Breastplate of Righteousness

The Breastplate That Protects Your Soul- Ephesians 6:10-17

Good morning Church.

You look great. Grab your Bibles and make your way to Ephesians 6.

We are in the second week of this series- we have are calling Strong in the Lord- because the only time we can truly be strong is in Christ.

And when we are in Christ we have put on the whole armor of God.

And the reason we put on the whole armor of God is because we are in a war- this war isn’t of flesh and blood- this war is a spiritual battle.

Every single one of us who follows Jesus is caught in this cosmic conflict. It’s not a maybe, not a possibility; it’s happening in the right here and right now.

And listen, if you don’t know you’re in a war, guess what? You’re already losing ground.

Do you realize every time I get into my vehicle, its a race.

I am Ricky Bobby in a Jeep Gladiator. If you ain’t first, your last.

Do the other drivers realize they are in a race? I don’t know and that’s not my problem.

Thats the same attitude Satan and his demons have when it comes to Christians not recognizing the war they are in.

Well, I don’t believe in the demonic.

Well, you should because they believe in you.

And the Bible talks a good bit about the spiritual forces of darkness in the heavenly places.

and we should suit up to stand- which we saw last week is a battle formation- when you stand and withstand that means you are ready to take on the schemes of the enemy.

We’ve got a real enemy.

The Bible calls him the devil, Satan. He’s not some cartoon figure with a pitchfork—he’s a liar, a deceiver, a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

And here’s the truth: if the enemy can’t have your soul—because Jesus already claimed it through the cross and the empty tomb—he’s not going to just throw in the towel and walk away.

Oh no, he’s relentless. He’ll shift his strategy. He’ll come after your heart, your joy, your peace, and your witness.

He knows he can’t undo your salvation. That’s sealed by the blood of Jesus.

But if he can get you to live like you’ve forgotten it, then he’s still got you limping instead of running.

He’ll accuse you, remind you of every sin you’ve ever committed, dredge up the past you’ve already been forgiven for, and try to convince you that God’s grace wasn’t enough.

He’ll whisper lies in your ear—things like, “You’ll never be good enough. Why even try? You’ll always be a failure. Who do you think you are?” And if we’re not careful, we start believing those lies.

But the devil is a deceiver. That’s his nature.

And he wants to tempt you into living like someone you’re not. He’ll try to convince you that your identity is rooted in your mistakes or your weaknesses, instead of in Christ’s righteousness.

He’ll whisper, “You’ll always be bitter. God could never really love someone like you.”

If he can plant seeds of doubt, guilt, and fear, he can choke out your joy. If he can stir up anxiety, he can steal your peace.

And if he can get you tangled up in sin or shame, he can silence your witness. Because a Christian who’s weighed down by guilt or paralyzed by fear isn’t standing in victory—they’re just surviving.

And we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus. Not just a survivor.

But listen, that’s not what Jesus died for.

He didn’t conquer sin and death so we could just get by. He came so we could have life, and have it abundantly.

So when the enemy comes for your heart, your peace, and your witness, you’ve got to be ready. You’ve got to put on the armor God provides—starting with the breastplate of righteousness. Because when you know you’re covered in His righteousness, the lies lose their power. And the truth sets you free.

Last week, we talked about the belt of truth. It is the very first piece each and every Christian puts on first.

We learned that this belt is no ordinary piece of armor—it’s the foundation that holds everything together. Without it? You’re exposed, weighed down, and vulnerable to every lie the enemy throws at you.

Now, remember what we said about truth? It’s not just a set of ideas, and it’s definitely not something you get to define for yourself. Truth is a person. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). And let’s be real—if Jesus is truth, that means anything that contradicts Him is a lie. That’s why we need the belt of truth fastened around us.

Paul uses the picture of a Roman soldier. That belt wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t the kind of thing that got attention like the sword or shield. But don’t be fooled. The belt held it all together—it kept the tunic from tripping the soldier up, distributed the weight of the armor, and kept the sword within reach. No belt, no stability. No belt, no sword. You’d be a mess on the battlefield.

So last Sunday, I asked you: Are you living with the belt of truth fastened tight? Or are you stumbling around, trying to fight the good fight while weighed down by the lies of the world?

Church, standing firm starts with truth. But it doesn’t stop there.

Today, we’re moving to the next piece of armor—the breastplate of righteousness. If truth holds everything together, righteousness protects your heart. So buckle up. Let’s get after it- and lets starts by reading God’s Word.

Ephesians 6:10–17 (ESV)

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

Let’s pray.

