…and having put on the breastplate of righteousness… 

                                                                        Ephesians 6:14b 

Being Right With God 

We hear it all the time, statements demonstrating a tremendous lack of understanding about righteousness. For example, “Good people go to heaven, bad people go to hell.” For starters, that simply is not true. If we are honest, in the eyes of God, there are no “good people” and the idea of someone being “bad” usually stems from some sort of behavior that the individual has displayed. As much as we might like to elevate ourselves by drawing on our good behavior, nothing that we do or avoid makes us right with God. But what about a good, moral person who loves their family, works hard, and pays their taxes on time? Surely they are not the same as a terrorist, fascist dictator, or some reckless, habitual sinner. The truth is that we are all equally unrighteous before God therefore we are all equally in need of a Savior. Consider the following passages revealing our need to be made righteous, noticing the usage of the word “all” in reference to the inclusivity of this spiritual condition: 

…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… 

                                                                             Romans 3:23 

To “fall short” means to “miss the mark.” When someone takes target practice, whether it is archery or on the firing range, the goal is to hit the target. Physically speaking, when we find ourselves missing our intended target, we make adjustments in order to bring our aim closer to the center of the target. While this can be accomplished when using a physical weapon, spiritually speaking, we can make all of the adjustments that we desire but the outcome will be the same, we will consistently fall short. I believe this is what frequently happens when people attempt to change their behavior without really surrendering to Christ. Perhaps they say, “I will begin going to church more often” or “ I will stop drinking so much.” But these good intentions are usually reduced to a season of attempted change followed by a return to the same old habits. Why? It is because we do not have the ability to become righteous on our own. We have all missed the mark. 

All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.

                                                                                                            Isaiah 53:6 

In the Old Testament, we see the same thing. In this word picture, we are described as sheep who have wandered away from our Shepherd. We have all gone astray. Apart from Christ, we all live according to our own thinking and pursuit of our own desires. We might even justify our actions and continue to make excuses as to “why we are the way we are.” Just as we have all fallen short, we have all gone astray as well.

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.

                                                                                                                        James 2:10 

This passage clarifies what some religious people may not want to acknowledge. If we have kept the whole law of God yet we stumble even one time, we become guilty of breaking the entire thing. It is common in some churches to see an unhealthy focus on the sins of others while failing to acknowledge their own. This is what religion will do. The one who has not committed adultery will often reject the idea of being as guilty as the one who has. Yet that is exactly what this passage is teaching us. The most freeing thing any of us can do is to spend time with God and to acknowledge that, apart from Christ, we have indeed broken all of the law. As believers, we have been made righteous but this recognition of our lawbreaking will bring us closer to our Savior, giving us a greater appreciation for our salvation, and making us even more dependent on the One who died on our behalf. 

So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men (mankind), even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men (mankind).                                                           

                                                                                                                 Romans 5:18 

Finally, Paul sums up what the real problem is and it might not be what we think. So often, we see people consumed by their own failings, even specifically naming them. Tragically, some people never escape the shame, guilt, and condemnation that these transgressions bring. But for the believer, this should never be the case. Our failings in this life are not the actual problem. They are merely byproducts of the real issue…our sin nature.

Paul reminds us that the one sin of Adam brought condemnation on all of mankind. But likewise, the one act of righteousness of Christ on the cross brings justification, righteousness, and life to all of mankind. Of course this gift of salvation must be received (we will look at that a little later), but the reality is that Jesus died to reverse the curse of sin and to bring life to everyone who will call on His name (Romans 10:13).

So what is this breastplate of righteousness and how do we arm ourselves with it? The word “righteousness” comes from the Greek word dikaiosune. It can mean to do something right, but in the larger context it can be defined as, “the state of someone who is as he ought to be.” It is “the condition acceptable to God.” Simply put, it means to be right with God.

All religious works will fall short of saving our souls. Putting on the breastplate of righteousness means that we are right with God by receiving His gift of salvation through faith. Just as Jesus is the truth, He is our righteousness and no amount of moral workings can match the purity and power of our being the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).