The Breastplate of Righteousness

Ephesians 6:14b 
'...with the breastplate of righteousness in place'

http://www.medieval-chain-mail-armor.com/wearable
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This is the second piece of Armour which we are commanded to wear: The Breastplate of righteousness. So, what is Righteousness?

One Dictionary I looked up said that Righteousness means Morally upright; without guilt or sin. Righteousness is being Right with God, and Sin is disobedience to God and takes us out of a positive relationship with Him, so righteousness must be the opposite - being godly and holy. But we also know that we are all sinful and all deserve hell (Romans 3:23) so how can we be righteous? We can only be righteous through Jesus. He died and paid the penalty for our sin (which is death) so now (If you  have repented and believe - If your a Christian) you are righteous. 

But this is also a command. we are to put the breastplate of righteousness in place. We must actively be working to fight sin in our lives and be holy. We must repent of our sin each day and work hard to do good instead of evil.  If you do this then you have the breastplate of righteousness and must continue to do so. The breastplate was the central piece of armour, that covered the heart and all the vital organs and it also covered the back. Righteousness is one of our main defences against Satan's attacks. It means that when we are accused falsely of sin, our lives are proof that we did not do it. It means that when Satan sends guilt and tries to bring us down, we can stand firm because we know that Jesus has taken away our sin and made us righteous through himself - that we are forgiven and free from slavery in Sin and Death.


Proverbs 14:34
Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.