A driver on the freeway who thinks everyone going slower than him is an idiot and everyone going faster is a maniac — that's self-righteousness in its most relatable form. The Pharisee praying with himself in the temple is its most religious form. Both will get you killed in a spiritual battle.

In this message from our series "Armed and Dangerous," Pastor Ron opens Ephesians 6:14 and unpacks the second piece of the believer's armor: the breastplate of righteousness.

Self-Righteousness — What the Breastplate Is NOT: The breastplate Paul is describing is not our own moral track record. Isaiah said all our righteousness is filthy rags. The Galatians began in the Spirit and started thinking they could complete it in the flesh. Samson stopped trusting God and started trusting his own strength — and it cost him his eyes, his freedom, and his legacy.

Positional Righteousness — The First Layer: The moment you gave your life to Christ, God declared you righteous in Jesus. Justified — just as if you'd never sinned. God forgives past, present, and future sin, knowing everything about you before He made you His child. There is therefore now no condemnation. When Satan accuses you, you can say: you're right, I'm a sinner — but I'm a sinner saved by grace, and in Christ I stand righteous before God.

Practical Righteousness — The Second Layer: Positional righteousness doesn't mean we coast. We make a daily choice to live holy because we love the Savior who justified us. God enables us to actually do it. Paul labored and strove — not in his own strength, but according to God's power working in him mightily.

Job — With the Breastplate On: Job lost everything in a single day and worshipped. "The Lord gave, the Lord has taken away — blessed be the name of the Lord." That is a breastplate that has been dinged up but not destroyed.