Ephesians 6 | The Breastplate of Righteousness

Background

The breastplate is a defensive weapon, crucial for protecting a Roman soldier's vital organs, such as the heart and lungs, from swords, spears, or arrows. Weighing around 9 kg, it was made of iron for strength and leather for flexibility. This well-designed armour allowed soldiers to feel confident and protected in battle.

Biblical Relevance

Ephesians 2:8 tells us, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." This means our own righteousness does not save us; it is God's gift of grace. Therefore, righteousness is not a weapon of offence but a defence against the enemy and sin.

A biblical story illustrates this point. When Saul dressed David in his own armor (1 Samuel 17:38-39), David found it unsuitable and faced Goliath with faith in God instead: "David said to the Philistine, 'You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied'" (1 Samuel 17:45). This shows that true protection and victory come from relying on God, not our own strength.

The breastplate protected the heart and lungs, essential for life. Similarly, righteousness guards our spiritual heart and soul. Proverbs 12:28 says, "In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway, there is no death," and Romans 8:10 adds, "But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness." These verses emphasise that righteousness leads to life sparing a soul from death it also

explains how we cannot be made right with God on our own, but rather it’s been granted to us through Jesus' sacrifice: "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). This divine gift sustains our spiritual life, even though our physical bodies are mortal and sinful.

Attacks Against the Heart

The enemy often targets a Christian's heart to undermine their righteous living. By tempting us to sin, he aims to pull us away from God's presence and dull the spirit within us. If we reject God's righteousness and live a life of sin, we become numb to what we once abhorred, losing our spiritual vitality.

Although we cannot achieve righteousness through our own efforts, God's spirit empowers us to strive for holiness. As 1 Peter 5:8 warns, "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." Therefore, we must continually wear the breastplate of righteousness, remaining vigilant and faithful to stay spiritually alive in the battle for our souls.

This breastplate is our protection, given by God, to ensure we stay alive in the midst of spiritual battles.