A layman's commentary on Matthew 24 verse 15. The Abomination of Desolations.

 The NASB entitles this next section,

The Abomination of Desolation.

As a standalone statement, this makes no sense to me, and thus, we begin a deep dive into Matthew 24:15 and beyond.

“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso reads, let him understand:).” 

Matthew 24:15 KJV 

When I was young, one of the first Bibles I received was the King James; in time, I became more accustomed to it and would mentally change the “these and thous” to those and you. The KJV has many known issues, as do all the translations or transliteration, so pick a translation you feel comfortable with, and don’t be afraid to integrate other versions into your Bible study time. As you will see below, I used the New Living Translation. This particular version was the project of a father who wanted something simplistic that his children could understand. The NLT has been updated to a modern version of English, so tread lightly.

If something should concern you, it should be this statement, 

“The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about.” 

I say this in this manner because you need further explanation to know if it applies to you. Since the church must be extracted from Earth before the antichrist can be revealed - We can find evidence for this in at least two places. 2 Thessalonians 2:3, and 7,8. 

2 Thessalonians 2:3 is one of those places that have issues. The terminology was changed in the 1500s, from departure to apostasy, principally to appease the State church – the Catholic church. They did this because people were leaving the Catholic church and migrating to Protestantism; then it applies to those who will become the tribulation saints - Saints are all those who come to a personal acceptance and knowledge of Jesus Christ; however, there are many who think they are part of the church that will be caught up but they will not. Paul said they were not of us. So, after the rapture, many will come to Jesus and lose their heads for their faith, witness, and testimony. These, too, are called saints. In other words, they must die for their testimony and witness. Let’s stop here for a moment and then move on. 

What did Daniel understand and, therefore, speak about? 

Taken as a Jewish captive to Babylon, Daniel advanced relatively quickly within the Babylonian empire. Assuming that Daniel had hopes and dreams, many of those dreams may have been around the idea of what God would do with his life. Daniel may not have known, but God was about to use him to deliver a message that Daniel may never understand or experience, as many of these events were for the time, over two thousand years later, a time that concerns us. 

“Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I (Daniel) said, "My lord, what shall be the end of these things?" And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.” 

Daniel 12:8-10 NKJV

In the second chapter of Daniel, we see a young Daniel appealing for the lives of himself and three other Hebrews who were brought into captivity with him. Daniel not only tells Nebuchadnezzar his dream but interprets the dream (up to a point) for the king. You will see the details of that dream in Daniel chapter two. 

Dake’s Bible notes/commentary indicates that “The time of the vision was at the end of the reign of Belshazzar which corresponds to the time of the handwriting on the wall of Dan_5:1-31, for he only reigned a little more than two years.” 

“Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?” 

Daniel 8:13 KJV

What Daniel saw explained the transgression of desolation as the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden underfoot, and it gave the time frame.

“He said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be properly restored.” 

Daniel 8:14 NAS95

So, the temple will be held in abhorrence for three and one-half years.

The Dake’s Bible notes indicate that it is at the end of the 2,300 evenings and mornings (3 years, 2 months, and 10 days; Dan_8:11-13, Dan_8:26) that the sanctuary shall be cleansed of the abomination of desolation.

If you don’t know, the sanctuary is the final temple to be built. The host is the Jewish people in Israel.

The generalized idea is that the antichrist plays a massive role in the destruction of Israel and the temple, but that may not be correct.

“The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about—the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place.” (Reader, pay attention!) 

Matthew 24:15 NLT

Even though we can know through scripture that the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden underfoot are a part of the transgression of desolation, there is one more thing, and that is the desolation of the temple, and that is the unholy/unclean object that is either placed on the altar, or it is standing there in the holy place.

