The Helmet of Salvation

Introduction:

Ephesians 6:17 NASB95

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

You can tell a lot about a person by the hat they wear:

Sombrero… Mexican

Cowboy Hat… Cowboy

Fedora… Adam

Baseball cap… ANYBODY

What about a helmet? … Suggests you’re either a soldier, a football player, or you just like wearing helmets for fun!

What about a helmet of salvation? … Suggests you’re a child of God

This is a helmet that only God can provide

A man isn’t safe without his helmet. Nor is a man safe without salvation.

What is salvation? What does it mean to you?

Our minds generally go to the problem of sin… the cross

Except, salvation began earlier in the Biblical record

After the sin of Adam & Eve… man was removed from the garden, and life was marked by difficulty, violence, and sin. Man needed to be saved from the consequences of his own choices.

The world grew in immorality ((Gen 6:5 ) “every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” )

So God destroyed the world with the Flood.. and preformed the FIRST act of salvation by saving Noah and his family

Peter would comment on this OT story in 1 Peter 3:18-22, using Noah as a PATTERN for the FULL salvation we receive in Christ.

But the CENTRAL OT experience of salvation was the EXODUS!

The people of God were ENSLAVED under the tyranny of Egypt

And as the Egyptian soldiers paraded toward them at the brink of the Red Sea… “Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.  14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”” — Exodus 14:13-14.

… God was known as the God of salvation who brought them out of the land — Judges 6.

And the prophets often spoke of a future salvation, that would come for EVERY people and tribe and nation through one… the Messiah.

Every Christian is a soldier

If that were not so, armor would not be needed

We’ve been enlisted under the banner of the cross, to fight against the powers of darkness until God wins the victory

But as with any war, we need to always be reminded of why we’re fighting, and WHO we’re fighting for.

We FIGHT… because of the certain HOPE we have in that OT MESSIAH prophesied about long ago!

We EXLAIM the words of John the immerser: “BEHOLD… OUR… GOD… who TAKES away the sin of the world!”

We REJOICE… having been given a more precious gift than the world has ever gazed upon… salvation!

Salvation: To be saved/rescued/pulled up from the drowning waters of sin by our mighty God

David: “The Lord is my salvation!”

Does salvation come through money? NO

Does salvation come through fame? NO

Does salvation come through family? NO

Salvation comes through the victory of Christ over death and sin

… the “helmet of salvation” recommended to the believer might be called the helmet of victory, for God’s victory is his people’s salvation.

F. F. Bruce

Salvation is both a present reality and a future hope

Present Reality

Mark 16:16 “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved;”

Acts 2:47 “And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

Future Hope

Heb 9:28 “28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.”

1 Peter 1:5 “5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Now, to our theme: the armor of God.

Armor that protects our life… protects our soul.

Armor that’s been given to the Christian for war.

When you are baptized into Christ there’s cause for celebration, but also cause for preparation because you’ve obtained a formidable foe

We are always at war, NEVER at peace! For if we become at peace with some sin, then sin has conquered us.

You are a soldier:

In a battle

In a foreign country

With a cruel and malicious enemy

So we take our:

Belt of Truth

Breastplate of Righteousness

Shoes of the Gospel

Shield of Faith

& nor our HELMET of salvation

Salvation isn’t just a hand-me-down hat, it’s a helmet!

A Helmet, like other pieces of armor, serves to protect a soldier on the battlefield. Salvation is our protection.

Assurance of Salvation… 1 Thes 5:8 “8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.”

It TIGHTLY strapped on… wont fall off

It COVERS my weak flesh… protect me from death

It SHINES of God’s glory… to exalt it’s maker, and to exalt my maker

Protected from the condemnation of sin:

You and I deserve condemnation.

We deserve an eternal punishment because we’ve transgressed against an eternal GOD!!

BUT… Rom 8:1-2 “1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”

I am saved by the blood of Jesus and His resurrection from the dead. Satan has no power against the saving blood of Jesus and was rendered powerless through His resurrection from the dead.

Heb 2:14-15 “14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.”

What CONFIDENCE we have!

Rom 8:31-39 “31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 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? 33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.…”

Hebrews 7:22-25 “22 so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. 23 The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, 24 but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. 25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

We have no reason to fear.. if we confess and turn away from those sins.

1 John 1:7-9 “7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

HOPE

Turn to 1 Peter 1.

1 Peter 1:3-5  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.   

Peter tells us that we have been born to have a living hope of a very real and secure inheritance. He also says that we are kept by the power of God. But this keeping is not unconditional.

Peter goes onto say1 Peter 1:13-16 – Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

The Christian Hope:

This is what a Christian’s hope is made of—he believes that Christ came into the world to save sinners. He trusts Christ to save him and he hopes that when Christ comes, he shall reign with Him— that when the trumpet sounds, he shall rise with Christ—and that in heaven he shall have a secure dwelling place at the right hand of the Father. — Charles Spurgeon

The hope of Salvation is like swimming in the middle of the ocean. It always keeps your head above the wave. When you think you have drowned, the Christian’s hope PULLS you back up above the waves!

What will happen to that helmet if left alone?

Become a hive for bees

Become a nest for birds

Perhaps we keep it close-by, but we only use it for our purposes

We use it as a pot for planting trees… a catch-all try… or a decorative piece in the house

Sometimes that very helmet we’ve been given, we put to the wayside because “i’m not afraid anymore”

Even a football payer would be seriously injured if he did such a ridiculous thing

Official who got hit yesterday by alabama.. bloody cheek

The helmet enables us to endure trials, not escape them

Conclusion:

There’s an entire book that sums up EXACTLY what this phrase means! The book of Hebrews

By faith I put on that helmet of salvation

Take it so as to never lay it down until God takes off this helmet, to put a crown of glory in it’s place!

“I’m kind of quiet but when I put my helmet on, it’s like you flip a switch. I’m ready to go.” ~ Martin Truex Jr.

That helmet, which adorns and protects the Christian enables him to hold up his head with joy and confidence, knowing he is one of the redeemed.

He who has a hope of salvation—a good hope that he is saved, a hope that he shall see the face of Christ with joy at last—is not afraid