The literal breastplate was a thick, solid slab of metal or leather reinforced with metal plates. It covered the soldier from neck to waist, front and back. Its primary job? To protect the vital organs—the lungs, the stomach, and most importantly, the heart.

Think about that. You could lose a hand or take a hit to the arm and survive, but a blow to the heart? That’s fatal. It does not matter how big and how bad a person was- if they got stabbed in the heart- if they took a spear to the chest- if arrows went in- game over.

No roman soldier would step onto the battlefield without his breastplate firmly in place. It was life or death.

Every time he strapped it on, he knew: “This is what keeps me alive when the arrows fly and the swords swing.”

Paul isn’t talking about physical armor here—he’s talking about spiritual armor. And the breastplate of righteousness.

How do we come are we made righteous?

Well that brings us to the first truth in our time together.

1. The Meaning of the Breastplate of Righteousness

In Scripture there are two types of righteousness.

Imputed Righteousness and imparted righteousness.

I know "imputed" might sound like a theological term reserved for seminary students, but trust me, this is good news for every single one of us.

This is what changes everything in the battle for your soul.

Here’s the truth about righteousness: we can’t earn it.

Not a single one of us. You can try all you want—go to church every Sunday, read your Bible cover to cover, serve in every ministry, and still fall short of God’s perfect standard.

Like think about Paul’s resume.

If anybody had a reason to brag about their accomplishments, it was Paul.

He lays it all out in Philippians 3:4-9. He says, “If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more.” And then he starts listing his spiritual credentials.

He was the real deal—a Hebrew of Hebrews, from the tribe of Benjamin- which the first king of Israel was from- Saul.

He was circumcised on the eighth day, just like the law commanded.

As a Pharisee, he knew the Scriptures backward and forward.

When it came to zeal, he was so passionate that he persecuted the church. And when it came to righteousness under the law? Blameless.

Paul had the kind of religious record that would make most of us feel like spiritual toddlers. He had it all—pedigree, knowledge, zeal, and obedience.

If getting right with God was about works, Paul would’ve had a front-row seat in heaven with his name on it.

But then Paul says something that flips it all upside down. He writes, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ” (Philippians 3:7).

All those achievements? All those spiritual gold stars? He calls them loss.

In fact, in verse 8, he gets even stronger: “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake, I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.”

The word Paul uses for rubbish is the Greek word skubalon.

It’s not a polite word. It means trash, poop—think of the stuff you might scrape off your shoe if were in a bulls pen. Thats what that means bull skubalon.

That’s how Paul sees all his religious works and accomplishments compared to knowing Jesus.

Why? Because works can’t save you. You can’t earn your way into a right standing before God. Paul realized that all the law-keeping in the world couldn’t cleanse his sin. He needed a righteousness that came from outside himself—a righteousness that only God could provide. And that’s exactly what he found in Jesus.

In Philippians 3:9, Paul says he wants to be found in Christ, “not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God that depends on faith.”

This is what makes the Gospel so scandalous and beautiful.

It’s not about what you do for God—it’s about what God has done for you through Jesus.

All your best efforts? They’re filthy rags.

Isaiah 64:6 ESV

6 We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

Polluted garments- filthy rags- the original wording paints the picture of ladies menstrual rags. That’s what our works look like when we try to use them to justify ourselves before a holy God.

In Old Testament times, when that was occuring women were considered ceremonially unclean. They had to go to the outside of the camp.

When I first became the pastor we walked through a lot of the miracles of Jesus. We talked about the woman who had the issue of blood and why it was so scandalous that she touched Jesus.

But she touched Jesus and became clean.

Typically- when something dirty touches clean- the clean gets dirty- like Blair can have the house spotless- then that little 8 year old tornado can come home and it looked like a bomb went off- Just hot wheels, dinosaurs, and army men. looks like a prehistoric battle had taken place-

Thats typically how it works but with Jesus when the dirty touches Him the dirty gets clean.

Notice too, that Isaiah doesn’t say sinful acts are like filthy rags. No, he says our righteous acts—our best efforts, the stuff we think earns us brownie points with God—that’s what he calls filthy.

We cannot impress God. You realize that, right? We cannot impress God.

like God has never been in Heaven going, man, I really outdid myself when I made Pastor Jordan. He’s handsome, smart, not even funny- hilarious- and he is so strong.

That’s never going to happen.

Because His standard is perfection. Not pretty good. Not better than most. Not better than Hitler. That’s everyone’s goodness test. I’m a good person- I’m not Hitler.

