“Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness.”  Ephesians 6:14“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”  Ephesians 2:1-7The breastplate of righteousness (the freely given mercy of God in Christ) protects and defends our identity and incites our passions. TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE:#1:Dead in trespasses and sins (v.1,5). Walks by following the prince of darkness (v.2).Lives in the passions of the flesh (v.3).They are, by nature, children of wrath (v.3b).The past is recalled not because the emphasis falls upon it but in order to draw attention to God’s mighty action in Christ. #2:Made alive with Christ (v.6).Raised up and seated with Him in the heavenly places in Christ (v.6).Knows and rejoices in the immeasurable riches of his grace and kindness towards us in Christ (v.8).OBSERVATIONS:1. Mankind without Christ: has a difficult environment (the ways of this world, inclinations to evil, the cravings of the sinful nature) and operates influenced by a supernatural power at work around him (i.e., the devil).“Original sin is by nature in all human beings; whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness and is of his own nature inclined to evil…”  Thirty Nine Articles of Religion (1571), Article 92. The problem is: “Out there” → “Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains.”  Rousseau, The Social Contract (1762) OR “In here” (with social/personal/institutional manifestations) → Total depravity is the understanding that sin has infected every area of our lives. It is a contaminant that, if left unchecked, will lead to brokenness and sorrow.3. Total depravity is not utter depravity."There remains in man since the fall, the glimmerings of natural light, whereby he retains some knowledge of God, of natural things, and of the differences between good and evil, and discovers some regard for virtue and good order in society, and for maintaining an orderly external deportment.”  The Canons of Dort (1619)4. The scheme of the devil is to blind us to the glory, goodness, and power of Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:14).“But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.”  2 Corinthians 3:14“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”  2 Corinthians 4:3-6APPLICATIONS:1. Behold the glory of the gospel in the work of Christ.2. Men without Christ gravitate towards:• Self-justification (“I may be bad, but I’m not as bad as ______”)• Bargaining with God in order to earn his favor (if there is one o... Speaker: Buster Brown