Prepare for the Fight with the Helmet of Salvation
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During the chaos of battle, at the height of World War II, a young American paramedic found himself separated from his unit and lost in unfamiliar territory. As night descended, he decided to rest in a dilapidated old barn. Exhausted, he fell asleep propped up against the barn wall. As dawn’s light began to shine over the horizon, the young man was jerked awake by a sharp tinging sound that seemed to ring around in his ears. Looking up he saw light streaming through a bullet hole in the barn wall- right where his head had been resting. Removing his helmet he saw a divot that only a bullet could make. In that moment he realized that if he had taken his helmet off as he slept- he would never have awoken. The young man’s helmet had saved his life. And that is especially good news for me. The young man, Larry Blood, went on to marry his sweetheart Patricia and their daughter- Beth is my beautiful wife’s mother. If that bullet had found its mark- unimpeded by young Larry’s helmet- Kristin would not have been born. Friends, the soldier’s helmet is an essential piece of his or her protective armor.
If you have your Bible or a Bible app with you this morning please turn with me to the book of Ephesians to chapter 6. If you have been tracking with us through this series on preparing for spiritual battle with the armor of God you may remember that we learned about the shield of faith the first week of the series- therefore, our focus this morning will be on verse 17, where we are instructed to Ephesians 6:17 “take up the helmet of salvation”.
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
God encourages us to put on His helmet of salvation so that we may be protected from the spiritual attacks of the evil one. In his sermon on this passage, Dr. David Jeremiah makes the observation that the devil’s attacks are especially poignant because of his extensive experience.
I am reminded of a video of two Chinese children who appeared on television to display their incredible musical talent. This young boy and girl delivered a perfect and moving performance. Later, I learned that the two children were allowed to do little else other than practice that one song. Hours upon hours every day, these two children practiced that one song. It is no wonder that their performance was so spectacular. If you were to study the same subject for a thousand years- you would undoubtedly be an expert- a genius in that field.
Friends, Satan has had many thousands of years, he has had millennia, to practice and perfect how to manipulate humanity. He is an expert in his field of deception and temptation.
As Dr. David Jeremiah explains,
“Satan’s purpose, as we have learned, is to try to corrupt or confuse our minds through false teaching or through the world system- to entangle us in practices like the house of folly, and make it impossible for us to think clearly about God and His purposes. We have learned already that we are well protected in Christ, when we put Christ on. For He is our truth and through the belt of truth He provides for us our integrity. He is our righteousness- protecting our heart from the attacks of the adversary. He is the peace of our life. The shoes of the preparation of the gospel of peace gives us our sure footing in the war. He is our shield of faith and our hope. And now we learn that in Christ we can also have victory in the arena of our mind where Satan fights so many of his battles.” Ephesians 6:1
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
The helmet of salvation is the last piece of defensive armor mentioned in Ephesians 6. So the first point this morning is…
1. Putting on the helmet of salvation equips us with the wisdom of God.
Dr. Jeremiah explains,
“Jesus Christ wants to equip us with Himself and His purposes. He wants us to be equipped with His plans- with His thoughts, with His concepts, with His truth, and with His revelation. With Him we can stand victorious in the midst of the fury of attacks leveled against us. For Satan knows that the very nature of a thought, the nature of an idea can be more destructive than any military weapon that can be conceived… Ideas have consequences. For opinions are stronger than armies. Opinions, if founded in truth and justice, will ultimately prevail against bayonets and infantry, fire, or artillery, the charges of a cavalry, or an armed guard. But likewise, ideas that are evil- ideas that come from the enemy -can corrupt our minds.” Ephesians 6:1
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
Ideas have consequences. Taking it a step further one can say that foolish ideas lead to folly. Looking at social media we can see just how true that statement is. How often do we read people’s posts as they follow wrongheaded ideas right into folly.
We need wisdom now more than ever.
1 Corinthians 1:24, (NIV) reads,
“but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God… It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.”
but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
Friends, wisdom is – doing the right thing without a precedent. When we put on the helmet of salvation we allow Jesus to guide us- we discern how to respond to situations and circumstances in the right way.
