Title
Protect The Heart
Scripture
Having done all, to stand. Stand therefore... having put on the breastplate of righteousness.
(Ephesians 6:13-14b)
Devotional
The prophet Jeremiah tells us, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked."[11] Therefore the heart must be protected. Our text tells us how: with the breastplate of righteousness. Right living by right actions will protect the heart from the deceptions of this world. Righteousness however is more than doing just doing things right. Biblical righteousness is based on relationship, both between man and man and God and man; the later naturally being of the greater significance. Few verses define our graced righteousness more than 2 Corinthians 5:21: "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."[12] When we, "Stand...having put on the breastplate of righteousness," we have in essence put on the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our righteousness.[13] There is nothing in me that is able to consistently do right other than Christ.[14]