Christian Fit Checkنموونە

The breastplate of righteousness

Every Christian soldier who hopes to survive this spiritual war needs these words: “Stand firm then . . . with the breastplate of righteousness in place” (Ephesians 6:14). A breastplate was a vest made of either tough leather or iron meant to protect the vital organs. In the same way, righteousness protects the vital heart of the Christian faith.

What does that mean? Righteousness is when you are right with God when God accepts you instead of rejects you. That is at the very heart of the Christian faith.

No wonder the devil aims most of his arrows at this vital teaching. His strategy is to convince you either that you’re righteous without Jesus or that you could never be righteous even with Jesus. He lies, “Someone like you would never deserve to go to hell!” Or he whispers, “You will never be right with God. You don’t stand a chance in hell of making it to heaven.”

But real righteousness protects you from those satanic lies. No, you aren’t worthy or deserving or enough (we’re talking about being with God forever in heaven!). No one is that righteous. But Jesus didn’t let that stop him from dying for the world, for relatively decent people, and for total moral train wrecks. Your past, as dark as it may be, could not stop Jesus from making you right with God.

Remember what you deserved and what Jesus did, and you will have the breastplate of righteousness in its place. You will stand firm in this spiritual fight.