Christ Integration Camp

Breastplate of Right Living

Say:

  • Putting on the breastplate of righteousness guards and protects our heart.
  • Being right with God protects our heart from getting dirty with sin.

Ask:

  • Who can tell me the 1st piece of armor of God? (belt of truth)
  • What’s the 2nd piece?  (breastplate of righteousness)

Say:

  • Wear It!  – for Initial Protection & Imputed Righteousness
    • God offers us not only a way to wash away our sin, but to protect us from further permanent sin stains.
    • In salvation, Jesus gives us His righteousness that covers our sin, but also identifies us as God’s child (born into His family) a part of God’s team, so that when God looks at us, He no longer sees our sin, but the righteousness of Jesus.
    • 2 Corinthians 5:21 – “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God”
    • Romans 13:14 – “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires”
    • This is called “imputed righteousness”.  This means Christ gives us His righteousness (He transfers His sinless account to us and our sinful account to Himself) which makes us a part of God’s family forever!  Some call this “justification” – “just as if I never sinned.”  This takes place at the moment of salvation when we invite Jesus into our lives and trust Him completely with our life now and forever & receive His forgiveness and righteousness.
  • Bear It! – for Daily Protection & Practical Righteousness
    • We never lose Jesus’ righteousness once we have received it; we’ll always be a part of God’s team, and His Holy Spirit lives within us.  But in everyday life, it’s our choice to wear and “bear” His righteousness so others see the difference in our life. 
    • We still have a choice of living daily for Jesus and following the prompting of His Holy Spirit, or not.  When we don’t, it can lead us into dangerous places such as temptation and sin.
    • Putting on the breastplate of righteousness is a choice we must make daily in the way we live.
    • If we back up to Ephesians 2:8-10, it clarifies we are NOT saved by good works or our own righteousness, but God did create us to do good works that reflect what Jesus has done for us through salvation.
      • “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”
    • When we choose to follow Jesus daily by walking close to Him and following the way the Bible points us to live, we walk in God’s good works which lead us away from dangerous places and away from sin. 
    • This is what we mean by “practical righteousness.”  Our good works could never save us, but after we receive Christ’s righteousness at salvation, His Holy Spirit helps us walk in living daily more like Jesus; this helps protect us from Satan’s schemes and temptations that lead to sin.

Activity: Wrapped Sucker or Candy

  • Hold up a sucker or piece of wrapped candy and ask what the purpose is of a sucker/candy. (to be enjoyed)
  • What purpose does the wrapper on the sucker/candy have?  (protect it so it can fulfill its purpose)
  • Take the wrapper off your sucker and roll on the floor or in dirt, etc.  Ask if anyone wants to enjoy the sucker now!   (hopefully they say no)
  • Take another sucker with the wrapper still on and do the same.  Ask if they’d like to enjoy this sucker.  Then ask what was the difference. (the wrapper protected the sucker from getting dirty & nasty)
  • In the same way that the wrapper protects the sucker from picking up dirt and yuck, righteousness can protect our hearts from sin.

Say:

  • Let’s read 2 Timothy 2:22.
    • Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
  • From this verse, we learn 3 facts:
  • Flee evil – go away from anything evil so the enemy doesn’t knock you down!
  • Pursue righteousness…, run towards God’s goal & purpose!
  • Along with…your own team! (Who you hang with matters!)

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