Perfect. And when the holy, sinless, all-powerful God of the universe looks at even our finest moments, they fall short of His glory.

Romans 3:23 backs it up: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Think about it—if you were to offer God a checklist of all your good deeds and religious accomplishments, thinking it would somehow earn His favor, it would be like handing Him a pile of stained, filthy, raggedy clothes.

It’s not that your efforts are worthless in themselves; it’s that they can’t cleanse your sin or earn righteousness.

The problem isn’t with doing good—it’s with trusting in those good works to make you right with God.

God is not looking for religious performance. He’s not grading you on a curve. He’s looking for hearts surrendered to Him, trusting fully in the righteousness of Jesus. That’s why Isaiah paints this stark picture—to remind us that no matter how good we think we are, without Christ, our works have no power to save.

Why? Because sin runs deep. Romans 3:10 lays it out plain: “None is righteous, no, not one.” Not you. Not me. Not the person sitting next to you.

But here’s where the Gospel flips the script. When Jesus died on the cross, He did more than just take our sins upon Himself—He gave us His righteousness. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Think about that for a second. Jesus, the only perfect, sinless One, took all our sin—every failure, every bad choice, every shameful moment—and bore it in His body on the cross. He didn’t just carry our sins; He became sin for us.

Why? So that we could become the righteousness of God in Him. That’s the great exchange! He takes our sin; we get His righteousness.

And here’s the best part—it’s a gift. You don’t work for it. You don’t deserve it. You don’t have to earn it. It’s imputed to you—credited to your account—by faith in Jesus. It’s like having an unpayable debt erased and replaced with an endless deposit of righteousness, not because of what you did but because of what Christ did for you.

Picture it this way: when God looks at you, He doesn’t see your sin-stained record anymore. If you are in Christ, He sees you clothed in the perfect righteousness of His Son.

Every time the enemy points a finger at you, trying to condemn you, Jesus stands in your place and says, “Paid in full. This one’s mine.”

Imputed righteousness is why we can stand before a holy God with confidence.

It’s not self-righteousness; it’s Christ-righteousness. It’s not earned through good deeds; it’s received by grace through faith.

So when the devil tries to accuse you, remind him—and remind yourself—of this truth: “I am righteous not because of me, but because of Jesus.” That’s what it means to be covered by the breastplate of righteousness. That’s what it means to be strong in the Lord and the power of His might.

We cannot earn salvation- its been imputed on us- that’s the good news.

But that’s not the righteousness Paul is talking about.

When we first believed the Gospel, we were justified by faith—declared righteous before God. This is what’s known as imputed righteousness.

However, in this passage, Paul is focusing less on our standing before God and more on our daily walk of righteousness—living in a way that honors God and others as we depend on the power of the Holy Spirit.

The theological term is imparted righteousness. This is where the rubber meets the road in the Christian life. If imputed righteousness is about what Christ gives us—His righteousness credited to our account—then imparted righteousness is about what Christ does in us, transforming the way we live.

When you become a follower of Jesus, God doesn’t just stamp a "righteous" label on your file and leave you to figure things out on your own.

No, He begins a process of sanctification—a daily shaping of your life so you reflect His holiness.

1 Peter 1:15-16 calls us to this: “But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’”

Here’s what that means: imparted righteousness is about living in obedience to God’s commands, not to earn His favor but because we already have it.

It’s actually allowing the truth of who you are in Christ to be worked out in how you live.

It’s choosing, day by day, to surrender your will to God’s will.

Now, let me be clear—this doesn’t happen by sheer willpower.

It’s not about gutting it out and trying harder to be a better person.

A lot of grew up in a church where this was the way- God is good, we are bad, try harder. Thats not this.

Imparted righteousness comes by relying on the Holy Spirit.

The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead now dwells in you (Romans 8:11), empowering you to walk in obedience, resist temptation, and grow in godliness.

And let me tell you something—this kind of righteousness isn’t just about avoiding sin.

It’s about pursuing holiness. It’s about saying yes to God’s ways because you trust that His ways are better. It’s about letting the character of Christ be formed in you, so your thoughts, words, and actions align with His truth.

Think about it like this: imputed righteousness makes you righteous in God’s sight—He sees you clothed in Christ’s perfection.

But imparted righteousness is God working out that righteousness in your daily life. It’s like a tree that’s been planted in rich soil. The roots (your justification) are solid, but now it’s time for the branches and fruit (your sanctification) to grow and show evidence of the life within.

When you walk in imparted righteousness, you reflect God’s heart to a watching world.

