Ephesians 6: 14b
Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness.
What do you picture when you hear “breastplate?” Do you see Roman armor or perhaps medieval knight armor? A good visual image helps understand the importance of this piece of armor.
The breastplate protects all the vital organs except the brain. Obviously, it is a crucial piece of armor. We are encouraged by Paul’s writings to stand firm against the enemy. You won’t fear the stones thrown by the enemy because your breastplate protects your heart and the rest of your sensitive organs. So, what is our breastplate fashioned from and how do we don it?
The breastplate is righteousness, so what is righteousness? The simple answer is that it is right standing with God. Vine’s adds “right relationship” with God. The harder question becomes, how do we attain this right standing or righteousness with God.? It may be easier to begin by discussing the wrong way to pursue righteousness. Romans 9: 30 – 32 reads, “What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith; but Israel pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.” Many of us have confused righteousness with holiness. We are to be holy for God is holy (1 Peter 1: 16) but holiness is not synonymous with righteousness. The Jews, Paul tells us, tried to acquire righteousness through good works. That is not the way. Jesus is the way (John 14: 6). We can never be righteous in or by our own works. The Gentiles attained to righteousness because of their faith, because, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5: 21). They put their faith in Jesus and he became their righteousness.
The key to putting on this breastplate of righteousness is contained in that verse. It is in the last two words. Jesus is righteousness but if you want to put on his righteousness then you must be “in him.” This is so critical. As I said, it is the key. One can be a Christian but never make their abode with and in Christ. We must put him on and live in him. It is difficult to explain but you may perceive the difference. Abiding in him means that your life is inextricably interwoven with Christ. He is all wrapped up in your life and you in his. When you are in Christ, when you make that decision to live in him, then his righteousness becomes yours automatically. This is not a work of the flesh either. By faith we receive the righteousness of God. We receive, rather than labor. My holiness is putrid but Jesus’ righteousness is glorious, shining armor.
So, this means that your right standing with God, which is something Jesus bought for you, protects and guards your heart. Your part is to receive it with grace and thanksgiving. Acknowledge your righteousness in Christ Jesus in your own mind. Speak it with your mouth. When you are challenged, stop and see yourself putting on the righteousness of God like a Roman breastplate. Wear righteousness proudly because not only is it the breastplate of your armor but in fact you have actually become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Wear Jesus, therefore, proudly and when you feel like a sinner, or when the devil accuses you, renew your mind with this truth. Stand firmly, therefore, unable to be persuaded that you are lowly and sin-stained. Stand proudly with your chest up displaying the righteousness of Jesus. Where we have failed, he has all the more overcome and his victory outshines our ineptitude and failures.
Shine up your breastplate. Put it on by acknowledging Jesus’ purchase of righteousness for you. Get you and your failure off your mind and delightedly present Jesus. Don’t try to earn righteousness, just put it on.