.  "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."  (2Timothy 1:7).  

We have a powerful weapon in the Word of God itself.  It is a living force that, like a double-edged sword, is able to pierce through the fog of darkness that is often cast over our minds.  God's Word can discern between good and bad thoughts, and good and bad intentions - because we are often confused about what is right.  Sometimes bad can seem good, and good can seem bad.  God's Word brings every hidden thing to light. 

In Ephesians 6, Paul lists each item of the spiritual armor that God has given to believers.  One of those is the girdle (belt) of truth.  This belt that the warrior placed around his waist anchored many of the other pieces of armor.  It secured the breastplate, held the leather armor that protected the groin, held the sword and dagger, and also held the ends of the tunic when they were "girded up."  Affirming what is true must always be at the heart of our defense against the enemy of our soul. 

We will be much more effective in our spiritual warfare if we don't wait until sin is raging in our flesh, and we have already entertained the thought of yielding to our passions.  If, instead, we "gird up the loins of our mind" and refuse evil when the very thought of it enters into our head, we will find it much easier to overcome.  When negative thoughts and emotions rise up, we must replace them with positive thoughts that are based in truth and fixed on the promises of God.  "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."  (Philippians 4:6-8).