Sunday 4/12/18 – Ephesians 6:14, The Armor of God, Pt. 8. The Breastplate of Righteousness, Pt. 4. Blessed Because of Righteousness. Lesson # 18-042
Grace Fellowship Church
Pastor/Teacher, Jim Rickard
Stand in Warfare –
Eph 6:10-20.
3. The Equipment, vs. 13-17.
Vs,
14b, The Breastplate of Righteousness, Pt. 4
In Eph 6:14, we now
address the second piece of armor, “the breastplate of righteousness.” This
verse reads, “Stand firm therefore,
having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of
righteousness.”
For the believer, there are three aspects of righteousness that we
see within the Bible.
1. The righteousness of God that is imputed to the believer at the
point of salvation; Positional Righteousness.
2. The walk in righteousness post salvation; Experiential
Righteousness.
3. The ability to be blessed in time and eternity because of
righteousness in us; Ultimate Righteousness.
3. The Ability to be Blessed in Time and Eternity Because of
Righteousness in Us; Ultimate Righteousness.
Because of the judicial imputation of Divine perfect righteousness to the
believer at salvation, it allows God the Father the opportunity to provide the
real imputation of blessings to the believer post-salvation. The real
imputation of blessings includes both logistical grace blessings in time and
the potential for greater grace blessings in both time and eternity. The
potential for greater grace blessings is dependent on the believer walking in
righteousness, Mat 6:33; Rom 8:17; 2 Cor
5:10; Gal 3:29; Eph 3:6; Titus 3:7; Heb 9:15; James 4:5-7.
To put it in a formulaic equation, we could say:
R1 (imputed righteousness at salvation) = B1 (logistical grace blessings
in time and inherited blessings in eternity).
R1 + R2 (Experiential Righteousness post-salvation) = B2 (escrow blessing
in time and eternity).
Mat 6:33, “But seek first
His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
James 4:5-7, “Or do you
think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: ‘He jealously desires the Spirit
which He has made to dwell in us?’ 6But He gives a greater grace.
Therefore it says, ‘GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE
HUMBLE.’ 7Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee
from you.”
Titus 3:7, “So that being
justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal
life.”
Heb 9:15, “For this reason
He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place
for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first
covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal
inheritance.”
2 Cor 5:10, “For we must
all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be
recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether
good or bad.”
All blessings come from what we call God’s “Grace Pipeline.” The
judicial imputation of perfect righteousness establishes a “grace pipeline” by
which God is able to bless the believer. This pipeline is encapsulated by the
integrity of God, (His perfect righteousness and justice), and is motivated by
His love.
On the giving end of the pipeline is the justice of God,
the function of Divine integrity. On the receiving end is the perfect
righteousness of God in you, the principle of Divine integrity. Grace is the
policy of the justice of God in imputing blessings to the resident perfect
righteousness of God in the believer.
Perfect righteousness demands perfect righteousness;
perfect justice demands justice. Perfect God can only demand in man absolute
perfection, which God provides. Therefore, the believer has perfect
righteousness in his soul from the moment he is saved, and is capable of being
blessed by God in both time and especially in eternity, because of the perfect
righteousness in the believer.
God’s grace pipeline is always based on Divine perfection and
righteousness. It is never based on human works, talent, or ability; it is
never based on anything that emanates from the flesh, Rom 3:20‑26; 4:3‑12, 22-25; 9:30.
Therefore, all blessings God provides are fair, just, equitable, and right.
As such, the imputation of perfect righteousness establishes the
potential for great blessing in time, both logistical and escrow, as well as
surpassing grace blessings in eternity, Eph
2:7.
Eph 2:7, “So that in the
ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness
toward us in Christ Jesus.”
“Logistical”
means God’s provisions for your every need, both spiritual and physical, while
here on earth. These blessings are given by God to the believer regardless of
his faithfulness because of God’s righteousness in you.
2 Tim 2:13, “If we are faithless,
He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.” That
is, He cannot deny His righteousness that is imputed to you, the believer.
The first blessings we receive are the 40 things God provides at the
moment of salvation to execute the spiritual life. We are qualified to receive
these because of the judicial imputation of God’s righteousness given to us at
salvation, of which even that imputation is from His grace pipeline of God.
