The Believers Warfare Message 6

The Believers Warfare

Message 6

The Breastplate of Righteousness

Me:

The wonder of the word

Breastplate mentions in the bible

1 Thessalonians 5:8 NET 2nd ed.

8 But since we are of the day, we must stay sober by putting on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet our hope for salvation.

Isaiah 59:17 NIV

17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.

Like the “belt of truth” it’s an important weapon in the believer’s arsenal

Without the breastplate we will lose the battle

No Roman soldier would go into battle without his breastplate

The breastplate was a tough, sleeveless piece of armor that covered his full torso.

It was often made of leather or heavy linen, onto which were sewn overlapping slices of animal hooves or horns or pieces of metal.

We:

A weapon of war

Here’s the important part

“The purpose of that piece of armor is obvious—to protect the heart, lungs, intestines, and other vital organs.”

Know the phrase I got a gut feeling

In Jewish thinking the heart and bowels was the set of emotions and feelings

It’s the emotions that Satan often attacks us.

He seeks to undermine pure living and replace it with immorality, greed, envy, hate, and every other vice.

How are we protected from the “flaming arrows” of the devil?

The breastplate of righteousness

Righteousness is the focus here.

There are three kinds

God:

Righteousness

Self-righteousness

Self-righteousness, which is not righteousness at all but the worst form of sin.

This righteousness thinking believes that their legalistic behavior brings God’s favor to their lives.

They see their accomplishments and good deeds as a path to heaven

Matthew 5:20 CSB

20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 7:22–23 NIV

22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

We don’t want that kind of righteousness

Churches are full of those kind of people

Imputed righteousness

This is the righteousness that has been given to us by the grace of God

We cannot earn this righteousness See passage

2 Corinthians 5:21 NASB 2020

21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

This is not the breastplate of righteousness

You:

Practical righteousness

God honored living

To put on the breastplate of righteousness is to live in daily, moment-by-moment in obedience to our heavenly Father.

God has done the imputed righteousness now we honor God with our practical righteousness

There are four things not putting on this breastplate cost us

One: Lack of joy in your salvation

1 John 1:4 NASB 2020

4 These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.

Lack of obedience brings lack of joy.

Some of us this morning are missing the breastplate because of unconfessed sin

Two: Lack of fruitfulness

The disobedient Christian is unproductive in the things of the Lord.

Is there a lack of fruit in your Christian walk?

Three: Unholy living brings a loss of reward

Your work for the Lord is straw hay and stubble

Four: You bring a reproach to the Glory of God

“The greatest evil of a Christian’s sin is its reflection on his heavenly Father.”

1 Peter 2:11 NLT

11 Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.

We:

Nobody is perfect

I’m not here to cast judgement

The bible will do that.

You are right we all struggle with sin

Unconfessed Sin

But we can become all too “familiar” with our sin

It can become no big deal

This familiar and unconfessed sin makes you an easy target for Satans attacks

It has taken your joy away.