Abomination is the Greek word bdelugma and is defined by the following sources: 

• Strong's From G948 indicates a detestation, that is, (specifically) idolatry: - abomination; 

• The Word Study Dictionary suggests that this means to turn away through loathing, disgust, or abhorrence. Abomination: 

• Thayer's definitions tell us that this means a foul thing, a detestable thing, of idols and things pertaining to idolatry. Thayer's, as you can see, uses the word detestable. I suspect that this is an offshoot of the phrase detestation, which has synonyms like this: abhorrence, loathing, odium, hatred, and disgust.

The Word Study Dictionary defines desolate as the act or the process of making desolate.

If you let your mind ponder the possibilities of what this might be, all you do is remind yourself how suddenly we have had artificial intelligence thrust upon us. 

Elon Musk's scientists have successfully installed the Neuro-Link device in a volunteer's head, and now that person can control a computer mouse merely by thought. In previous posts, I have alluded to the Mr. Lincoln exhibit that may still be there in Disneyland; if you have gone on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, there is an overload of animatronics. And, even though it has been explained multiple times, I am still mesmerized by the head in the crystal ball or the tiny little woman who thanked you for coming at the end of the Haunted Mansion ride. The attraction is filled with holograms that look so real that you may struggle to maintain a focus on reality.

We are told that “He” will make an image of the beast, cause it to speak, and everyone – though perhaps regionally, will be forced to accept this image as god, give their allegiance to it, and worship it. So when we talk about an image, are we talking about one that exhibits the face of the antichrist, as he is referred to as the beast, or are we talking about an image of Allah, the false god followed and worshiped by Islam, that should be interesting merely because Allah is a demon – a fallen angel representing himself as something to be worshiped; and never been seen.

For those who want to fight about what I just said by saying, no one has effectively seen Christ in about two thousand years. Well, that is true, but Jesus said that when you have seen Me, you have seen the Father, and we know the Father through His word, and yet we love Him. And then, there are those from the Middle East, and Jesus has appeared to them in their dreams. How odd they recognized Him. Perhaps He demonstrates the scars that helped bring about His death, or maybe He tells them, convincingly, who He is; I don’t know the answer. Most will tell how they just knew.

Now, will the antichrist place the detestable thing there, or is this the job of the mouthpiece of the antichrist, the false prophet?

As Daniel sought answers to this vision of the abomination, he apparently heard two angels talking about this very thing.

“Then I heard a certain holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that certain one who spoke, "How long shall the vision last, concerning the daily sacrifice and the transgression that causes desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot?”

Daniel 8:13 AFV

Sometime later, Daniel got this piece of information.

“And forces from him will stand up on his part, and they will profane the sanctuary, even the stronghold, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate.” 

Daniel 11:31 AFV

The reference to “him” is the antichrist; the fact that he has forces would mean that he has control of a military force. Never does it say these are not Islamic forces, so don't close the door to that idea. 

According to Webster, profane is the act of violating sacred things or treating them with contempt or irreverence. 

In the “civilized” world, an army would refrain from doing something like this. The problem with such naive thinking is that we (Americans) have moved down the bar a few rungs and have done horrid things to churches. So, there will be a purposeful violation of the sacred things in the temple. This sounds more like Islam as we progress. As evidence for my argument, consider the horrors that transpired on October 7th as Hamas attacked Israel and its citizens that day.

The AFV translation uses the term stronghold, but others consider it a fortress or a part of the temple/sanctuary. We may be talking about Israel's defense forces and their bases. Missiles fired from Lebanon seem, for the most part, to be aimed at military posts, making this a reference to end times events.

Forces, on behalf of the antichrist, will “take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate.” So, it seems inevitable that we put the blame on the antichrist for the abomination. 

I have heard the whining about how some will not accept anything extra-biblical, and yet we do it all the time, and many have been living most of their lives by un-biblical information, so spare me. 

With that being said, Islam has its own set of demonic prophecies, and they understand that a man of the lineage of Aaron will be the final priest in the last temple. This man will flop, give his allegiance to the Mahdi, the antichrist, and will set up this detestable thing in the temple. He will become the enforcer of Sharia law. And will enforce the worship of Allah and the beast – the antichrist, by beheading those who choose to ignore his demands. 

