Equipped: Righteousness

This is the second installment of the Equipped series (see the first one here).  We're taking a look at the the armor of God as described in Ephesians 6.  Last week we saw that the Belt of Truth provides us with a foundation and also offers freedom.  Today we'll look at the second piece of armor.

"Stand firm then...with the breastplate of righteousness in place..."  Ephesians 6:14

The lorica segmentata was the breastplate of the Roman legionnaire.  It literally means "armor in pieces" and was made up of 4 sections.  Each section consisted of several strips of iron arranged horizontally, overlapping downward,  and fastened together internally by strips of leather.  The 4 separate sections (right and left torso and shoulder pieces) were buckled, hinged, strapped, tied, etc. by brass fittings.  The unique construction of the lorica segmentata proved to be an improvement over the previously used lorica hamata (a type of chain mail), offering a greater level of protection at about half the weight.  When a soldier had all the pieces in place and fastened together, all of his vital organs (save the brain) would be protected inside the most advanced body armor of the day.  It offered heightened protection from slashing and thrusting attacks from an enemy sword in the melee of battle, and an additional line of defense (beyond the shield) from an unexpected spear or arrow.

What is Righteousness?
In our battle with spiritual forces, righteousness serves as the breastplate.  The physical breastplate protected the vital organs of a soldier and the Breastplate of Righteousness protects a vital "spiritual organ", the heart.

"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."  Proverbs 4:23

The condition of the heart determines a life.  Not just its course or direction, but everything that it touches.  Is it any wonder that the enemy chooses the heart as a battleground?  We are urged to guard the heart, above all else.  What do we guard it with?  Righteousness.

But what is righteousness?  It is goodness, holiness, moral virtue.  In short, righteousness is living right.  This includes thought and action.  Biblically speaking, righteousness is conforming to God's law.  No one is capable of perfectly conforming to God's law.  Isaiah 64:6 says that all our righteous acts are like filthy rags compared to God's righteousness.  We have no hope of being righteous, of being good enough, in and of ourselves.

Then how can we possibly have righteousness as protection?

As with all of the other armor, the source is outside of ourselves.  We must have Christ's righteousness imputed and imparted to us.

IMPUTED Righteousness
When we accept Jesus as our Savior, His righteousness is imputed to us.  God then views us in light of our imputed righteousness.  That is, He judges us according to the righteousness of His Son rather than our imperfections.  Paul puts it this way:

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."  2 Corinthians 5:21

The Breastplate of Righteousness is given to us; it is not something we can manufacture on our own.  It protects our heart first by renewing it.  We can stand up to the condemnation that Satan so often brings against us by standing firm in the knowledge that, although we sin, our righteousness is secure in the work of Christ; a work that doesn't depend on our good deeds or our mistakes.  After having having our heart transformed by Christ's imputed righteousness we put on the breastplate daily in the power of Christ's imparted righteousness.

IMPARTED Righteousness
Not only is Christ's righteousness credited to us as salvation, but He imparts it to us allowing us to live righteously.  Essentially, to be who we are.  As our behavior prior to receiving Christ's righteousness showed our separation from God, so our renewed status before Him should be represented by how we live our lives.

"But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy.""  1 Peter 1:15-16

"Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness."  Romans 6:13

The power to do this; to be holy, to obey God, to live righteously, is also given to us.  We are responsible to use it, to put on the breastplate.

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.  Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires."                     2 Peter 1:3-4

While imputed righteousness saves us from the condemnation and punishment of our sins, imparted righteousness (the practical, daily application of the breastplate) protects us from the corruption of sin.  We are able to live righteous lives, free from sin's power.  If we make righteousness a daily pursuit, we will guard our heart and close what could be a giant hole in our defense.  If we live righteously, the sometimes unexpected attacks from our enemy will be less effective as the arrows that were meant to pierce our heart are instead completely deflected off the breastplate provided by God.