The Breastplate of Righteousness

Prayer

Deadliness of Sin

One of the ways I serve our Presbytery (East Central) is on the Nominating Team (find folks to serve on the various ministry teams for the Presbytery)

Just recently we had an urgent need to find someone to serve on the PJC, Permanent Judicial Commission. The PJC is needed whenever discipline charges are brought against a church or pastor. We didn’t have enough folks on the Commission, and they needed to meet - which means that charges were brought against someone in our Presbytery.

Our Moderator made the comment that, unfortunately, this is happening in several other Presbyteries as well. Which made my heart sink, because the most common cause of a PJC having to meet is moral failure on the part of a pastor, usually sexual misconduct.

Sexual misconduct always has a devastating effect, causes a lot of pain and confusion - to the spouse, the families, the church, the pastor, too. Sin always has a ripple effect of harm.

One of Satan’s great schemes - he makes sin attractive, desirable, reasonable, justifiable. In other words, he makes it look as if it were a good thing. But it never is. Sin can’t be good, because sin is always against what God commands, and God always commands good because He is good. His very nature is good, so everything God commands is good.

This has been true from the very beginning, when Satan deceived Eve tempting her with how much better it would be if she ate the fruit, and Adam, in his weakness, went right along with it.

The effects were devastating - they experienced shame, they hid themselves from God, when confronted, they immediately began blaming one another.

Eve fell for Satan’s scheme, thinking that eating the fruit would actually be a good thing.

Satan’s tactics have not changed, he employs the same schemes - one of the most blatant examples of sin made attractive is sexual revolution.

If you go back 50-60 years ago, the general agreement in our culture was the biblical view of sexuality: the goodness of sexuality practiced within the marriage relationship between a man and a woman.

We experienced a major shift beginning in the 1960’s, particularly with the advent of things like Playboy. More than just a nudie magazine, Playboy promoted a whole new lifestyle, which included the joy and goodness of casual sex. No more of that prudish Puritan attitude, sex was meant to be enjoyed, and was part of a sophisticated lifestyle.

Here’s thing, sex was meant to be enjoyed - made by God to be good. But this view removed sex from its connection to marriage and bearing of children, removed it from God’s good design.

Changed whole moral framework. The biblical view is now seen as negative, harmful. Today, the only moral consideration for sexuality is consent. As long as each party consents, whatever and however and with whomever you have sex with is ok. Doesn’t take long to see disastrous effects - because they are always there.

De-valuing of marriage, which has harmed children the most (divorce, children born out of wedlock, absent fathers, rate of abortion).

Harmful effects of pornography. I’ve seen news stories recently of parents discovering heavily sexualized content being used in their children’s curriculum at school.

Our hyper sexualized culture has made it so commonplace that it’s no longer shocking to see musical artists be sexual graphic onstage or in their videos. Two recent example are the VMA’s, Video Music Awards, sexually graphic dancing performed on stage. There’s one video where the artist is being seduced by Satan (it’s a perversion of the Genesis story, which says a lot). Of course, it’s not just in area of sex.

Years ago, when I was youth minister at St. Thomas Presbyterian Church in Houston, we took a mission trip down to Cozumel, Mexico (rough, I know - but all out of a desire to serve the Lord, wherever he takes us).

As the week went on, the youth figured out where the tourist part of town was - place with all the restaurants and access to liquor.

One young man, who had never drunk before, decided not to waste any time, he went right for the tequila. It did not go well for him. He got really sick that night and then again the next day when we took the boat over to the mainland.

Jason really was a good kid. I remember talking to him about it afterwards, the thing that stuck out to me most about our conversation was what led him to drink. His comment was, they make it look like so much fun.

The whole atmosphere, you’re in Mexico, it’s party time. The t-shirts that say, One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor.

That’s what he experienced, but it wasn’t as fun and lighthearted as the t-shirt made it out to be.

Consuming too much alcohol is an easy example to point to - but it’s just one of many, many ways Satan twists God’s goodness.

Wealth - our stuff, Satan has got us convinced we need that to be happy. To be secure.

Thankfully, this is not a battle we have to fight on our own

All this points to our need for second piece of equipment, next weapon God wants to provide us in great spiritual battle

Began this sermon series with talking about real battle we’re facing - against the spiritual forces of evil. The great battle we’re engaged in is the spiritual battle, and we engage that battle by putting on the full armor of God - by relying on his power, his might.

