Equipped for Battle: The Breastplate of Righteousness

The Apostle is here reminding these Ephesians at the end of this great letter that, though they're Christians, it doesn't mean that they're going to have a life of ease, a life which is free from difficulty. On the contrary, it is a life in which they will be confronted by a terrible and a mighty Foe and antagonist, in other words, the devil and the principalities and the powers and the rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high or in Heavenly places. [00:57:31]

He tells them that this foe is so mighty, so subtle, so able that there's only one way in which they can deal with him adequately and survive and stand, and that is that they be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, and that they take unto them and put on the whole armor of God. [01:39:15]

This is very essential because it governs, covers the heart and the sensibilities and feelings, the conscience, the desires, and the will, and so on. This is the most vital part, again, of the makeup of the Christian, and therefore we are looking at it very carefully. You see, we need to protect ourselves against moods and feelings and disappointments and things like that, but in particular, we've got to protect ourselves against the subtle Temptations of the devil. [02:52:56]

Putting on the breastplate of righteousness is similar to putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, putting on the armor of light, walking in the spirit. All these are interchangeable terms. But again, you see, we have to ask, what's it mean? They're wonderful phrases, but what exactly is their content? [04:16:40]

Negatively, we have to realize that we are, that the old man is dead indeed un sin. You noticed it in that sixth chapter of Romans in verse 6, knowing that our old man was crucified with Christ. He's the man I was in Adam. He's no longer there, dead indeed with Christ. Realize also that we are no longer in the Dominion of Satan, not under his power. [04:41:12]

We must realize also that we are dead indeed un sin, that's to say the Dominion of sin, the whole territory and government of sin. We are no longer in that realm. These are all negatives. And lastly, we must realize that we are dead to the law, even the law of God. We have died unto the law by the body of Christ, says Paul in Romans 7:4. [05:14:40]

The positive means this: looking unto Jesus. That was our theme 3 weeks ago on Palm Sunday, looking unto Jesus, realizing what he endured and suffered for us. You go through his life, you watch his battle against the devil. There's nothing more strengthening. That's putting on the breastplate of righteousness. As he is, so are we in this world. [05:46:19]

He died to make us good. That's his real object. He died to separate unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. You see, God didn't send his son to the Cross merely that we might be forgiven. No, no, his ambition is, his purpose is that men should again be what he made him at the beginning, perfect, free from sin, walking in his sight in a perfect manner. [07:27:56]

We must realize that we are under a new master, that we are now the Servants of righteousness. Now that's why I read that sixth chapter of the epistle to the Romans at the beginning because it's the chapter of all chapters which puts this positive as well as the negative which we've already considered. [09:21:16]

When you become a Christian, you see what happens is this: you're delivered from that, yes, but not in order that you may be a kind of autonomous person. What happens to you now is this, that instead of being the slave of sin, you become the slave of Christ and the slave of righteousness. [10:48:39]

We are no longer trying to make ourselves Christians. We are living this life because he's made us Christians. We are not trying to do the impossible. We are trying to do something that he's made possible for us to do. You see, the whole outlook is different. Where the spirit is, there is Liberty. I'm no longer held down. I'm no longer under condemnation. I am a new man. [35:05:00]

We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let Us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and what and find Grace to help in time of need. [39:57:56]