They include:
1. Efficacious grace, (GtHS makes our faith effective for salvation), Eph 1:13.
2. The sealing ministry of God the Holy Spirit, Eph 1:13-14; 4:30; 2 Cor 1:22.
3. An eternal inheritance, Rom 8:17; Gal
3:29; 4:6-7; Eph 1:14, 18; 3:6; Heb 9:15; 1 Peter 1:4; 3:7.
4. Regeneration, 2 Cor 1:22.
5. Eternal life, John 3:15-16; 10:28; 6:47;
1 John 5:11-13.
6. The imputed righteousness of God, Rom
3:22.
7. Resultant justification, Rom 3:28;
Gal 2:16; Titus 3:7.
8. Reconciliation, Rom 5:10; 2 Cor 5:19;
Col 1:20, 22.
9. Beneficiaries of propitiation, Rom
3:24-25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10.
10. Beneficiaries of unlimited atonement, 2
Cor 5:14-15, 19; 1 Tim 2:6; 4:10; Titus 2:11; Heb 2:9; 2 Pet 2:1; 1 John 2:2.
11. Beneficiaries of redemption, Rom
3:24; 1 Cor 1:30; Gal 3:13; Eph 1:7; Col 1:14; Titus 2:14; Heb 9:12-15; 1 Peter
1:18-19.
12. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, 1
Cor 12:13; Gal 3:26-28.
13. Created a new spiritual species, 2
Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15.
14. Entered into the Royal Family of God via adoption forever, Eph 1:5; 1 Peter 2:9.
15. Equal privilege and equal opportunity of our election and predestination.
(Equal privilege is provided in the royal priesthood; equal opportunity is
provided in logistical grace), Gal
3:26-28; 6:15; Col. 3:9-11.
16. Positional Sanctification, being “in Christ,” Rom 6:2; 1 Cor 1:2, 30; 6:11; 2 Thes 2:13; Heb 2:11; 10:10, 14.
17. The asset of Election, Rom 8:33; Eph
1: 4; Col 3:12; 1 Thes 1:4; 2 Thes 2:13; 2 Tim 2: 10; 1 Peter 2:9; 5:13.
18. The asset of Predestination, Rom
8:29; Eph 1:5; 1 Peter 1:2.
19. The universal priesthood of the believer, 1 Peter 1:5,9; Rev 1:6; 5:10; 20:6.
20. The Royal Ambassadorship of the believer, 2 Cor 5:20.
21. The indwelling of God the Father, John 14:23; Eph 4:6; 2 John 9.
22. The indwelling of God the Son, John
14:20; 17:22-23; Rom 8:10; 2 Cor 13:5; Gal 2:20; Col 1:27; 1 John 2:24.
23. The indwelling of God the Holy Spirit, Rom
8:11; 1 Cor 3:16; 6:19-20; 2 Cor 6:16.
24. The unique availability of Divine power due to Their indwelling, Rom 1:16; 9:22-24; 15:13; 1 Cor 4:20; 2 Cor
4:7; 2 Tim 1:7.
25. The unique Pre-designed Plan of God, Eph
1:3-4.
26. The filling of the Holy Spirit, Eph
5:18; Gal 5:16; John 4:24; Acts 2:4; 4:8, 31; 6:3, 5; 7:55; 9:17; 13:9; 11:24;
13:52; Luke 1:15, 41, 67; 4:1; 1 John 1:7; Eph 5:1; 2 Cor 3:3; 2 Peter 1:4.
27. The distribution of spiritual gifts, 1
Cor 12:11.
28. All judgment removed, John 3:18; Rom
8:1; Heb 9:27-28.
29. Deliverance from the kingdom of Satan, Col
1:13a.
30. Transferred into the kingdom of God, Col
1:13b.
31. We are a gift from God the father to God the Son. We are a gift in
that we are formed as the royal family of God, John 10:29; 17:2, 6, 9, 11, 24.
32. We are delivered from the power of the old sin nature, Rom 7-8; 2:29; Phil 3:3; Col 2:11.
33. We are given access to God in prayer, Rom
5:2; Eph 2:18; Heb 4:14, 16; 10:19-20.
