Real Hope: Armour of GodÀpẹrẹ

Armed For The Fight

Followers of Jesus are usually aware they are engaged in a bit of a battle. And this isn’t a battle against people we don’t like, or authorities we reckon are corrupt. It is ultimately a battle against the evil one and because of that we need more than just worldly weapons. We need what is called the armour of God.

One such piece of that armour is the breastplate of righteousness. The literal breastplate was a large piece of protection worn over the chest of a soldier. Since the soldier faced the enemy, this was a necessary safeguard. It consisted of leather overlaid with metal.

But why is it associated with righteousness? There can be two possibilities. One is to see righteousness as the right sort of living. In other words, living God’s way offers us protection against the assaults of the evil one. If we do not engage in such right living, then the evil one can attack us and exploit our various weaknesses. He knows our vulnerabilities – our weak spots.

Another possibility is to see righteousness as right standing with God made possible by our trust in what Jesus has done for us. The evil one will constantly try to accuse us of not being good enough. He will point the finger at us, suggesting our sins are too great to be forgiven. And so we need to put on this piece of protection that’s a reminder to us of our acceptance into God’s family.

Probably there’s truth to both these understandings. Right standing with God leads to right living. And so as we face our great enemy, the liar and the accuser, we have our defence ready. The arrows might fly, but they won’t get through.

Written by DAVID REAY