You become a living testimony of His grace.

Because ultimately what the breastplate does is it...

2. The Breastplate guards the heart.

It guards the most critical part of your spiritual life: your heart.

The Bible speaks about the heart over and over again—not as the organ pumping blood through your body but as the core of who you are. Your heart is the seat of your emotions, desires, thoughts, and will. It’s the control center for everything you do.

Proverbs 4:23 (ESV)

23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

tells us, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Did you catch that? Above all else.

That’s a big deal. God isn’t saying, “If you have time, guard your heart,” or “When it’s convenient, keep an eye on it.”

No, He says this is top priority. Why? Because everything you do flows from it. Every choice you make, every word you speak, every action you take—it all starts in the heart.

and whatever you let into your heart will shape your life.

If you fill it with truth, God’s Word will guide your steps. If you let lies, sin, and temptation take root, they’ll pull you away from God. Satan knows this.

He’s not just interested in messing with your circumstances; he’s coming for your heart. He wants to poison your desires, twist your emotions, and corrupt your thinking so you live defeated instead of victorious.

Think of it this way: if your heart is like a wellspring of water, guarding it is like protecting the source from pollution. If the source gets contaminated, the whole stream is poisoned. In the same way, if you allow bitterness, pride, lust, or fear into your heart, it won’t stay contained—it will flow out into your actions, relationships, and decisions. That’s why guarding your heart isn’t optional—it’s essential.

What does it mean to guard your heart?

I think it means a couple of different things.

1. Fill Your Heart with God’s Word

If you’re going to guard your heart, you’ve got to fill it with the right stuff.

It’s not just about keeping bad things out—it’s about packing it full of the truth of God’s Word so there’s no room for anything else.

Psalm 119:11 (ESV)

11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

The psalmist isn’t talking about a casual glance at Scripture or a Sunday morning dose of a sermon. He’s talking about burying it deep inside, letting it take root so it can produce fruit.

Now, let me ask you—what’s filling your heart right now? Because whatever you store up in your heart will come out when the pressure is on.

Jesus said in Matthew 12:34

“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”

If your heart is filled with fear, bitterness, or worldly desires, guess what’s going to come out when life gets tough? But if it’s filled with the truth of God’s promises, then when the enemy whispers his lies, your heart will be ready to fire back with, “It is written.” Like I said last week- we have to have some it is written’s memorized.

Because here’s the thing—you can’t draw from a well that’s empty.

If you’re not spending time in the Word, if you’re not reading it, meditating on it, and letting it shape your thinking, then you won’t be ready when the battle comes. Don’t wait for the crisis to start digging. Fill your heart with God’s Word now, so when the enemy attacks, you’ll be armed and dangerous with truth.

And listen, this isn’t about checking a box or doing your “Christian duty.” It’s about letting the living, breathing Word of God transform you from the inside out. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

So guard your heart by hiding God’s Word in it. Study it. Memorize it. Let it renew your mind.

2. Be Mindful of What You Allow In

if we’re serious about guarding our hearts, we’ve got to pay attention to what we’re letting in.

Proverbs 4:23 tells us, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

If everything flows from the heart, then it makes sense that what goes into the heart shapes what comes out. Garbage in, garbage out. Truth in, truth out. You can’t pour clean water from a dirty well.

Now, let’s be real—this world is full of messages, images, and influences trying to take up residence in your heart.

Every ad, every social media post, every TV show, every conversation, every piece of entertainment—it’s either building up truth or tearing it down. It’s either planting seeds of righteousness or seeds of sin.

Philippians 4:8 tells us, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” That’s a filter for what we allow into our hearts and minds.

If you’re filling your heart with fear-driven news cycles, guess what’s going to dominate your thoughts? Fear.

If you’re bingeing entertainment that glorifies lust, greed, and pride, don’t be surprised when your own desires start bending in that direction.

You might think it’s harmless, but little compromises add up.

It’s like planting a garden. Nobody walks out to a perfectly clean field and just tosses weeds in for fun.

But when we let our guard down—when we watch, listen to, or entertain things that are contrary to God’s truth—we’re inviting weeds to take root.

And if we don’t pull them out, they’ll choke the life out of the good seed God is planting in us.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:22-23, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness.”

What you focus on shapes what fills you. What you allow in through your eyes and ears becomes fuel for your thoughts, your emotions, and ultimately your actions.

And listen, it’s not just about avoiding the bad stuff—it’s about filling your heart with the right stuff. If all you ever do is clear out the weeds but never plant good seed, your heart will be empty and vulnerable.

