Since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.1
We are to put on the breastplate of faith and love, Paul elsewhere writes this is the breastplate of righteousness.2 And we are to put on this hope of salvation. This amazing grace and gospel of good news, this my hope has been placed in, His name is Jesus. Now I want to be like my Father. We become imitators of our Father, as beloved children, putting on His righteousness, of faith and love.
We are to walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.3 We are not to be a part of darkness, and are to expose the darkness to light. We are to walk as life, not death, not to be sleepers or those who are at sleep or ignoring the debauchery (excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures) that goes on in darkness. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.4 We are to do away with those things that are of death, seeking sensual pleasure, and we are to expose ourselves to the light. We are to walk carefully, not as unwise but as wise, not in foolishness but understanding the will of God, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.5
Barely a believer a year, God asked me three times; will you die for me? My reaction at first, was is this God? Then second, would I, could I, did He you really want me to? Thirdly, I had decided I would, I loved Him that much. He then revealed to me His will. So I went and when I returned I was punished for breaking a rule. Some said I had sinned, then it was you broke our rule. So taught, they could not believe I did not know of it, but I had not intentionally set out to break their rule but it did not matter, a sinner and a rule breaker I was labeled. God had called me to grow my business but my reputation in the community was of no concern to them. And then the after, everyone turned their back on me, even the person who had invited me to church, suggested I leave, too many sharks in the water. My faith had been hurt, I had loved Christ so much that I would die for him, but I had been punished for breaking some rule. Dying for Christ is a daily battle and leadership is not an easy task, so my point is not to tear down anyone, we are to build up in faith and love, what happened to me God used for his good but it was not of Faith nor love.
For the kingdom of God is of righteousness.6 It is not of eating and drinking, not of those things going in that defiles, but of those things which proceed out of the heart, this is what produces life or death. God measures by the heart, this is a theme throughout the Bible. We are told to be careful of how we judge because only He is a just judge, only He truly sees the heart. Righteousness comes from a new heart, of faith and love in Christ.7 Righteousness is an outward flow of internal change. I love him because He first loved me. I have been justified in His sight, adopted as His own, now I want to be an imitator of my Father, as beloved children do.8 Sanctification, working out my salvation, to become like him in the renewal of my mind, to have the mind of Christ. I want to follow the example of Christ. Righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.9
Do not for the sake of the law destroy the work of God.10a For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin,10 And if I have faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.11 If righteousness is of love and faith then unrighteousness is not of love nor of faith. All unrighteousness is sin.12 Thus, if we do anything without love and faith then it is sin. We can try but we can never truly justify our actions, even if based on other principles, if they break the greater principles of God. The righteousness of God are of faith and love, this breastplate of righteousness we are to put on, with this mind, the hope of salvation. These are the greatest commandments of God, they are of love.14 And remember the Golden Rule? to treat others as you would want to be treated. This is accomplished by walking in the light, by His spirit, speaking life, not seeking sensual pleasures, like coveting the things of our neighbor, including his wife. I should treat him as I would want to be treated. This righteousness is accomplished through faith and love. We fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer of faith, the way of faith and love, His breastplate of righteousness we are to put on.15
Speak Life
We are to put on the breastplate of faith and love, Paul elsewhere writes this is the breastplate of righteousness.2 And we are to put on this hope of salvation. This amazing grace and gospel of good news, this my hope has been placed in, His name is Jesus. Now I want to be like my Father. We become imitators of our Father, as beloved children, putting on His righteousness, of faith and love.We are to walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.3 We are not to be a part of darkness, and are to expose the darkness to light. We are to walk as life, not death, not to be sleepers or those who are at sleep or ignoring the debauchery (excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures) that goes on in darkness. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.4 We are to do away with those things that are of death, seeking sensual pleasure, and we are to expose ourselves to the light. We are to walk carefully, not as unwise but as wise, not in foolishness but understanding the will of God, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.5
Barely a believer a year, God asked me three times; will you die for me? My reaction at first, was is this God? Then second, would I, could I, did He you really want me to? Thirdly, I had decided I would, I loved Him that much. He then revealed to me His will. So I went and when I returned I was punished for breaking a rule. Some said I had sinned, then it was you broke our rule. So taught, they could not believe I did not know of it, but I had not intentionally set out to break their rule but it did not matter, a sinner and a rule breaker I was labeled. God had called me to grow my business but my reputation in the community was of no concern to them. And then the after, everyone turned their back on me, even the person who had invited me to church, suggested I leave, too many sharks in the water. My faith had been hurt, I had loved Christ so much that I would die for him, but I had been punished for breaking some rule. Dying for Christ is a daily battle and leadership is not an easy task, so my point is not to tear down anyone, we are to build up in faith and love, what happened to me God used for his good but it was not of Faith nor love.
For the kingdom of God is of righteousness.6 It is not of eating and drinking, not of those things going in that defiles, but of those things which proceed out of the heart, this is what produces life or death. God measures by the heart, this is a theme throughout the Bible. We are told to be careful of how we judge because only He is a just judge, only He truly sees the heart. Righteousness comes from a new heart, of faith and love in Christ.7 Righteousness is an outward flow of internal change. I love him because He first loved me. I have been justified in His sight, adopted as His own, now I want to be an imitator of my Father, as beloved children do.8 Sanctification, working out my salvation, to become like him in the renewal of my mind, to have the mind of Christ. I want to follow the example of Christ. Righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.9
Do not for the sake of the law destroy the work of God.10a For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin,10 And if I have faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.11 If righteousness is of love and faith then unrighteousness is not of love nor of faith. All unrighteousness is sin.12 Thus, if we do anything without love and faith then it is sin. We can try but we can never truly justify our actions, even if based on other principles, if they break the greater principles of God. The righteousness of God are of faith and love, this breastplate of righteousness we are to put on, with this mind, the hope of salvation. These are the greatest commandments of God, they are of love.14 And remember the Golden Rule? to treat others as you would want to be treated. This is accomplished by walking in the light, by His spirit, speaking life, not seeking sensual pleasures, like coveting the things of our neighbor, including his wife. I should treat him as I would want to be treated. This righteousness is accomplished through faith and love. We fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer of faith, the way of faith and love, His breastplate of righteousness we are to put on.15
Speak Life