34. All scar tissue is removed from the soul, Isa 43:25; 44:22.
35. Recipients of escrow blessings, Eph
1:3.
36. We are on a secure foundation, 1 Cor
3:11; 10:4; Eph 2:20.
37. We are related to God the Son by eight Biblical analogies:
a. The last Adam and the New Creation, 1 Cor 15:45; 2 Cor 5:17a.
b. The Head and the Body, Col 1:18a.
c. The Great Shepherd and the Sheep, Heb 13:20.
d. The True Vine and the Branches, John 15:5a.
e. The Chief Cornerstone and the Stones
in the building, Eph 2:20; 1 Peter 2:5-6.
f. The Great High Priest and members of
the Royal Priesthood, Heb 4:14a; 1 Peter
2:9a.
g. The Groom and the Bride, our wedding
occurs at the Second Advent, Rev 19:7.
h. The King of Kings and the Royal
Family of God, Rev 19:14-16.
38. Recipients of eternal security, John
10:28; Rom 8:32; 2 Tim 2:13; Gal 3:25; 1 Peter 1:5; 1 Cor 12:27.
39. Guaranteed a resurrection body forever, John 11:25; 1 John 3:2.
40. Beneficiaries of the 11 Problem Solving Devices.
“Escrow” means, “an amount granted to somebody but held by a
third party and only released after a specific condition has been met.” In
regard to God the Father’s blessings it means, set aside in an account to be
distributed later by Jesus Christ, the third party, when earned in time. That
“later” includes both in time and in eternity at the BEMA seat of Jesus Christ
after we receive our resurrection bodies, 1
Cor 3:10-15; 2 Cor 5:10; Rev 2-3.
As
such, God’s escrow blessings, (B2), are only potential until they are linked
with (R2); walking in righteousness by the application of Bible doctrine in
your soul by means of faith through the filling of God the Holy Spirit. God’s
Word and the Holy Spirit mixed with your non-meritorious faith produces your
walk in righteousness, (R2), which results in (B2), blessings in time and
eternity. And remember, we are qualified to receive B2 because of R1, the
imputation of Divine Righteousness at the moment of salvation. We will see more
of this below.
If
God can impute His perfect righteousness to us at salvation (R1), which takes
greater effort than blessing us (B1 and B2), then He can certainly bless us at
the point when we produce Divine Good, John
15:2-16; Gal 5:22; Eph 5:9; Phil
1:11; Col 1:6-10, and reach spiritual maturity, which takes far less effort
on God’s part. When God is able to bless us in any fashion, it becomes part of
the glorification of God through our lives.
Phil 1:11, “Having been
filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the
glory and praise of God.”
Heb 12:11, “All discipline
for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have
been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” (The
blessing of Divine discipline in our lives can produce R2 in our lives that
results in B2).
James 3:18, “And the seed
whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
Eph 1:3, “Worthy of praise
and glorification is God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has
blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ.”
The blessings we can receive from God in time are part of the “all
things” of Rom 8:28, 32.
Rom 8:32, “He who did not
spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with
Him freely give us all things?”
These blessings include:
1. Spiritual blessings:
a. Maximum capacity for love;
occupation with Christ; capacity for life, love, happiness, and blessing;
sharing the +H of God.
b. The ability to cope with any
disaster in life; freedom from slavery to circumstances of life.
c. Ability to correctly interpret
contemporary history and correctly evaluate current events in terms of the Word
of God.
d. Grace orientation, which is
understanding and functioning under the grace principles in life.
e. Flexibility to adapt to the
changing circumstances of life.
f. Maximum function of the Royal
Family Honor Code.
g. A total sense of security in
relationship to the Plan of God.
h. Dying grace and a total
preparation for death, having confidence in God’s place, manner, and time for
your death.
2. Temporal blessing.
a. Wealth, received or acquired.
b. Success, prominence in one’s
sphere of life, promotion.
c. Prosperity socially, sexually,
technically, culturally, professionally, mentally, and in the area of
establishment.
d. Leadership dynamics, the
ability to assume authority apart from pseudo‑motivation and apart from
emotional inspiration, plus stability of character.
e. Good health is not in our
genes, but a blessing from God.
