The Breastplate of Righteousness

. . . having on the breastplate of righteousness" (Ephesians 6:14b).

A Roman soldier wore a sleeveless piece of armor that covered his front chest and his back like a full vest. It could be made of leather, metal, or chainmail. This part of the armor protected many of his vital organs, such as the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, stomach, and intestines.

The breastplate of righteousness refers to the righteousness of Christ. We take on His righteousness when we accept Him as our Savior. In essence, we trade our sinfulness for his righteousness. We can do nothing to save ourselves other than accept Christ and submit to Him. We are saved by grace as a free gift from God. And when we allow Him to, the Holy Spirit will help us make righteous choices in our daily lives.

This breastplate also represents guarding our minds and emotions against sinful thoughts and feelings. In Hebrew culture, the heart represented a person's mind and will. The guts or intestines stood for the emotional side of a person. When we put on the breastplate of righteousness, it will protect both. We can hardly live a Christian life without it. So, let's make sure we have our breastplates of righteousness in place as we start off the New Year.

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