Instead of just turning off things that pull you away from God, actively pursue what draws you closer to Him. Spend time in the Word. Listen to worship music. Surround yourself with godly community. Let truth, beauty, and grace be the things that shape your heart and mind.

Church, guarding your heart is about vigilance. It’s about setting boundaries and being intentional. It’s about asking, “Is this drawing me closer to Jesus or pulling me away from Him?” When you choose what honors God, you strengthen your defense.

3. Surround yourself with Godly Influences

Guarding your heart isn’t just about what you consume—it’s also about who you let in.

Proverbs 13:20 puts it bluntly: “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” In other words, your circle matters.

The people you surround yourself with will either pull you closer to Jesus or drag you away from Him.

My momma always used to tell me- “you will never bring your friends up but they will drag you down.” Sigh- you were right.

think about it like this- If you’re trying to climb a mountain, you need people with ropes, harnesses, and a map, not someone pulling you back down the hill. Godly friendships are like climbing partners—they challenge you, they keep you accountable, and when you slip, they help pull you back up. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”

That’s why discipleship and community are so vital.

You need people in your life who will speak truth when the world is shouting lies.

People who will pray for you when you’re struggling. People who will call out sin, not to condemn you, but to help you walk in freedom. Iron sharpens iron, and we all need sharpening.

But let’s be real—this kind of community doesn’t happen by accident. You have to be intentional about surrounding yourself with godly influences. That might mean stepping into a small group, getting involved in a ministry, or asking someone to mentor you. It might mean reevaluating some relationships that are toxic or pulling you away from Christ.

That’s why we are moving towards a discipleship model.

I just spent 3 days talking and diving deeper with Dr. Leinderbach (the professor) and 8 other pastors about the foundation for discipleship for a Doctorate of Ministry Seminar- its the last one I had to take before the writing begins.

Lord willing- I’m literally going to a Doctor of Ministry in Discipleship in about 16 months. So- I’m telling you I truly believe Discipleship is key to growing and flourishing in your walk with the Lord.

One of the big takeaways for me personally over those 3 days of notes and discussions was when Dr. Leinderback talked about Aristotles four causes.

Which is funny I take a Christian Discipleship Seminar and walk away with Aristotles works.

But he had his four causes.

Formal cause: Essentially this is the blueprint of a thing

Material cause: The stuff you need for the thing

Efficient cause: This would be cause and effect

Final cause: The true purpose of something

For example- Lets take a pen.

Formal cause: is the blueprint of whatever company made the pen.

Material cause: ink- plastic, springs if it is a clicky pen

Efficient cause: Workers- the people who made it

Final cause: The true purpose of something- When is the pen doing what it is intended to do? When its writing. It can be used for other things but that is its true purpose.

Now think about this- Think about Humans

What is our formal cause? Imago Dei- Our Blueprints are made in the image of God.

What is our material cause? We are mind, body, spirit

Efficient cause? God or if you want to get technical your parents having sex.

What is our final cause? The glory of God. (When we are outside God’s glory, we are outside of God’s design for us. Outside the blueprint)

Our true purpose is to glorify God.

We were made for community to grow in our love and admiration for the Lord to give Him all the praise and all the glory.

Discipleship groups help foster our one true purpose.

I believe a lot of discipling is going on here at Cedar Bay. I do. Small groups. Men’s Bible Study. Wednesday Night prayer meetings. But we weren’t called to just be disciples of Jesus. We were commissioned, every christian was given the great commission.

Matthew 28:19–20 (ESV)

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

We have the discipling part down- now we are going to move to the right- and begin the process of becoming disciple-makers.

Because evangelism and discipleship are not two different things. David Watson said “Disciple people to conversion, don't convert people then disciple them."

Its all in one. We get involved in peoples life- teaching them about the Lord- growing in knowledge of the Lord but its more than that- its also having accountability in your life, its the meaning and direction in our live.

We aren’t supposed to just sit in pews and listen and never do anything with what God’s Word said. Thats like being the dead sea. There’s no outlet.

The goal is to be the Jordan River- that's being a disciple-maker.

And Disciple-making is the only strategy for the Great Commission to be completed.

What does it mean to guard your heart?

Fill-it with God’s Word. Be watchful and be in community.

and that will result in

3. Living a Life of Righteousness

Righteousness isn’t some shiny medal you pin to your chest and admire; it’s a way of life.

It’s a daily decision to walk in obedience to God’s truth, to reflect His holiness in everything you do.

