Christian Warfare 7

The second piece of armor the Christian soldier needs in spiritual warfare is "the breastplate of righteousness" (Ephesians 6:14). Albert Barnes wrote,

The word here rendered "breastplate" denotes the cuirass, Lat. lorica,Or coat of mail; that is, the armor that covered the body from the neck to the thighs, and consisted of two parts, one covering the front and the other covering the back. It was made of rings, or in the form of scales, or of plates, so fastened together that they would be flexible, and yet guard the body from a sword, spear, or arrow (Albert Barnes, Barnes Notes, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, page 117).

The breastplate provided protection for the internal organs, most important of which is the heart. Righteousness is the spiritual counterpart to the breastplate but how? First consider the heart in Scripture. The heart is the center for intellectual and spiritual life, see Matthew 13:15; Proverbs 23:7; I Samuel 9:20; Isaiah 46:8. The heart is also the place of the will, or decision making capacities within humans, see 2 Corinthians 9:7; Acts 5:4; Romans 6:17. A third area of the biblical heart within involves the seat of the

emotions, see Psalm 4:7; Isaiah 65:14; I Samuel 25:37; Proverbs 12:25; John 16:6. The heart also serves as the seat of moral and spiritual life, see I John 3:19-21; Judges 16:7. These are protected from the attacks of Satan by righteousness serving as a breastplate.

What is righteousness? Vine’s Expository Dictionary Of New Testament Words has "DIKAIOUSNE is the character or quality of being right or just; it was formerly spelled ‘rightwiseness,’ which clearly expressed the meaning" (page 980). The righteousness which serves as the breastplate for battle is living a just, upright life. The Bible outlines the way we are to walk ("in the light," I John 1:7; on the strait and narrow way, Matthew 7:13,14). To follow the Lord, living as we should, we live righteously.

But how does that protect us? First consider what it does not do, protect us from attack. Paul wrote to Timothy that "all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12). Carefully consider what Paul here wrote about persecution. It is not possible, or probable, it is certain. He wrote shall suffer. In some cases righteous living will invite attack. Think back over your life and recall the times when someone who was good was ridiculed for it, belittled, taunted, teased, and encouraged to do something "bad." This is why we need the breastplate, because attacks will come. The breastplate of righteousness, held in place by the girdle of truth, protects the heart from the attacks.

How does it protect the heart? We are protected from losing heart, growing discouraged and surrendering to the enemy. How? By knowing we are serving the God of heaven and we can not lose this war unless we quit. The book of Revelation shows who wins in the end. Jesus will overthrow His enemies and the saints will share in the victory for eternity. No matter how bad it appears for the moment, we know who wins.

—Denny