… and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS… Ephesians
6:14b
The Ultimate Safety Shield – The Breastplate of
Righteousness
What exactly does that
mean? To put on the breastplate of
righteousness? Merriam-Webster
dictionary defines Righteousness as the state of being and acting in accordance
with divine or moral law, and being free from guilt or sin. If that is true,
then the breastplate of righteousness from a Christian perspective is being
right with God -- following His laws and His principles.
The breastplate was perhaps the most important part of the
Roman soldier's armor—it provided protection for the torso, which contains
vital organs like the heart, lungs and so on. After all, if a soldier lost a foot or an arm, he could still
recover. Without a breastplate, a
soldier would be asking for death, as any attack could instantly become fatal.
With a sturdy breastplate, the very same attacks become ineffective and
useless, as blows bounce off the armor.
What is your most dangerous
vulnerability? I suggest that your
most critical area is your heart. The soldier’s breastplate covered the heart. Satan
often attacks our hearts - the seat of our emotions, self-worth, and trust. God's
righteousness is the breastplate that protects the Christian’s heart. We must focus our hearts on Jesus
Christ and his righteousness. We
must do all we can to protect that focus. We can do that by living righteously –
with integrity, honesty, and diligence. Righteousness keeps the heart from ever
being wounded and losing its focus.
Righteousness
= Safety
Being righteous directly
effects how safe we are from the enemy.
Just like the breastplate the soldier wears protects him from death,
being righteous protects us from the certain death that Satan is intending for
us. Walking in righteousness means
that you actively live a life that has been changed by God. We must understand that righteousness
is something we are, not something we do. Righteousness within us affects what
we do, but what we do does not make us righteous. Putting on His breastplate of righteousness is not
"putting on" our own good works, integrity, or honesty. It is not
"putting on" Bible reading and prayer. It is not "putting
on" church attendance. We alone cannot make ourselves righteous. It comes to us from the righteousness
of God - He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on
our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21
When a man is clothed in
righteousness he is impenetrable. The
life we live either fortifies us against Satan’s attacks or makes it easier for
him to defeat us (2 Cor. 6:1–10). Satan is the
accuser, but he cannot accuse the believer who is living a godly life in the
power of the Spirit. When Satan attacks the Christian, it is the righteousness
of Christ that assures the believer of his salvation. But our positional
righteousness in Christ, without practical righteousness in the daily life,
only gives Satan opportunity to attack us. Be aware and stand guard. Allow Christ to work His life
and will in you. Allow His Holy Spirit to give you the power to live above sin.
Do this and you wear the breastplate of righteousness.
Scripture to Claim:
Riches do not profit in
the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. Proverbs 11:4