The mature believer can expect some of these, though not necessarily all
of them. Some people are not suited to certain kinds of special blessing.
3. Blessing by association. The mature believer is a blessing to those in
his generation, both during his life and after his death, to those who were
associated with him until their death. This is often why the wicked prosper.
This can be illustrated by the pastor of a local church. No one exceeds their
right pastor’s spiritual growth. Those in a congregation are blessed throughout
their life by association with a mature pastor.
There are two categories of blessing by association: Direct blessing from
God and indirect blessing from God, in which the believer shares his blessing,
whether it is spiritual or material.
There are six areas of blessing by association.
a. Spiritual periphery from
association with mature believers in the local church.
b. Personal periphery includes
loved ones. When someone in the family reaches maturity, the rest of the family
is blessed.
c. Professional periphery can
include schools, military organizations, teams, etc.
d. Business periphery.
e. Social periphery includes
friends, clubs.
f. Geographical periphery can
include the city, state, or nation.
There is also a “heritage factor” of blessing by association. Blessing by
association is perpetuated to those with whom the mature believer had
association after his death until they die. This is why the wicked prosper, Jer 12:1. Even reversionists prosper, because they
were associated with the mature believer. Prov
24:19, “Do not be jealous of the wicked.”
4. Historical blessing is the salt or pivot principle. If the pivot of
mature believers is large enough, then the nation is preserved, blessing all
who dwell in it.
5. Undeserved suffering. This suffering is designed to demonstrate the
power and provision of God’s grace, 2
Cor 12:1‑10.
2 Cor 12:9, “And He has
said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in
weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my
weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”
2 Cor 12:10, “Therefore I
am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with
persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I
am strong.”
Undeserved suffering teaches the value of Bible doctrine in the soul, Psa 119:67‑68, 71. It is designed to
manifest the ministry of God the Holy Spirit, 2 Cor 4:8‑11, and put muscle on faith through the operation of the
faith‑rest drill, to accelerate spiritual growth, and to keep the believer
occupied with his eternal future, Rom
8:36; 5:3‑5.
6. Dying blessing. Dying grace terminates the life of the mature
believer. The curse of death with its fear and pain is removed, causing it to
become the greatest experience in life. Dying grace is the transition between
the real imputation of blessing in time and the real imputation of blessing and
reward in eternity. The mature believer has the best in life, something better
in dying, and better than the best in eternity, Psa 116:15; Phil 1:21.
Psa 116:15, “Precious in
the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly (mature) ones.”
Phil 1:21, “For to me, to
live is Christ and to die is gain.”
As far as the mature believer is concerned, God delivers him from death
until it is time for him to die. Then He delivers him from the usual horrors of
dying, Job 5:20; Psa 23:4; 33:19; 56:13;
116:8.
Psa 23:4, “Even though I
walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are
with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
God’s decision is based on prior knowledge of all the facts. The general
characteristics of Christian death include:
a. No appointment with judgment, Rom 8:1.
b. Being face to face with God, 2 Cor 5:8.
c. No more pain, sorrow, death,
or tears, Rev 21:4.
d. The anticipation of an
inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled, and cannot be lost, 1 Pet 1:4‑5.
e. A new home in heaven, John 14:1‑6.
f. The reality of eternal life, 1 John 5:11‑12. We do not have the
reality of eternal life until our soul is outside the body and in the presence
of the Lord.
g. Death is a promotion and gain,
Phil 1:21.
h. Death is a victory, 1 Cor 15:55‑58.
7. Next, we see in Scripture that there are escrow blessings from God in
eternity. This is the imputation of Divine blessing in the eternal state that
provides motivation to the believer in time. This is what we call “Hope Three,”
confident anticipation of blessing at the BEMA or Judgment Seat of Jesus
Christ, 2 Cor 5:10; 1 Cor 3:10-15.
The mature believer has a special confidence, knowing that he will
receive the seventh imputation of blessings from the justice of God to the
resurrection body. This is the confidence throughout the rest of the mature
believer’s lifetime. It is a fantastic confidence. Heb 11:13, describes it as saluting eternity as you cross the high
golden bridge. It is a reality of eternity while still alive.