Let’s be clear—obedience isn’t a dirty word.

It’s not about cold, joyless rule-following- this isn’t a legal system. Do this- don’t do that; it’s about choosing to live in the freedom that Jesus already purchased for you.

Holiness is not a prison—it’s a path to life.

God’s commands are for your good because He knows that sin always leads to death (Romans 6:23).

When you choose righteousness, you’re aligning your life with God’s design, and that design leads to peace, joy, and strength.

Paul talks about this in Ephesians 4:22-24

Ephesians 4:22–24 (ESV)

22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,

23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,

24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

when he says, “Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires… and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Holiness is about putting away the sin that used to define you and stepping into the new life God has for you. It’s a process, a daily surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit in your heart.

Now listen—this pursuit of righteousness isn’t about earning God’s love. You already have that.

It’s about living like someone who knows they’re loved, forgiven, and set free.

Jesus didn’t save you so you could stay chained to the very sin He died to defeat. He saved you to walk in victory. And when you walk in obedience, you’re putting on the breastplate of righteousness that strengthens your defense against sin and temptation.

And Christ saved us from sin- not to sin.

Here’s why this matters: sin creates cracks in your armor. When you compromise on God’s truth—when you flirt with temptation or justify little sins—you’re giving the enemy a foothold. Sinning saints cannot stand in the day of adversity when Satan attacks.

Satan will exploit every gap he can find. But when you pursue holiness, those cracks close. Righteous living isn’t about perfection, but it’s about progress, powered by the Spirit of God. Every step of obedience reinforces your defense.

James 4:7 (ESV)

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Submission to God is where the power comes from. When you live in obedience, the enemy’s arrows don’t find a weak spot—they bounce off.

So how do you pursue holy living? You don’t do it alone. You rely on the Spirit, saturate yourself in God’s Word, and walk in community with other believers. You make righteousness a habit, choosing God’s way over your own, even when it’s hard. And every act of obedience is like another piece of that breastplate, another layer of protection guarding your heart.

Righteousness is not just your position in Christ—it’s your practice as a disciple. When you walk in holiness, you stand strong. When you stand strong, the enemy can’t shake you. So put on the breastplate. Live in the righteousness He gave you. And walk in victory, one step at a time.

We’ve covered a lot today, but it all comes down to this: You need the breastplate of righteousness to guard your heart, because everything you do flows from it. And here’s the truth—there’s only one righteousness that can save you: the righteousness of Jesus. Some of you are trying to fight this battle with your own strength, your own goodness, your own religious works.

You think if you just try a little harder, God will love you more. But the only righteousness that counts is the righteousness of Christ, and it’s a gift. You don’t earn it; you receive it.

So let me ask you—are you covered by His righteousness? Have you trusted Jesus, or are you still trying to stand on your own?

If you’ve never put your faith in Him, today is the day. Don’t leave here without surrendering your heart to the only One who can save you. Come forward, and let’s pray together. Jesus is waiting.

And for those of you who already belong to Christ—are you living like it? Is your breastplate secured and ready for the battle, or have you let compromise create cracks in your armor?

Have the enemy’s lies taken root?

The altar is open for you, too. Lay down your burdens. Bring your sin, your fear, your shame to the foot of the cross. Confess it, and give it to the Lord because He cares for you.

However the Lord is calling you to respond; that is exactly how we should respond.

Today is the day to stand firm. Come forward. Let’s respond to the One who made us righteous. Let’s pray.

Father God, thank You for Your Word today. Thank You for the truth that sets us free and the righteousness of Jesus that covers us. We know that we bring nothing to the table but our sin, and You bring everything—grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Thank You that we don’t have to earn Your love or fight for Your approval. It’s already done. Jesus paid it all.

Lord, I pray for those who are stepping out in faith today. For the one who laid down their pride, their sin, their shame at the altar—would You remind them right now that they are fully forgiven, fully loved, and fully Yours? Seal that truth in their hearts. Guard them from the lies of the enemy. Let them walk in the power of Your Spirit, standing firm with the breastplate of righteousness firmly in place.

And for those still wrestling, still holding back—don’t let them leave here without making it right with You. Knock down walls, break chains, do what only You can do, God. You are mighty to save.

Father, as we leave this place, help us to walk in holiness, not to earn Your love but because we already have it. Make us bold witnesses of Your grace. Let us shine like lights in a dark world. And when the arrows fly and the battle rages, remind us that the victory is already won in Jesus. We love You, Lord, and we lift all this up in the name above every name—the name of Jesus.

Amen.