PUTTING ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS!!!

In the past 3 posts, we have been studying the Whole Armor of God, but I feel like we are just getting started!!!  So, I hope you are as excited about this as I am!!!


Ephesians 6:10-18 (NKJV)


¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

¹⁴ Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

¹⁶ above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

¹⁸ praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

We have covered verses 10-13, and we started on verse 14!!! 



Ephesians 6:10-13 (CJB)

¹⁰ Finally, grow powerful in union with the Lord, in union with his mighty strength!

¹¹ Use all the armor and weaponry that God provides, so that you will be able to stand against the deceptive tactics of the Adversary.

¹² For we are not struggling against human beings, but against the rulers, authorities and cosmic powers governing this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm.

¹³ So take up every piece of war equipment God provides; so that when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist; and when the battle is won, you will still be standing.



Today, we are going to talk about putting on the Breastplate of Righteousness because that is what God has put on my heart!!!


Ephesians 6:14 (CJB) Therefore, stand! Have the belt of truth buckled around your waist, put on righteousness for a breastplate




Here is my question for you!!!  How can we put on righteousness as our breastplate, when the WORD OF GOD says that our righteousness is as filthy rags??? 



Isaiah 64:6 (NKJV) But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;
We all fade as a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind,
Have taken us away.




So, if God says that no one is righteous, how can we come before God with our righteousness??? 



Romans 3:10 (NKJV) As it is written:  “There is none righteous, no, not one.

 

But that is just it!!!  We don’t come before God with our own righteousness!!!



1 Corinthians 1:30 (NCV) Because of God you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God. In Christ we are put right with God, and have been made holy, and have been set free from sin.

 


We are made acceptable and righteous in God’s sight because of the blood that Jesus shed for us!!!

Romans 3:22-24 (CEB)

²² God’s righteousness comes through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who have faith in him. There’s no distinction.

²³ All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory,

²⁴ but all are treated as righteous freely by his grace because of a ransom that was paid by Christ Jesus.



Jesus NOT ONLY redeemed us, but HE became our righteousness before God!!!



1 Corinthians 1:30 (NKJV) But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—

Jesus is Our Righteousness and it is HIS Righteousness that God sees when HE looks at us!!!


2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV) For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

So, can we put on Righteousness as a Breastplate??? 



Yes, we can, if we understand that we are made righteous through HIS BLOOD when we accept Jesus as our Savior!!!! 



Ephesians 2:8 (NKJV) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

We are saved by faith in Jesus Christ as our savior!!!  Therefore when God accepted Jesus’ Blood as the sacrifice for our sins, we were forever forgiven!!! 



Romans 5:1-2 (NKJV)

¹ Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

² through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.




When we accept JESUS’ RIGHTEOUSNESS as OUR OWN, we know that we are right with God and that we are forgiven!!!

Romans 8:1-2 (NKJV)

8 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

So, we don’t walk around with our heads hanging low, because we no longer have to feel guilty about the things that we did before we came to God!!! 

Romans 8:1-2 (NCV)

¹ So now, those who are in Christ Jesus are not judged guilty.

² Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit that brings life made you free from the law that brings sin and death.




By NOT accepting guilt, condemnation, shame and blame, we are putting on righteousness as our breastplate!!!



Ephesians 6:14 (CJB)

¹⁴ Therefore, stand! Have the belt of truth buckled around your waist, put on righteousness for a breastplate,