It is no wonder God comes crashing down upon these two when Jesus returns to rule for a thousand years. 

Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures. 1 Cor 15:1-4.

 I realize it is not 1 Timothy chapter six, but it has been on my heart for several days. So I am going to work through this with you. The KJV, and probably most others, entitle this section, THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST, and certainly, that is a prominent aspect of the conversation, but it so much more.

It is the primary reason for our hope.

Here is the first part of the passage. I will break it down – as usual.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 KJV Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; (2) By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. (3) For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; (4) And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Paul tells the readers, found in the church at Corinth, that, once again, this is the gospel which I preached to you. I am not sure how germane this information is to the passage, but I immediately found myself curious about what he preached and where he preached.

Corinth is in the southwestern area of what we now call Greece – it was formerly called Achaia. Athens is on the opposite and eastern coast of Greece. The letter was written from Ephesus, which is on the western coastline of Asia Minor, almost directly opposite of Athens. Immediately, this tells me that this was not a prison letter. Prison has a way of adding additional stress.

Paul's first missionary journey does not show him going to Corinth at all. The second missionary journey does have Paul going to Corinth and then almost directly to Ephesus. Mind you, while this stretch between Corinth and Ephesus seems short on paper, this was wind-powered vessels at best and may have taken months.

How long was Paul in Ephesus that he heard about an issue in Corinth that needed to be readdressed?

We have a time frame of two years for the entire journey.

Dr. J Vernon McGee observes, “You remember that when he came out on this second journey, the Spirit of God would not allow him to come down to Ephesus. Now, on his way back, he stops at Ephesus, but he does not stay there very long.”

For me, the statement – very long, is a comparative term, and without something to compare this to, it is hard to determine a time frame. It could have been a couple of weeks; if that was the case, it was a clear and powerful sermon about the good news of Jesus. Since we know that Paul was preaching to Jews (who are best a hard sell), it is hard to imagine that a message about Jesus and His death on the cross made its point in one sermon.

For those who wish to argue, thinking that the Bible was written for and about Gentiles, let me point something out in the scriptures. Paul, even when he was Saul, entered into the Synagogues at every opportunity. In Damascus, as a new believer, and one that had to deal with an open resistance because he, only days before this, was trying to get Christians killed, was now, with some of the disciples in Damascus, was proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues.

End page one.

Acts 9:17-20 NASB So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." (18) And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; (19) and he took food and was strengthened. Now for several days, he was with the disciples who were at Damascus (20) and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God."

When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews.

Acts 13:4-5 NASB So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. (5) When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their helper.

They arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day, they went into the synagogue.

Acts 13:13-16 NASB Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia, but John left them and returned to Jerusalem. (14) But going on from Perga, they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day, they went into the synagogue and sat down. (15) After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue officials sent to them, saying, "Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it." (16) Paul stood up and motioning with his hand said, "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen:

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews. I will give you a heads up. The Bible translators added the word Gentiles. It may have been a logical assumption based on what we see in Acts 17:4 KJV, where it says,

“And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas, and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women, not a few.”

Acts 17:16-17 NASB Now, while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols. (17) So he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be present.

This last verse is odd, and even more so, I asked a Jewish convert if Gentiles were allowed in the synagogues. His answer was crisp and immediate NO. Now, this may not be the atmosphere these days, but considering how the Jews that did not appreciate Paul's message treated him, they would have run the Gentiles out of the synagogues.

Acts 18:2-4 NASB And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them, (3) and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them, and they were working, for by trade they were tent-makers. (4) And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

We see in Acts 18 that Paul and Aquila – a Jew, worked together, making and selling tents. A place that would have had everybody mingling about, and Paul took every opportunity to advance the gospel of Jesus; and, yes, the Gentiles would have heard.

End page two.

Eugene Peterson's “The Message” has a different spin to it.

