Helmet of Salvation

Praetorian Guard

Paul was imprisoned in Rome on two separate occasions. As a prisoner of the Emperor, he was guarded by the Praetorian guard both times.

The helmet was a leather or metal protective covering for the head worn by the soldier. A defensive piece of armor.

Just as the wedding band is a visual reminder of our verbal commitment we made to our spouse on our wedding day as we entered into a covenant relationship. So the helmet of salvation is also a visual reminder of the commitment we have made to enter into a covenant relationship with God as in salvation we become married to Christ.

Roman Parade helmet- found this ornately designed and decorated head gear in Roman imperial-era fort ruins inn Germany. They identified it as a first to second century A. D. parade helmet, probably worn solely for ceremonial occasions.

Inscribed images of the winged goddess Victoria, Roman counterpart to the Greek Nike, fly on the tin-coated bronze helmet’s brow. The imperial eagle, flanked by lions, graces the crest. Also inscribed on the helmet are the names of cavalry and infantry units that the wearer, undoubtedly an officer over several units, represented.

Helmet- forged from one piece of metal lined with leather. Crests made of dyed horsehair indicated rank. Plates hung down along the cheeks and another plate protected the back of the neck and shoulders.

“When God created Adam and Eve he created them in His own image with a mind to think, communicate and act.”

Guard duty- The purpose of a security guard is to protect. To protect the people you are in charge of. The guard is constantly on the look out for trouble. I remember when I served as a security guard in the bakery. My responsibility was to make sure employees weren’t walking out of the bakery with stuff that belonged to the company.

A security guard is there to give a person a sense of safety and security that I will be taken care of, should something arise that

“When God created Adam and Eve he created them in His own image with a mind to think, communicate and act.”

“The intellectual and spiritual dimensions were linked in the creation of humanity and in God’s will for them.”

Richard Mayhue argues on pg. 38 “One becomes intellectually and spiritually what he/she thinks. So, unquestionably, the mind is a terrible thing to waste because to waste a mind is to waste a person.”

Proverbs 27:19 ESV

As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man.

Book “Think Biblically” Editor- John MacArthur, 2nd chap. “Cultivating a Biblical Mindset- by Richard Mayhue- pgs. 37-53

Our intellectual capacity has been ruined by sin

12 Negative New Test. words that describe the ruin of man’s intellectual capacity:

1. “debased”

2. “hardened”

3. “blinded”

4. “futility”

5. “darkened”

6. “hostile”

7. “deluded”

8. “deceived”

9. “sensuous”

10. “depraved”

11. “corrupted”

12. “defiled”

Matthew 5:18-

Matthew 15:18 ESV

But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.

Matthew 5:18 ESV

For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

Matthew 15:19 ESV

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.

Matt. 15:

Matthew 15:20 ESV

These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”

“Sow a thought, reap an act.

Sow an act, reap a habit.

Sow a habit, reap a character.”

Gen, 3:1-7 show us how the mind of man was ruined by sin and would impact every human being who lived after Adam and Eve.

Eve exchanged the truth of God () for the lie of Satan () and the human mind has never been the same since.

Eve bought into the lie that she had a choice. She could choose to obey God and not eat the fruit of the tree or she could disobey and eat the fruit of the tree.

Eve believed she could make a wise choice apart from God’s revelation. God’s instruction became optional. God’s command was no longer authoritative. She believed that God’s revelation did not dictate what was right and what was wrong.

Genesis 3:6 ESV

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

Eve conducted 3 tests on the tree to see whether God or Satan was right.

1st Test- Physical value- she observed the tree was “good for food”.

It had nutritional value. Eve could have thought- Maybe Satan is right. Maybe God was being too restrictive in keeping her from having more joy by having all of the fruit in the garden.

Not only would the fruit benefit her body nutritionally, but she also discovered in the 2nd test that the tree had

2nd Test- Emotional or aesthetic value- “a delight to the eyes”. She felt good about looking at the tree. Eve still wasn’t satisfied. She ran one additional test.

3rd Test- Intellectual value- “to make her wise like God.”

The tree appealed to her needs physically, aesthetically, and intellectually. She then decided in her mind that God was wrong or had lied to her. Satan’s deceit had successfully lured her away from God’s absolute and unmistakable truth. The human mind was about to be ruined forever.

Her deception led to her disobedience and she took the fruit and ate it and gave some to her husband. She rejected God’s instruction.

2 Corinthians 11:3 ESV

But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

The human mind was wasted by sin. The human race was now estranged from God and fellowship with God was broken. They could no longer see life from God’s perspective.

They would no longer walk in light but rather in darkness. They no longer would have spiritual sight but would be blinded god of this age-

They would no longer be wise, but foolish-

God in his mercy and grace provided a Savior who would come and bring reconciliation between God and man.

A redeemed mind

2 Corinthians 4:6 ESV

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.

The helmet of salvation is given to those whom God has redeemed- to protect the mind against the devil’s schemes.

This redeemed person is now equipped with a knowledge of God and His will that He did not previously possess.

A renewed mind

Romans 12:2 ESV

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Colossians 3:10 ESV

and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

Our minds need to be filled with scripture to think like Christ.

Our minds are renewed in truth as we read, study, meditate on God’s Word.

A illuminated mind

1 Corinthians 2:12

1 Corinthians 2:12 ESV

Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.

1 Corinthians 2:13 ESV

And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

1 Corinthians

A great prayer to pray as you study the Scripture is found in

Psalm 119:18 ESV

Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.

Psalm 119:33–34 ESV

Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.

Psalm

A Christlike mind

How does a Christlike mind think? The Puritan writer John Owen (A.D. 1616-1683) said it this way:

“We can test ourselves by asking whether our spiritual thoughts are like guests visiting a hotel, or like children living at home. There is a temporary stir and bustle when guests arrive, yet within a little while they leave and are forgotten. The hotel is then prepared for other guests. So it is with religious thoughts that are only occasional. But children belong to their house. They are missed if they don’t come home. Preparation is continually being made for their food and comfort. Spiritual thoughts that arise from true spiritual mindedness are like the children of the house- always expected, and certainly enquired for if missing.”

Meditation- Scripture commands believers to meditate in 3 areas:

God- ,

God’s Word- ,

God’s Works- ;

All 176 verses of talk about the virtue of knowing and living out the mind of God. Meditation is mentioned at least 7 times as a habit of one who loves God and desires intimacy with Him.

, , , , , , ,

Philippians 4:8 ESV

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Is your mind being wasted or invested?

Kate Wilkinson (1859-1928)

“May the mind of Christ my Savior

Live in me from day to day,

By His love and power controlling

All I do and say.”