Having put on the breastplate of righteousness (which is faith and love working together)

Ephesians 6:14 NKJV

In order to put on and wear the breastplate of righteousness, I believe it is important to understand the difference between imputed righteousness and outworked righteousness.

Imputed Righteousness:

Imputed righteousness is the perfect righteousness of the Son of God which was imputed to us when we put our faith in Jesus, and in the finished work of the cross. I believe that the righteousness referred to here, is being in right standing with God.

(Righteousness) shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.

Romans 4:24 NKJV

We know that one of the exchanges that happened on the cross, is that Jesus took on our sin so that we could be imputed with His perfect righteousness.

For He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV

Outworked Righteousness:

Outworked righteousness on the other hand is walking in faith and pure Christ like love. It means putting our faith into action and being a doer of the word and not just a hearer only. I believe that outworked righteousness is both faith and love working together. This is how we put on and wear the breastplate of righteousness, which protects our hearts from things like fear, unbelief and the works of the flesh (examples include idolatry, hatred and lust).

But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.

1 Thessalonians 5:8 NKJV

I’d like to share a personal story of how this became such a reality for me, and it really helped me understand how to put on and continually wear the breastplate of righteousness.

A few years ago I had a battle with unbelief. During this time, I experienced pains in my chest which felt like fiery arrows that were piercing my heart one after the other – this is the best way I can describe what the pain felt like. God helped me understand that because I was in unbelief, it meant that I was not wearing the breastplate of righteousness to protect my heart from the fiery arrows the enemy sends our way. When I made the decision to choose to believe God’s word, I repented of unbelief and the chest pains immediately stopped. By choosing to walk in faith and believe God’s Word, I had put on the breastplate of righteousness to protect my heart.

God also helped me understand that we may face spiritual battles of unbelief in our lives, because of what we see, or what we experience. I’d like to encourage us all to take heart, because our current circumstances will change, but God’s eternal word stands forever. For this reason, we must choose to believe God’s Word and stand firm in our faith no matter what our temporary situation looks like. Remember that faith and sight are opposites. If we had sight, we wouldn’t need faith. Let us all choose to trust and believe God, knowing that He will be true to His Word.

Jesus also helped me understand that we need to keep or guard our hearts from things like the works of the flesh (described in Galatians 5:19-21) which include idolatry, adultery, hatred, jealousy, etc.

Keep (or guard) your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.

Proverbs 4:23 NKJV

How do we do that? I believe the answer is to put on Christ like love and continually walk in the Spirit. I believe that walking in the Spirit means that we walk in the fruit of the Spirit. This is how we put on and continually wear the breastplate of love.

But the fruit of the Spirit  is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV

I pray these words bless and encourage you in Jesus precious name.