Last week we talked about the first piece of armor, belt of truth - our commitment to being people of truth, those who live according to the narratives of the Kingdom of God.

This morning, the second piece of armor - the breastplate of righteousness. Ephesians 6:14 - Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place.

And this is our main point this morning: To stand firm with the breastplate of righteousness in place means that we’re making the commitment to put on the very character of Christ, to be like Jesus.

The Life of Righteousness

What do we mean by righteousness? That’s a very churchy word, you don’t hear it in any other context.

When Jesus talks about righteousness, he’s talking about true inner goodness. To be righteous is to have a heartfelt love for all others, that’s what goodness is - right living motivated by love. I want you to hear that because that is a high standard. This is far more vigorous then “be nice” or “I’m not hurting anybody,” “live and let live.”

Everything that Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount is about the righteousness his followers must have. Jesus describes righteousness as “greater righteousness” - he’s talking in comparison to the Pharisees, who lived an external righteousness - they did right things, obeyed the law, but had no love. They were motivated by their own desire for glory, by pride, by self interest.

But true righteousness begins on inside, our motivations. True inner goodness.

Which is why Jesus focuses on our becoming people who learn to live without anger. Without lust. Without deceit. Without seeking the approval of others. Without avarice. Without judging others. Those are all inner conditions that cause us to act out in sinful ways.

Righteousness is what Paul talks about in Colossians when he writes about ridding ourselves of our earthly nature, the old self - things like sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed, anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from our lips. Instead we are to put on the new self: Put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience - and over all these things, love.

I hope you’re getting a sense of what we’re putting on with breastplate of righteousness. It is very much matter of condition of our hearts, having genuine love enacted for the good of others.

I want to emphasize how vital this is. It is a matter of life and death. I’m not trying to be melodramatic, but this is the great spiritual battle, as ancient as it is fierce.

From the beginning, Satan has been trying to turn us away from God and his goodness, his righteousness, into sin. And he’s been very, very effective at it.

Sin, unrighteousness, always brings harm and destruction. It always diminishes us and others. It always separates. It always devalues. It always wounds - causing harm. It always enslaves, binding us. Sin always leads to death.

It doesn’t take long to think through things we see playing out on a day-to-day basis - in our own lives and families and neighborhoods.

Families fighting over inheritance, care for an elderly parent

Words expressed in anger in marriage relationship, at church meeting

Wife who catches her husband looking at pornography

Pride that demands I be right, unwillingness to admit my part

That is it’s very nature. Which is why we must take schemes of devil seriously.

I don’t think it’s an accident that in this imagery of armor, that righteousness is the breastplate. A breastplate protects most vital organs of the body.

Modern version of this armor would be bulletproof vest (technically, they’re bullet resistant). If police officers are going to wear one piece of protective gear, this is it. Wearing one makes you 3 times more likely to survive a firearm attack.

To not put on the breastplate of righteousness makes us vulnerable to the deadly attacks of Satan. Otherwise we’re facing this battle completely defenseless. On our own, in our power…we will not stand.

Put on full armor of God is to turn to Jesus, his power, his strength, his transforming work in us.

Take this seriously - Christ is in you. I am one in whom Christ dwells, I’m wearing his righteousness.

Main Point - We engage this great spiritual battle by making the commitment to putting on the character of Christ - to taking off the old self and putting on the new self. Because that’s who we are in Jesus, new creations. Made to be like him.

This is very heart of Spiritual Formation, becoming people who love Christ above everything else. Begins with changing narratives (belt of truth), then our behaviors, putting on the character of Christ, breastplate of righteousness.

I want to share with you what Paul writes in Romans 6:11-18, he’s talking here about pursuing righteousness, all in context of what it means for us to be baptized with Jesus into his death and rising to new life. Pay attention to how we’re to pursue righteousness.

I hope you heard the sense of commitment in this passage. The whole sense of action, of engaging the battle, putting the armor on!

Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Don’t let sin reign in your mortal bodies.

Don’t offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.

Then, Vs. 17 - But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart (see, how it begins there, in our hearts) the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance.

