I used to imagine myself dressed in the armor of a knight. I saw myself going out to fight some giant or fierce dragon only to discover that I had forgotten part of my armor. I would have the helmet, the sword, and the leggings but I was missing my breastplate. I had nothing to protect my vital organs.
One day I was reading in Ephesians. In the last chapter of that book Paul gives a list of the armor that God has given us. There was a verse I had been missing. It all but jumped off the page at me.
“Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.” Ephesians 6:13-15 NLT
That was it! I was missing my body armor. Another translation of this verse calls it the “breastplate of righteousness”. I had never considered myself righteous – Jesus is the one who is righteous. Righteous means that we are in right standing with God; so much of my life I wonder if I was good enough for God to love me. I wasn’t alone.
For years Christians have been duped into thinking of themselves as second rate or lower-class citizens. I certainly had. This is completely contrary to God’s view of His children.
“When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new! 18 All this is from God. Through Christ, God made peace between himself and us. And God gave us the work of bringing people into peace with him. 19 I mean that God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself. In Christ, God did not hold people guilty for their sins. And he gave us this message of peace to tell people. 20 So we have been sent to speak for Christ. It is like God is calling to people through us. We speak for Christ when we beg you to be at peace with God. 21 Christ had no sin, but God made him become sinso that in Christ we could be right with God.” II Corinthians 5:17-21 ERV
Oh, my goodness, did you read that? Our Father has made us new. He has placed us in right relationship with Himself. He is not holding us guilty for our sins because Christ took them and their penalty. Now He is asking us to tell others that they can be right with Him too.
This should remind us of the diamond cutter removing the dirt and crud that was encrusted around the precious stone. Cut away the sin and the Father’s right there polishing us, another facet is shining.
Since that day, I have never imagined myself without my body armor. I am righteous because Jesus took my sin making me right with God.
…We have been made righteous – we are “right with God” because of Jesus. Let’s show the world our true value and worth. We are bright, shiny, new because of Jesus!