The Armour of God Part 2
The Breastplate of Righteousness
By Mark Loga
In Ephesian Chapter 6, St Paul so eloquently describes the different pieces of the “whole armour of God”, that we must gird ourselves with as Christians in order to withstand the power and forces of the enemy.
The thought of placing physical armour can be likened to the Roman soldiers preparing themselves for protection in the midst of battle. The breastplate of righteousness is the second piece of armour that St Paul mentions. For the Roman soldier, the breastplate served as protection for some of the most important parts of the body, in particular the heart. Therefore, if a soldier did not wear his breastplate, he was vulnerable to an attack that could result in instant death.
When we see the word ‘heart’ in our Bible, it is often about the inner part of our “minds” or our “inner being”. It is our heart that determines who we are. For example David prayed, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer” Psalm 19:14. Matthew reminds us, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” Matthew 6:21. Luke, the physician, tells us, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good” Luke 6:45. And Solomon encourages us saying, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it springs the issues of life” Proverbs 4:23. Our hearts define who we are. Therefore, if the heart serves as the centre of our emotions, feelings and our identity as Christians, it’s no wonder that Satan, who is crafty, cunning, and evil, would want to attack such a vital organ in an attempt to break us down.
As Christians in this modern world, we are in constant spiritual warfare where the evil one is constantly attacking our hearts, therefore we must gird ourselves with the breastplate of righteousness. If we do not protect ourselves with righteousness, we open ourselves up to attack from the enemy and can fall into sin and spiritual death.
Unfortunately, our sinful nature often gets in the way of living an upright life. When we decide to live based on our own desires rather than God’s, we make decisions that are harmful to ourselves and others. Romans 8:6 says, “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
One of the ways the Bible defines righteousness is in terms of God’s commandments: “My tongue shall speak of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteousness” Psalm 119:172. Therefore, it’s clear God’s commandments are righteousness and we can put on this breastplate by obeying God in our lives. It is important to become more aware of the decisions we make, we can determine whether or not they are following God’s Will by actively tuning into his wavelength everyday of our lives. In addition, we can ask Him to give us the strength to live righteously. Ultimately, this will allow us to withstand attacks from the enemy and live in ways that glorify Christ.