Week 3 - The Breastplate of Righteousness
Women of Unity Bible Study
Week 3The Breastplate of Righteousness
…and having put on the breastplate of righteousness.
Ephesians 6:14b
This week we are going to talk about the second
piece of that armor – the breastplate of righteousness. In verse 14b Paul tells us to position
ourselves by putting on the breastplate of righteousness. A breastplate is the armor that covered the
body from the neck to the thighs, and consisted of two parts, one covering the
front and the other the back. It was made of rings, or in the form of scales,
or of plates, so fastened together that they would be flexible, and yet guard
the body from a sword, spear, or arrow. Roman soldiers put on a breastplate to
protect their most vital organs.
A major organ that would be protected by putting on
the breastplate was the heart. Over and
over in the Scripture emphasis is placed on the heart and how important it is
to protect it. Now I’m not talking about
protection from those attitudes that seep in as a result of the situations we
go through in life. You know those
things I’m talking about like bitterness, wrath, unforgiveness, anger, etc. It
is in the Word of God that we are instructed to ‘Guard our hearts with all diligence because out of it flows the issues
of life’. (Proverbs 4:23) The Bible also tells us that ‘man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart’.
(I Samuel 16:7) We can fool people some of the time but we can never fool
God. He knows everything about us.
So what is this word righteousness? Righteousness is conformity to a certain set
of expectations, which vary from role to role. Righteousness is fulfillment of
the expectations in any relationship, whether with God or with other people.[1]
Pay close attention here to the phrase ‘fulfillment of expectations’. What does God expect of us? Micah 6:8 says ‘to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God’.
My answer to this question is - To live
our lives according to His will and His way (not our own). Ask yourself “How is
your Christian walk? Do you walk in
faith and love as stated in I Thessalonians 5:18? Faith and love encompasses all Christian
graces. It is by faith we are saved –
our connection to Christ. And it is by
our love that we are connected to our brothers and sisters in Christ. By this
shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love one for another.
(John 13:35)
It is the breastplate of righteousness that
fortifies us against the devil’s attacks. Note also here in this fourteenth verse that
the breastplate of righteousness is paired with the belt of truth. We should have righteousness in our works and
truth in our words. That means in all
that we do we choose to live God’s way.
Each day when we put on the breastplate of righteousness we are making a
deliberate choice to do what we can to live within the will of God. Of course, this is not in our own strength,
but by the help of the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us. Making this conscious choice acknowledges our
total dependence on God and that we want to live our lives for Him.
Putting on the breastplate says that we want to have
Christian integrity and righteousness of character. The breastplate of
righteousness yields peace to the mind by removing the condemnations of the
conscience. Having on the breastplate of
righteousness reminds us that the devil can never destroy us because of
sin. By making a choice to live our
lives in accordance with the will of God means that when we become aware of our
sin we ask God for forgiveness. And when
we come to Him with true repentance He forgives us. This requires a daily
examination of our life to see where we may fall short.
A Roman soldier would never go to battle without his
breastplate. He would be too
vulnerable. The same is true for us
today. I Peter 5:8 tells us ‘the devil roams around like a roaring lion
seeking whom he may devour’. Paul
did not tell us to put on our own armor but the armor of God. It is not our own righteousness that we are
instructed to put on but the righteousness of God. The devils attacks are going to come whether
we want them to or not. Let us not be naïve
enough to think that we can face these attacks alone and be victorious. It is the righteousness of God that has been
imputed to us that changes our position and gives us a place in Heaven. This same righteousness should also change
our daily practice. What we used to do we
don’t do any more. Not because we are that good but because we have the Holy Spirit
living on the inside of us helping us. Having
on the breastplate of righteousness allows us to recognize the devils attacks
as just that and resist the tricks those attacks try to play on our minds and
rest in the righteousness of God.
Prayer:
Lord, remind me of the importance of putting on the
breastplate of righteousness each day. I
want to have integrity as a Christian and righteousness of character. Reveal to me thoughts, attitudes, and habits
of my heart that are not pleasing to You. I want to know those things that I do
that do not fulfill the expectations you have set for me as Your child. Help me to allow the Holy Spirit to reign in
my life that I may be instantly aware of those things that are not acceptable
to You. Grant me the peace that comes from knowing that I can comes from Your
forgiveness when I offer true repentance. In Jesus’ name I pray Amen.
1. How have you tried to fight against the devils
attacks in your own strength? What was
the result?
2. What does it mean to you to have the
righteousness of God? List the benefits of wearing the breastplate of
righteousness daily.
Personal Growth:
1. David tells us in Psalm 139:23-24, Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me
and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Pray and ask God to reveal to you those attitudes in your heart that are not pleasing
to Him. Write them down. Add them to
your prayer list.
2. Search the Bible for what God says about the
attitudes revealed to you in Question 1.
Write them down those verses. Meditate on these verses during the next
seven days. Use them as a starting point for your prayers asking God to remove
those things from your heart.
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