This breastplate is made out of God’s righteousness that has been credited to our account as a gift: Rom 4:3-5 (NIV) What does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God Who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.

The breastplate of righteousness is to protect us from condemnation from Satan, the world, and ourselves and give us justification: Rom 5:17-18 (NIV) For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the One Man, Jesus Christ. Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was CONDEMNATION for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was JUSTIFICATION that brings life for all men.

The breastplate of righteousness makes it possible for us to use our bodies as instruments of righteousness: Rom 6:13 (NIV) Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness.

Obedience to Christ is the process whereby we put on and keep on the breastplate of righteousness. As we make our moment-by-moment and issue-by-issue decisions, we are either obeying or not obeying: Rom 6:16 (NIV) Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one WHOM YOU OBEY--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?