Friends, let me go over the Message with you one final time—this Message that I proclaimed and that you made your own; this Message on which you took your stand (1 Corinthians 15:1 MSG)

As for me, I have to remind myself, frequently, of what I believe should be solidly embedded within me.

• “Which also you have received.”

These people, even though they may have had Paul in their faces, are no different than you or I. We, in fact, have an advantage in that we have the written and this very letter that Paul wrote to this church.

So when we read, you have received, what is Paul saying?

Obviously, Paul is speaking to those who have received the gospel of and about Jesus. The word received can mean several things, from a casual hearing of the word to a full-blown life-changing event thanks to this relationship with Christ. The interlinear Greek indicates that in receiving this word, the hearers have come alongside.

But, alongside what?

Jesus, the salvation that He brings, and His message to the world.

• Another piece of information, which could seem vague, is this statement, “wherein you stand.”

Didn't I open this study in 1Corinthians 15:1-4, with my own acknowledgment? I occasionally have to be reminded of this hope, and even why it is believable. I have talked about this over the years, and many have expressed their scorn and surprise, as though I have made a choice to forget or ignore the goodness of God. Actually, it is quite the contrary, as the sudden and momentary realization that I am trying to control the world around me drives me staggering back to God, where I rehearse something similar to these verses here in 1 Corinthians 15: 1-4.

To use terminology like wherein you stand does not tell me much because sometimes I am NOT standing in the right place, or I inadvertently stepped in a mud puddle. I know I am being simplistic, but I am trying to make a point.

Some of us still have good brains capable of holding onto information; mine used to work like that. You would think that by my own efforts, I could make myself firm or become established in God's ways and heart toward us. The problem with that kind of thinking is that you can do nothing, outside of having faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross, to change my life. Oh, sure, some motivational speaker can make you think you are in charge, but that person on stage does not seem to know that we are all broken people, incapable of fixing ourselves, and that is why we needed a savior – Jesus. There is a strong sense that once you belong to Christ, He never lets you go, and that is true.

And this last statement takes us to verse two.

End page three.

It is not only the gospel message, but it is the fact that you came alongside Jesus with a conscious decision, but it is also the fact that the Father, who was waiting for you the entire time, establishes you and makes you firm. This word, very clearly, holds you fast. You know what many call this? Eternal Salvation. It is not that you can maintain a condition that holds you tight to Jesus; it is the Father who has engraved you upon His hand, that now holds you.

For me, a primary scripture that speaks to the fact that God will never let go of you comes from John's gospel.

John 10:27-30 NASB "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; (28), and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. (29) "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. (30) "I and the Father are one."

Some will use 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 as an anchor for their eternal salvation. Don't get me wrong, we are eternally saved, but verse two, which says, “by which you are saved, if,” is a conditional conjunction; and, much like a computer logic flowchart, you have to determine if you have met the conditions that make the statement work. One sister in Christ who clings to the KJV of the Bible probably sees something like this.

1 Corinthians 15:2 MKJV by which you also are being kept safe, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you unless you believed in vain.

If I chose to accept the MKJV at face value, then it would be easy to apply the idea of eternal salvation if that was all it said. The problem is the minority of those that chose to interpret Paul's thought in this manner. My friend chooses to ignore the conditional “if” aspect of the verse. This “if” is NOT a negative interpretation, which we understand as we consider the verse's context. Should you look at a translation like the ISV, you will see that Paul is talking about an ongoing process in which we are in a continual state of being saved from the trials (tribulations) this world dishes out throughout our lives.

1 Corinthians 15:2 ISV "... by which you are also being saved if you hold firmly to the message I proclaimed to you—unless, of course, your faith was worthless."

Paul continues, as he emphasizes an aspect of the message he previously preached.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 NASB (3) For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, (4) and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

In giving US this information, he tells us that what he about to say was of the utmost importance.

• Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.

End page four.

Romans 6:8-10 NASB Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, (9) knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. (10) For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.

Romans 8:3 NLT, The law of Moses, was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body, God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.

