The Breastplate of Righteousness: Stand Firm - Wk 3
Jul 28, 2024
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Pastor Ray Cortese, known for his insights on spiritual growth, joins the discussion on understanding our identity in Christ. They explore the concept of the Breastplate of Righteousness as a vital element of spiritual armor. Highlights include the transformative power of grace and how righteousness is a gift, not a personal achievement. The conversation emphasizes the necessity of genuine faith over self-made deeds, inviting listeners to deepen their relationship with God through humility and repentance.
Understanding our identity in Christ is essential, as righteousness is a gift by grace and through faith, not our works.
Believers must recognize the spiritual warfare they face, equipping themselves through prayer and gospel awareness to combat challenges.
Embracing imputed righteousness enables individuals to live confidently in their faith, motivated by gratitude and a relationship with God rather than fear.
Deep dives
Understanding Spiritual Warfare
The discussion emphasizes that believers are engaged in spiritual warfare as a fundamental aspect of their faith. The idea is presented that Christianity is uniquely targeted for mockery because Jesus represents a significant threat to opposing forces. This spiritual conflict requires Christians to equip themselves with prayer and awareness, especially in the face of societal challenges that appear to undermine the faith. The acknowledgment of this warfare serves as a call to action for believers to prepare themselves against the adversary's tactics.
The Importance of Righteousness
The notion of righteousness is crucial, defined not merely as right actions but rather as a right standing before God achieved through faith in Jesus Christ. It is described that righteousness is a gift from God rather than something that individuals can earn through their deeds. The sermon draws connections to biblical principles, highlighting how Christ’s sacrifice offers believers a position of righteousness that protects their hearts against shame and condemnation. Understanding and accepting this gift is positioned as essential for living a victorious Christian life.
The Power of the Gospel
The power of the gospel is underscored as the means by which believers gain strength in their spiritual struggles. The message stresses that salvation comes through faith in Jesus and emphasizes that true faith encompasses both acknowledgment of sin and acceptance of Christ’s grace. This gospel perspective shifts the focus from personal merit to divine provision, dismantling any belief that personal achievements can contribute to one's standing with God. The main theme is that genuine belief in the redemptive work of Jesus radically transforms a person’s identity.
Imputed Righteousness and Its Significance
Imputed righteousness is articulated as a critical element of the believer's relationship with God, where Christ's perfection is credited to them while their shortcomings are transferred to Him. This theological concept is illustrated through examples, such as the parable of the prodigal son, to show how God mercifully covers the believer’s flaws with Christ's righteousness. This not only provides assurance but also fosters a lifestyle motivated by gratitude and devotion rather than fear of judgment. Embracing imputed righteousness empowers individuals to live boldly, knowing they are accepted and loved by God.
Call to Action: Knowing Christ
The call to truly know Christ is presented as essential for every believer, distinguishing mere knowledge about Him from an intimate relationship with Him. The speaker challenges the audience to reflect on their personal faith and understanding of the gospel, urging them to approach God not with their résumés of good works, but with a heart seeking His grace. This relationship with Christ transforms not only how believers view themselves but also how they interact with the world around them. Ultimately, the invitation to embrace this relationship is framed as a response to the profound love of God, with an emphasis on the accessibility of His grace.
In this series, we’ve learned who our enemy is. This week, Pastor Joby walks us through understanding who we are in Christ. The Breastplate of Righteousness is a reminder that righteousness comes by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone. On the cross, Christ took our unrighteousness upon Himself and gave us His righteousness. There’s more grace in Christ than the sin in us.
The Church of Eleven22® is a movement for all people to discover and deepen a relationship with Jesus Christ. Eleven22 is led by Pastor Joby Martin and based in Jacksonville, Florida, with multiple campuses throughout Jacksonville and the surrounding areas.
To find out more about how God is moving at Eleven22, go to CoE22.com
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