Wholesale commitment to God, his righteousness - we’ve given it our allegiance to obey Jesus’ teaching. Every part of ourselves. No holding back.

I gotta be honest with you - this is one of my growth points - struggling to greater and fuller surrender of my life to Jesus, reveals things I want to hang on to (my desire for comfort, for things my way, being overly concerned with what others think)

reveals where I’m still buying into Satan’s lies, that I’m still not convinced that there is no greater good than pursuing the way of Jesus, his teachings, his righteousness. That abundant life is found in him (because more I’m convinced, more I’d offer every part of myself to God as an instrument of righteousness.

I heard a quote from Clarence Thomas the other day, talking about the ideals of the Declaration of Independence. He said, “While we have failed the ideals of the Declaration time and again, I know of no time when the ideals have failed us.”

I think we could say exactly the same thing about God’s righteousness, the teachings of Jesus: While we have failed God’s righteousness time and again, I know of no time when his righteousness has failed us.”

In the same way that sin always leads to death. Righteousness always leads to life. To have heartfelt love for all others - compassion, humility, forgiveness, gentleness - these things always build others up. Strengthen relationships. Bring joy and peace.

I’m realizing more and more that this is where I need to embrace - not just about avoiding sin, but living into fullness of life God has for all of us.

Spiritual Exercises - How can you put on breastplate of righteousness? Character of Christ?

One way to begin is to reflect on a sin that you’re struggling with - and if you can’t think of anything, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal this to you. Spirit working in you. What is a sin, a heart attitude you want to take off?

Another way to approach this would be to write a letter to God, a letter than expresses your heart’s desires. I suspect that what will come out in that letter is where you want to grow - more of the person you want to become (put on).

Then make this a daily prayer. You might use one of several images to prayer through this:

Image of taking it off, putting on. In your mind (and even with your hands), you take off the old self and put on the new. Lord, I’m struggling with bitterness towards this whole situation. I now take off that bitterness. I put on your grace, your ready mercy for all.

You might use the imagery of joining with Jesus in dying to sin. Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. In your mind and heart, as you pray, let your sin be nailed to cross, crucified with Jesus. Proclaim to God that you are alive to him, alive with his love, goodness.

Or, as we did during our prayer of repentance, use the language of Romans 6:13, offering yourself as instrument of righteousness. Sin of lust or judging others, pray that you would no longer offer your eyes as instrument of wickedness - way you look at other. Instead, offer your eyes as instruments as righteousness, that you would look at others in same way Jesus does, with heartfelt love, as precious people.

There are other soul-training exercises you can engage in to help change your behavior with regards to a particular sin, a place where Satan seems to have a grip on you. These were exercises we practiced as part of The Good and Beautiful Life.

In order to combat lying, using words deceitfully or manipulatively, practice a day of silence.

To confront sin of judging others, we engaged in a day without gossip - without talking negatively about others when they were not around.

To combat a lustful heart, we went on a media fast - to remove all those visual temptations that strike us on a daily basis.

Against greed, practice of deaccumulation, in order to learn to bless those who curse us, we prayed for our competitors.

There’s so many ways to do this, what I hope you’re seeing is commitment to engage the battle. To put on breastplate of righteousness, to engage in practices that help us take off the old self and instead put on the character of Christ.

Life of Righteousness

I hope that one of the things you heard clearly this morning was how destructive sin is - it leads to death. But beautifully, wonderfully - righteousness leads to life.

That’s why it’s so worthy standing firm. Engaging the battle. Making the effort, relying on God’s power, his might, by putting on full armor of God.

There’s always cost involved in following Jesus. This is not easy - we’re using war language here! But Dallas Willard says something very insightful when he reminds us that there is a greater cost in nondiscipleship, in not following Jesus, in not pursuing life in being with and becoming like Jesus.

Nondiscipleship costs abiding peace, a life penetrated throughout by love, faith that sees everything in light of God’s overriding governance for good, hopefulness that stands firm in the most discouraging of circumstances, power to do what is right and withstand the forces of evil. In short, it costs exactly that abundance of life Jesus said he came to bring.

I hope that’s the life you want - abundant life of Jesus. Because you want that life, you’re willing to make the commitment to putting on the character of Christ, the breastplate of righteousness.