Rom 5:1-2, “Therefore,
having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ, 2through whom also we have obtained our introduction by
faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of
God.”
Rom 12:12a, “Rejoicing in
hope (3).”
Col 1:5, “Because of the
hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of
truth, the gospel.”
Titus 2:13, “Looking for
the blessed hope, (this is
not the Rapture but the imputation of eternal blessing which glorifies God
forever), and appearing of the glory
of the great God, even our Savior Christ Jesus.”
1 Peter 1:3, “Blessed be the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has
caused us to be born again to a living hope (3) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” Cf.
Heb 6:19‑20; 1 John 3:2‑3.
This is the imputation from the justice of God of our eternal escrow
blessings and rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ. The Judgment Seat of
Christ occurs right after the Rapture while the seven years of the great
Tribulation are occurring on the earth. Jesus Christ will be the judge of all
Church Age believers at His judgment seat.
John 5:22, “But not even
the Father judges anyone, but He has delegated all judgment to the Son.”
This explains 2 Cor 5:10, “For we
must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be
recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether
good or bad.” Cf. Rom 14:10.
There are four categories of rewards mentioned, in addition to those mentioned
in Rev 2-3.
1. Cities, Luke 19:13‑26. Some
believers will rule cities during the Millennium.
2. A special city, Heb 11:10, 13,
16; Rev 21:2, 10‑11.
3. Analogy to the harvest, Mat
13:3‑9, 18‑23.
4. Crowns.
a. The Crown
of Righteousness, 2 Tim 4:7‑8,
which is given for the fulfillment of perfect righteousness in time, i.e.,
receiving the imputation of special blessings to the mature believer. On
the basis of “faithful service,” the crown of righteousness is granted, “to all who have loved His
appearing.”
2 Tim 4:7-8, “I have fought
the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; 8in
the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord,
the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also
to all who have loved His appearing.”
b. The Crown of Life, James 1:12; Rev 2:10, is given to those
who advance in the spiritual life. The Crown of Life is given for living the
spiritual life inside GPS bringing maximum glorification to God. It is awarded
to invisible heroes for maximum production of divine good through the execution
of the Plan of God with emphasis on invisible impact while persevering under
trial.
c. The Crown of Rejoicing, Phil 4:1; 1 Thes 2:19,
is for the believer who wins souls for the Lord.
d. The Crown of Glory, 1 Peter 5:1-4, is the crown for the
believer who is willing to feed the flock of God.
e. The Order of The Morning
Star, 1 Cor 4:8; 2 Tim 2:12; Rev
2:26-28; 5:10. This is a reward of rulership with the Lord in eternity.
Conclusion
Therefore, just as there are two
components to “Truth” that we are to gird our loins with: 1) Truth that is God,
His attribute, and 2) Truth that is His Word resident within your soul, there
are two aspects of righteousness that protect us, 1) The imputation of God’s
righteousness at the moment of salvation that gives us a right standing with
God, and 2) The experiential righteousness of the moral high ground we take by
means of the intake and application of God’s Word that results in in the deeds
we perform in faith; Experiential Sanctification resulting in Divine good
production. In addition, we also have the blessed hope of blessings and rewards
in time and eternity because of the imputed righteousness of God that is able
to be blessed, especially when we walk in God’s righteousness, R1 = B1, and R1
+ R2 = B2. Each component of “R” is part of the breastplate we are to put on,
as well as the confident expectation of being blessed because of the
righteousness in us and performed by us.
“The breastplate of righteousness is our defense against
evil. The opposition to temptation is best carried on by the positive
cultivation of good. A habit of righteous conduct is itself a defense against
temptation. Untilled fields bear abundant weeds. The used tool does not rust,
nor the running water gathers scum. The robe of righteousness will guard the
heart as effectually as a coat of mail. The positive employment with good
weakens temptation, and arms us against evil. But so long as we are here our
righteousness must be militant, and we must be content to live ever armed to
meet the enemy which is always hanging round us, and watching for an opportunity
to strike. The time will come when we shall put off the breastplate and put on
the fine linen 'clean and white,' which is the heavenly and final form of the
righteousness of Saints.” (Expositions of
Holy Scripture)
James H. Rickard Bible Ministries
Copyright 2018
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