The Armor of God: The Breastplate of Righteousness

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:10-17).

The soldier’s breastplate in Roman armor wasn’t really one piece. It was made up of several layers, with each layer serving a specific purpose depending on the material as well as adding a layer of protection. A Roman soldier could wear all pieces or some. The breastplate protects all of the major organs necessary for life (except the brain) - the heart, lungs, kidneys, and liver.

First, the soldier would put on a padded shirt called a subarmalis. This cushion was imperative protection against a blow that could break bones, rupture organs, or cause internal bleeding. This, of course, would be from a bludgeon-type weapon like a club, or from the impact of a sword (the sharpness of which would also be deflected by the outer armor). The subarmalis could be incredibly hot, but it was absolutely necessary.

There was also a type of chainmail a soldier could wear over the padded shirt called a lorica hamata, and it worked the same way medieval chainmail did. The over armor, or what we visualize when we say breastplate, was called the lorica segmentata. It wasn’t actually a single piece of metal; rather, it was made up of strips of iron and leather put together in an overlapping fashion. These strips of leather were what gave the armor its flexibility. The Roman soldier had superior protection against stabbing weapons like a sword, and had the range of flexibility to easily employ his shield and use his sword in battle.

In the Armor of God, the Breastplate is Righteousness.

Righteousness is an adjective meaning: Acting in accordance with divine or moral law; free from guilt or sin; morally right or justifiable; arising from an outraged sense of justice or morality.

In examining the purpose of the Breastplate of Righteousness, let’s look closer at the organs it protects.

Heart: The organ that pumps blood through our whole body. The heart is a muscle, so it needs to be exercised. It is also symbolic of our emotions. Jeremiah 31:33 says, “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Matthew 6:31 says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Lungs: The organs that transport oxygen through the body via the bloodstream. They also provide oxygen to the brain. We can lose a lot of blood before it becomes critical, but being deprived of oxygen for more than four minutes results in permanent brain damage with death following quickly after. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Breath is also the way the Holy Spirit was given to the apostles. “And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22).

Kidneys: The principal functions of the kidneys are to remove waste from the bloodstream and produce urine. They also help control blood pressure, balance Ph levels, and make red blood cells (which are the blood cells that carry oxygen throughout our body). Hebrews 9:14 says, “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Liver: The liver also functions as a blood cleanser, but it is also the organ that regulates metabolism, helps with digestion, stores vitamins, and detoxifies the blood. It also is important for immunity as it excretes bile (the waste the liver gets rid of). “What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them” (Matthew 15:11). “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22).

The organs the breastplate protects are vital for life. In the same way, the spiritual organs the Breastplate of Righteousness protects are vital for spiritual life. Our hearts have God’s Word written on them, and we need to exercise them to keep them strong. It is God’s Word, our Daily Bread, that keeps everything else running smoothly and carries oxygen throughout our bodies. Our spiritual lungs provide that oxygen and filter out the poisonous gasses left behind. Our spiritual lungs carry the Holy Spirit with us and keep our brains functioning. Our spiritual kidneys remove influences from our lives that are not Godly and do not bring glory to Him. They keep our blood pressure regulated so we can face challenges with a clear head, answer questions in a Godly manner, and produce the spiritual fruit that moves the Holy Spirit through us. Our spiritual liver works with our kidneys to remove toxins from our lives and helps us build the immunity we need against the Devil and his schemes.

Our vital spiritual organs are protected by the Breastplate of Righteousness. This righteousness is the righteousness of God in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” It is “Acting in accordance with divine or moral law; free from guilt or sin; morally right or justifiable; arising from an outraged sense of justice or morality.”

The Breastplate of Righteousness that protects our vital spiritual organs is the Righteousness of God, it is the justification of our restoration to God through the blood of Jesus, and it is the authority we have to stand against Satan.

And it is held in place by the Belt of Truth.

AMEN