2 Corinthians 5:21 NASB (21) He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Hebrews 9:25-28 NASB nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. (26) Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world, but now once at the consummation of the ages, He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. (27) And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, (28) so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.

This one verse speaks to Christ dying for our sins; and, it answers the questions about His death and resurrection.

1 Peter 3:18 NASB For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;

I do not know how much time we have left here on earth; the Church is about to be called back home to be with Jesus.

How do I know that I will be among them?

For the same reasons that you would, if you are a follower of Christ, because we came alongside Him and made a decision to ride this bus until it reaches the destination no matter how difficult the road gets. The faith that I applied, and it wasn't much in my eyes, caused me to be in Christ, and I am deemed a follower of Christ and a part of the church – the body of Christ.

Some would say, what about all the things you have done?

It doesn't matter to the Father anymore, as Jesus took it all to the cross with Him - past, present, and future sins. And, in case you are keeping score, all sins are covered, and I gave you scripture for that. Even if, as one might say, your sins are BIGGER and more freakish bizarre than mine; it doesn't matter, as they are all covered in that blood – blood that blankets all sins, including the sins of those deemed to be outside of God's grace; they, even if the rapture comes, are still entitled to the forgiveness of God, the only difference is that during the time of wrath after the church is gone, you will have to prove your dedication to God through your death.

If you have ever wondered why so many of us speak of such horrors, it is because we don't want you to have to endure the absolute hell that is coming upon the earth. It doesn't take but half a brain to see what is coming. These globalists are not on your side.

Heirs with Christ, Romans 8:12-16

We ended our last study with this:

Romans 8:9-11 NLT But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)  (10)  And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God.  (11)  The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

Take a moment to let these truths about you, sink in.

• You are NOT controlled by your sinful nature.
• You are controlled by the Spirit – IF you have the Spirit of God living in you.
  How did or do we get the Spirit of God to live inside of us? Through faith.
• And (because) Christ lives in you, even though your body may die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God.
• The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you.
  Job 19:27 NLT I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!
• And, just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
  Everything Paul said, was based in the Torah and Tenach, here is an example: Isaiah 26:19 NLT But those who die in the LORD will live; their bodies will rise again! Those who sleep in the earth will rise up and sing for joy! For your life-giving light will fall like dew on your people in the place of the dead!

Romans 8:12 – 17 entitles this next section,

Heirs with Christ

As we open the new section, I find this opening statement so powerful that it takes my breath away.

Romans 8:12 NLT  Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.

The KJV version uses a variation from the NLT.

“We are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.”

We don't owe Satan anything, for he has NO hold on us IF we are in Christ. That statement includes all the stupid stunts we have pulled after receiving Christ.

Romans 8:13 Williams  “for if you live by such a standard, you are going to die, but if by the Spirit you put a stop to the doings of your lower nature, you will live.”

What standard is the Williams translation speaking of? The one that the flesh sets for us, one in which we do what the flesh demands. Look, once again, at what Paul said in Romans 8:6.

Romans 8:6 Williams  “For to be thinking the things suggested by the lower nature means death, but to be thinking the things suggested by the Spirit means life and peace.”

Is it as “harsh” as what Adam had when God said to him, you are not to eat from, nor touch the tree? If merely pondering the things my flesh suggests means death, then I am surprised that I have lived this long. Obviously, death is something more than just physical?

Romans 8:13b. CJB  For if you live according to your old nature, you will certainly die; but if by the Spirit, you keep putting to death the practices of the body, you will live.

Death seems inevitable, that is, unless you, by the Spirit put the practices of the flesh to death.

Things to note here:

• Death does not necessarily mean a physical end to life, although it can. The Complete Jewish Bible added the phrase “keep putting.”

The Greek word is thanatoō, and it means to cause...to be put to death, made to die, and putting to death. The Amplified Bible uses the word habitually to convey the message.

All of these definitions are indicative of a combat-ready attitude or a fighting mentality.

