Ephesians 6:14 (NLT) “Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armour of God’s righteousness.”
The breastplate of righteousness is what protects the core of your being from every spiritual attack. The breastplate covers what’s closest to your heart.
You put on the breastplate of righteousness by trusting in what God has done for you in Jesus. Righteousness, the fact that you are good enough to be received by God, is a gift that’s given to you, not something that you could ever earn on your own.
Adam Clarke’s Commentary says the following: “As the breast-plate defends the heart and lungs, and all those vital functionaries that are contained in what is called the region of the thorax; so this righteousness defends everything on which the man’s spiritual existence depends.”
Romans 4:20-22 (NLT) “Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. 21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. 22 And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.”
Hebrews 11:8-9 (NLT) “It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. 9 And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise.”
God’s commands are righteousness. Abraham backed up his faith with obedience to the commands he received from God, and if we do the same, it will be accounted for righteousness to us, just as it was to Abraham.
God extends His strength to us when we become His children. The breastplate of righteousness refers to the righteousness purchased for us by Jesus at the cross.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
When Paul speaks of the “righteousness of God” and “righteousness,” he refers to our right-standing with God, the fact that we are now in a new and right relationship with him. This is obtained through our faith in God and the work that has been done through Jesus.
Romans 10:4 (NKJV) “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” Romans 10:6-9 (NKJV) But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 7 or, “ ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”