Our Armour and Our Weapons Part 2 – Righteousness
Last time we looked at the “belt of truth” that enables us to fight in the battle without being tripped up by lies and deception; and that provides the scabbard for the “sword of the Spirit”. The more we know the Truth and the more truth we know, the more our hearts and minds will be full of truth that the Holy Spirit can bring to mind in every situation we face.
This week we look at the “breastplate of righteousness”. The breastplate of righteousness protects our vital organs and especially our heart. Wounded, guilt-ridden, condemned hearts cause many would-be champions to retreat from the battle. Righteousness means “right-standing with God”. Sometimes it is translated “justified” which means that I can stand before God “just-as-if-I’d-never-sinned”.
In the battle one of the major weapons the devil uses against us is condemnation. He knows that when our heart condemns us we do not have confidence towards God. When in a battle a soldier must have confidence. When a soldier’s confidence is broken down, fear can easily take root, he is unable to fight effectively and he is easily defeated.
1 John 3:19-21 “And by this we know the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For is our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence towards God.”
Thank God He is greater than our heart! If we allow Him to do it, He will heal our heart and give us an assurance of His acceptance and favour that empowers us for further action.
The following verses of Scripture are tremendous righteousness faith builders.
2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
(That Christ, the righteous Son of God was willing to “become sin” for us, reveals just how much He loves us.)
Romans 3:21-24 “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…”
(By faith in Jesus Christ, God’s righteousness is made available to all who believe. This is righteousness that has nothing to do with keeping the law. It is freely given as a result of God’s grace – unmerited favour – because of the great price Jesus paid to redeem us.)
Romans 5:4 “But to him who does not work (at keeping the law) but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness”
Romans 5:17 “For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
Righteousness is a gift. It can’t be earned. When we realise that what we have is because of an abundance of grace (unmerited favour) and it is a gift we can have tremendous confidence that God is for us. No wonder we can reign in life, and that includes having authority over “all the power of the enemy”.
Luke 10:19 “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
The devil is called the “accuser of the brethren” (Revelation 12:10). When Jesus ascended into heaven, the devil who accused man “day and night,” was cast down. In heaven no accusation against a believer is received. Every believer is seen in Christ and therefore seen as righteous and deserving of no condemnation. However on earth the devil, true to his nature, condemns Christians continually. When we believe his lie we come under condemnation and although legally free from it (from God’s point of view) suffer the consequences of it.
In this battle it is essential that we believe “there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
Before I conclude this part of our series on “The Armour and Weapons of our Warfare” I want to clarify something that can confuse people. Paul says that we are “to put on” the amour. Does this mean it is something separate from us and needs to be put on each day? No, it is something that is ours already, but like everything, we apply it by faith. It is not something that we must religiously put on as if it is some superstitious ritual. It is more to do with an attitude we have. For me it more like checking that my armour is in place and that I haven’t allowed condemnation, doubts, fears and wrong thinking to get a hold. Many mornings I go through the check list and thank God for supplying me with His armour. I am actually strengthening my confidence and faith in the finished work of Christ. If I forget to do it on any particular morning it doesn’t mean that I head out into my day without my armour.
Glory to God for the most amazing, underserved gift of righteousness!
Your fellow-warrior (not worrier) in Christ,
Richard