The Breastplate of Righteousness

OK, you Christian soldiers. It is time to put on the breastplate of righteousness. What, you may ask, is a breastplate? It literally is a metal plate, molded to fit the contours of the soldier's body. In Roman times it was often decorated with animal, mythological and chest muscle designs, no doubt with the hope of intimidating the enemy. The function of this armor plate was, obviously, to protect the vital organs of the soldier and to keep him healthy and functional as he engaged the enemy in battle.

The "breastplate of righteousness" similarly is a protector of our very lives. The American Heritage Dictionary defines righteousness thusly:

1. Morally upright; without guilt or sin.
2. In accordance with virtue or morality.

In Genesis 15:6, as God makes a covenant with Abram, we read, "And [Abram] believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness." And Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21) When we believe God, it is accounted to us for righteousness. In the book of Romans, Paul tells us that "[Righteousness] shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead." (Romans 4:24).

Righteousness, then, comes from God. So, how do we get righteousness so we can "put it on?" Returning to 2 Corinthians, we see that Christ became sin for us, so that his righteousness might be imputed to us by faith (belief) in God. Putting on the breastplate of righteousness is, in essence, trusting God. Random House dictionary defines trust:

Reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing.

Whom we trust we follow. When we put on the breastplate of righteousness, we submit unconditionally to Christ. He is our righteousness. Paul wrote to the Roman church, "Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?" (Romans 6:16) He refers here, of course, to obedience to Christ.

What happens when we are obedient to Christ? Are we immune from physical illness? No. Are we guaranteed happiness? No. What, then? We are delivered from the tyranny of sin. We can live in the light. God gave the commandments we find in the scriptures to protect us, not to punish us. Being obedient to them protects us from any number of consequences of sin, from legal entanglements to domestic strife to sexually transmitted disease. In other words, the function of the armor plate of righteousness is to protect the Christian soldier and to keep him healthy and functional as he engages the enemy in battle.

One of the most frequently heard criticisms of the church is, "The church is full of hypocrites." No one can argue with that criticism, but Christian, if you put on the breastplate of righteousness, not self-righteousness, but the righteousness of Christ, the enemy will find you mighty intimidating. The battle is upon us. Put on the breastplate of righteousness now!