The Breastplate of Righteousness

by Rocky Fleming

Day 5: Identified with Christ

“Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.” St. Patrick

As we continue our look at the “Breastplate of Righteousness” as mentioned by Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, and St. Patrick’s thoughts on it, let’s try to understand how this defensive part of our spiritual armament works.  Let’s begin with the elements that go into it.  As with all body armor, there must be good materials that go into the forging of this armament.  We have been discussing some of those elements that go into this armor using St. Patrick’s take on it.  The elements in our armor are, in fact, how we are positioned in our faith in Christ and how He becomes our Breastplate of Righteousness.  

Patrick saw the elements in his breastplate as His Declaration of Faith – His Internal Strength in Christ- The assurance he had that he is Enclosed in God’s Care – His perspective that he is Protected by God’s Presence – and –  His personal abandonment and absolute trust with being Identified with Christ.  I look at these elements and understand that these are the things (fruit) that are found in the close proximity we are given when we abide in Jesus and He in us.  This tells me that all the elements are available to us for our armor, but we must play a part in the forging of this armor by going to this place of abiding.  This requires time and commitment on our part.  

The process and priority we give to enter into closer proximity with Christ will forge a man who follows Christ into Christ-likeness, and it is this image of Christ that becomes our breastplate of righteousness.  This image of Christ that stands before us in our life causes demons to run when they see it. There was a purpose in Paul using the breastplate illustration.  It was because the breastplate, in his day, protected the heart and internal organs of a soldier.  The same need for protecting our hearts today is required.  We are not talking about the organic pump though.  We are talking about our inner man.  So let’s talk about the heart, as mentioned in the Bible:

• The Heart is where Christ-like character is formed.  The treasures found there are immeasurable in worth.  That is why it must be protected.
• The Heart is seen as the mind, the emotions, the will, or to summarize, it is the inner man.  For that reason, when the inner man is sick spiritually, the outward man will follow.  Little wonder we read in Proverbs 4:23 that “above all we must guard our heart.”  If we do not guard it, it will return to its old instincts and nature and our outward life will have the same look.
• The Heart has a great capacity for both good and evil.  In Jeremiah 17:9 we read that our natural, inner man (heart) is desperately sick.   Therefore, we need a change of heart.  God promises to give us a new heart because of Christ.  The breastplate of righteousness creates a changed heart, and it protects the heart that is changed.

I could go on with many illustrations about the makeup of the heart, its great potential, and it's great vulnerabilities, but this short devotional will not allow it.  Let me summarize it by saying that we desperately need a change of heart and a protected heart, and the Breastplate of Righteousness will provide both of these things.  As a final look at the elements in St. Patrick’s breastplate, I see in his words above that being clearly identified with Christ is essential.  If we are not clearly identified with Him, we are in half-hearted support of His mission through our life.  Jesus said that we couldn’t serve two masters.  We are either with Him wholeheartedly or not at all.  If we are half-hearted, this will create spiritual vulnerability. 

A mythical legend speaks of a mighty warrior called Achilles.  He was supposedly completely protected from all arrows and spears except at his heel.  When his enemy found this out, they concentrated their attack at that spot and brought him down.  Samson was a Biblical character who had a similar vulnerability.  His vulnerability was keeping his hair uncut.  When his enemy discovered this, they attacked that place in his life and brought him down.  Our breastplate of righteousness will be impenetrable armor for us, provided it is formed from the inside out with the abiding relationship with Christ that creates a new heart.  Then this new heart must make a clear and absolute identification with Jesus by our faith in His words, His power, His presence, and His protection.  When we do this, the most vulnerable area in our life, the heart, is completely protected, and this allows God to form the mighty spiritual warriors that He is raising up for the times we live in today.