Ephesians 6:12 NIV  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Keep in mind that you are NOT fighting against flesh and blood; you are battling against demonic forces, allied with Satan. The purpose is that you take a proactive stance against the enemy's attacks against you. These attacks have everything to do with what your body and mind want to do, such as road rage, retaliation, throwing a tantrum, or pursuing some addictive behavior.

Let's assume that you have taken this proactive behavior, and you are trying to stave off the enemy's attacks, which often look like people. 
Are you winning? 
If it seems like you are not, then here is a piece of information that might help.

Ephesians 6:13c-14 NASB Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. (14) Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,

• Verse 13 ends with “stand firm.” Why? Because you have done everything, you know how to do.
  Does the story end there? No.

The Moffatt's translation tells us to continue to hold our ground :

Ephesians 6:14 Moffatt NT (14) Hold your ground, tighten the belt of truth about your loins, wear integrity as your coat of mail,

I suggest you read Ephesians chapter six through to the end, as it defines our spiritual armor in detail.

If you live, what will that look like for you?

You may only see what this world has to offer, and that falls pathetically short of God's kingdom. But if you said, I will live in eternity, with the Father, wrapped in peace, then you would be correct.

Romans 8:14 Moffatt NT For the sons of God are those who are guided by the Spirit of God.

The NASB states,

Romans 8:14 NASB For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Alternative words for led are driven or induced. Don't you see the fallacy of you having control? God has His hand upon us, in the form of the Holy Spirit, all the time, and the fact that you are being led proves that you are a son of God.

If you, as Paul did, submitted yourself to Jesus Christ like a slave, then you are guided by that same Spirit of God.

Romans 8:15 NLT  So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”

Yes, I posted a verse that uses the term slave. There is hardly a reasonable human that sees slavery as anything other than fearful. The concept of slavery is nothing less than dismal, that is unless things go well for you, and you long to stay in what you feel is “a protected and loving” environment as a bond-servant. This slavery is the portrayal of the person that we see in scripture voluntarily having their ear pierced as an indication that they have given themselves over permanently to their owners.

Exodus 21:5-6 KJV  And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free:  (6) Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him forever.

Deuteronomy 15:15-17 KJV  And you shalt remember that you were a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you: therefore I command you this thing today.  (16)  And it shall be, if he says unto you, I will not go away from you; because he loves you and your house, because he is well with you;  (17)  Then you shall take an awl, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be your servant forever. And also unto your maidservant, you shalt do likewise.

Fortunately, our relationship with God is never that harsh, and the idea of being a bond-servant is purely voluntary. Many think they have walked away from God's ownership, but I do not believe that is possible as God certainly can keep track of those who belong to Him.

Romans 8:16 MKJV  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.

• “The Spirit Himself”
  Spirit is pneuma and means a current of air. We saw this show up when the disciples, all gathered in one place, heard a rushing might wind, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit. It is also God's Spirit, the Holy Spirit, and the life of God himself.
• “bears witness with our spirit.”
  “Bears” is the Greek word summartureō and means to testify jointly, corroborate by concurrent evidence, testify unto, and bear witness with.
  This next one puzzles me. The idea of our spirit aligns itself, in my mind, with the original creation, where God made man in His own image. Genesis 1:26-27 NASB Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." (27) God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
  
  
  Look at John, chapter 4, where it defines what God is.
  John 4:24 NASB, "God is a spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
  
  
  If God is a spirit, and man is made in His image, then humans, at their core, are spirits too.
  
  
  The definition of God and His spirit are the same word – pneuma. How is it possible that a living, breathing entity that can come to the earth in the same form as us can be what seems like little more than a breath? I suppose that is the mystery of God.
  
  
• “that we are the children of God.”

                               Children are the Greek word téknon, meaning to bring forth (as in a) child.

So, God, after years of damage and rebellion on our part, still leans on the fact that we were created in His image, that and the fact that we, as believers, have His Spirit in us, that makes us those who have been brought forth. No decent human should throw aside their progeny, and yet we do, but NOT God. He sought us out and made way for our return to His side.