Helmet of Salvation
Notes
Transcript
Tonight we continue our study over the whole armor of God found in Eph 6:10-20. Over the course of this study we have looked at each of the pieces of Armor that are mentioned in this text and have seen how they each help us to stand up to the schemes of the Devil. As a refresher lets reread this text starting in verse 14. Eph 6:14-17.
Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
The last piece of armor that we looked at was the shield of faith and tonight as we just read in verse 17 we are going to look at the last piece of Armor that Paul mentions in this passage. That piece of Armor is the Helmet of Salvation.
A helmet as we all know is used or worn to protect our head. For example a sports helmet like baseball or football is used to protect the head from receiving a high speed blow to the head from a baseball or a collision.
For cyclist the helmet protects their head from high speed blows that might come as a result of a crash.
All of us have heard stories of people whose lives have been saved because they chose to wear a helmet.
When it comes to wearing a helmet in battle or war, as our text describes, it is no different. A helmet that is warn in battle is vital for survival. It is vital because the helmet protects the head and more importantly the brain, which is the hub or we could say that it is the command station for the rest of the body. If one’s head is badly damaged during battle quite frankly the rest of the armor is of little value because as we all know one cannot function the same once their head and or brain has been damaged.
Because of its importance the helmet would most likely be the last piece of armor to be put on. It is the final act of readiness that a soldier does to prepare themselves for battle.
By putting on the helmet it is as if a soldier is saying I have taken all the necessary steps to prepare myself for battle. I have fastened on my belt, I have properly put on my breastplate, I have put on my combat boots or shoes, I have my shield ready to go, therefore I am as ready as I can be for the battle that lies ahead.
As we will see in next weeks lesson, Once a soldier puts on their helmet and fastens it tightly then and only then are they ready to pick up their sword and fight.
Tonight as we examine what it means to put on the helmet of Salvation I believe there are three critical points that we must understand about the helmet of Salvation.
The first point is this. The helmet of Salvation is something that we already have. It is not something that we will obtain later.
Anyone whether they are participating in a sport that requires a helmet or they are going to battle, their helmet is something that they have in hand before they begin their activity.
I baseball player doesn’t get up to the plate, hit the baseball and then proceed to put his helmet on. I cyclist doesn’t ride sixty mile only to then remember the need for a helmet.
When it comes to a soldier who is going to battle, before they set foot on the battle field they have recieved the proper training and just as important as their training they have recieved all the proper equipment needed to go to battle.
Specifically for our discussion tonight they already have in hand their helmet.
Paul says to the Christians in Ephesus, put on the helmet of Salvation.
Therefore since Paul is describing the helmet as salvation we must understand that we as Christians today currently possess salvation we have salvation and we are currently experiencing Salvation.
Salvation is not simply something that we receive when the Lord returns but it is something that we:
1. Received when we were baptised into Christ. Mark 16:16
2. It is something that we continue to receive. 1 Cor 1:18 reminds us that because of the cross and the blood that was shed we are currently in the process of being saved. 1 John 1:7 puts it this way. The blood that was shed on the cross continually cleanses us or saves us from our sins. Because of the blood of Jesus we are continually being saved day by day.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
3. The salvation that we recieved when we were baptised and continue to receive each day is also something that we will receive when the Lord comes again. The final act of Salvation will occur when the Lord comes again.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:8-10 speaking about salvation Paul once again refers to salvation as a helmet when he says...
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.
Although we have already seen that as Christians we have been and continue to be saved we also live with the hope of salvation which is the hope of living with Christ for all eternity.
In this passage when we see the word Hope we need to understand that the word Hope is the idea of living with the confident expectation of something. In other words as Christians if we have put on the helmet of the hope of Salvation we are living lives with the confident expectation that we have recieved, are receiving and will receive the gift of Salvation.
Church if that doesn't give you confidence to stand up to the schemes of the devil I do not know what can.
So the first thing that we need to understand about the Helmet of Salvation is that we already possess it. We just need to put it on. We need to live lives with the understanding that we have and are receiving Salvation everyday.
Secondly, when we think of our salvation as a helmet that we must put on, we must understand that this helmet is there for protection from the blows that will come from the enemy.
As Christians this is important for us to understand. A helmet or the Salvation that we have does not prevent blows or bad things from coming our way. Just like in battle the helmet does not prevent blows to the head. It only helps prevents the blows from destroying the head.
So when Paul says that we must put on the Helmet of Salvation he is not saying that by putting on the helmet nothing bad will happen to us but rather he is saying, with our Helmet securely fastened, when the enemy which is the devil does fight back we will be able to absorb the blows.
In Eph 6:16 before Paul tells us to put on our helmet he warns us that the blows will come. He says...
In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
The flaming darts of the evil one will come for all of us at different times in our lives we just have to be ready to withstand them.
By putting on the Helmet of Salvation what we are saying to the enemy is that we do not fear them.
By putting on the helmet of Salvation we are obeying the Words of Jesus when he says, do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matthew 10:28
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Church, as Christians we must understand that the devil will throw flaming darts at us, he will cause us to go through difficulty times but with the Helmet of Salvation fastened tightly, we will be able to persevere through the difficult times.
You see the helmet may not be able to completely protect our bodies from physical harm or even death but what it does protect is our eternal destiny. Because we are experiencing Salvation we can know that we are currently experiencing eternal life.
Finally tonight, now that we have seen that the Helmet of Salvation is something that we have and that it protects us from the flaming darts of the devil, the question remaining is how do we keep it.
How do we make sure that our Helmet of Salvation never come unfastened from our head.
Let me give you a few examples of how to do this.
One way to do this is by renewing your mind day by day. What I mean by that is daily make sure that you are filling your minds with the things of Christ so that you eliminate the things of the world that may cause you to want to remove your helmet. In Romans 12:1-2 Paul says this.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
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.
This passage reminds us to renew our minds by allowing the truth of God’s word to eliminate the things that we may get caught up in that our contrary to God’s Word. As Christians we must renew are minds daily with the Word of God and allow God’s truth to continually wash away the lies and filth of the world that can cause us to remove our helmet.
Then finally tonight if we are going to keep our Helmet securely fastened than we must live with the understanding that we are eternal beings. We must live with eternity in our minds every day.
When the blows of life come. When the devil throws his flaming darts at us, when life crashes in around us we are able to with stand the blows because we know that because of our salvation the devil can not take our gift of Salvation and eternal life from us.
This is why one of my favorite verses in the Bible has always been 1 John 5:13. John says...
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
This verse reassures us that we can know that we currently have eternal life and if we live a life with our helmet of Salvation securely fastened than we will win the battle and receive our reward one day.