Christ Gives Us Righteousness and Peace!

             “…with the breastplate of righteousness in place…” (Ephesians 6: 14b, NIV84)

            If we have accepted Christ as the Truth and declared our commitment to Him, then we have the security of knowing that God has already made us a new creation (II Corinthians 5: 17).  He has made us righteous through the blood of Jesus (Romans 3: 22). Now, we must simply allow Him to grow and sanctify us, guarding our hearts and minds (I Thessalonians 5: 23; Philippians 4: 7).

            Don’t allow Satan to tell you his lies and make you think you are unworthy.  You are a child of the King, and He is watching over you.  Forget your past; God has!  You are a new creation in Christ Jesus, free from sin and blameless in His sight.  Righteousness is absolute perfection.  We have that only because of the blood of Christ.  We are all sinners and fall short of His glory (Romans 3: 23), but while we were powerless against our sins, Christ died for us (Romans 5: 6).  Our breastplate is firmly attached only because of Christ!

“…with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace…” (Ephesians 6: 15 (NIV84)

            When it comes to the human body, our feet are our foundation.  They affect our support, our balance, and our posture.  They enable us to move.  In short, they affect our overall welfare.     

            We might better understand the “gospel of peace” by rephrasing it as the peace that comes from the Gospel, the Good News.  God has given us the peace that only His hope can bring.  Through our faith in Christ, we now have a restored relationship with God.  As we travel through life, our journey may not be easy, but we can rest assured that He is in control and the ultimate victory is ours.  God reigns! Christ has overcome!  That assurance can bring peace in any storm, and God has already given us the Holy Spirit as a deposit on our inheritance (Ephesians 1: 13 – 4).

            So, what do our feet and “readiness” have to do with that Peace?  Once we make that Peace our foundation, the rock on which we stand, then we need to be ready to always share the Good News with others.  We also need to be prepared to defend our faith in Christ (I Peter 3: 15).

            Next time, we’ll look at more parts of our “armor of God.”  Until then, I hope that the “breastplate of righteousness” has given you a new appreciation for the sacrifice Christ made on the cross.  Take time over the next few days to give Him thanks, and then look for those who still need to know the Peace that we already enjoy.

Philippians 2: 5 – 11

Philippians 4: 7

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