James 1:5 says,
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”
Jesus delights in developing wisdom in each of us.
If you could use a little more wisdom in your life, I know I definitely can, consider committing to reading a Proverb a day with me for the month of November. Proverbs is a book found in the Old Testament that is filled with wisdom that has survived generation after generation. This wisdom will lead us closer to God and guide us toward right living. Just read a chapter a day and in 31 days we’ll have read the whole thing. As you read, feel free to reach out to me to share what you are learning.
Our second point this morning is this:
2. It is Jesus’ gift of salvation that gives us protection.
You may remember that the Greek verbs used in this section of Scripture change from “having on” the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, and the shoes of gospel peace to “take up” the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.
The first three indicate that “truth, righteousness, and peace” are things that we should always have on. They should be a part of who we are- always ready to be used. Then the apostle Paul, switches verbs to “take up” which indicates that we are to “take up” faith, salvation, and the word of God as the situation arises.
Most often, when Christians talk about “salvation” we are referring to one’s salvation from the eternal consequences of sin. All those who accept Jesus’ free gift of grace are forgiven for their sinful choices, through faith we are saved from spending an eternity away from the goodness of God. Jesus saves us from the eternal consequences of our sin and secures for us a place in heaven. A person who has truly and sincerely accepted Jesus’ gift of grace, who has chosen to follow Him, cannot lose their salvation.
Why then does Paul instruct us to “take up” the helmet of salvation. Wouldn’t a Christian already have it on? If we cannot put off or lose our salvation then why does Paul switch verbs? Wouldn’t it make more sense to say, “having on” the helmet of salvation instead of the instruction to “take up” the helmet?
To understand Paul’s meaning we must first realize that the term salvation has multiple implications. As Christians we have been saved. We will spend an eternity with Jesus in heaven. That aspect of our salvation is secure.
Another aspect of salvation is the truth that Jesus wants to deliver us from sin now. He wants to set us free from the cycle of sin and from the entanglement of addiction. Remember Paul’s description of his human battle against sin in Romans 7:14b-25 (NIV),
We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
“…sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
Friends, in this passage, Paul uses powerful language to give us an honest description of what Spiritual warfare feels like.
It is my belief that Paul is saying in these verses, that as a Christian he struggles against sinful behavior. Although a follower of Christ, he confesses that he still struggles against his sinful nature- a nature that he wages war against.
In Greek, the word “delivers” in verse 25 is the root word for “salvation” in Ephesians 6:17. Jesus wants to deliver us, to set us free, from the sin we love the most. He wants to help us break free from the cycle of sinful behaviors that entangle us.
“Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
As Dr. Jeremiah states, Ephesians 6:1
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
“The helmet of salvation is more than knowing that you are a Christian. The helmet of salvation reaches far beyond the terms of salvation because it encompasses the whole scope of salvation- past, present, and future. The helmet of salvation is- ‘we have been saved,’ ‘we are being saved,’ and ‘we will be saved.’”
Through Jesus our eternity is secured and by following Jesus we can be set free, delivered, saved- from the cycle of sin in our lives.
Paul masterfully connects this idea of deliverance to where most of our spiritual warfare takes place- the landscape of the human mind by calling this piece of armor a “helmet.”
That brings us to our next point this morning:
3. The helmet of salvation is intended to protect our logos (our thoughts, our intellect, our reason, our emotion, and our passion).
Paul originally wrote his letter to the Christians living in Asia Minor. These Christians lived in a Hellenistic culture and were significantly influenced by Hellenistic thought of which the philosophical concept of logos was widely believed. The Greek term logos is literally translated as “the word”. However, it is used in Hellenistic writings to refer to the source of human reason, intelligence, emotion, and passion. Logos may closely represent what we today may call the human psyche- the home of thought, reason, feelings, memories, ideas, hopes, and dreams. The original readers of Paul’s writings would automatically connect the analogy of a helmet to a piece of armor that protects the individual’s mind or the logos.
However, there is a second meaning attached to the concept of logos. Other Hellenistic writings refer to Logos, with a capital “L,” as the plan or model of the universe, the source of order in the universe by which all things come into being and all things come to pass, -a universal and eternal force. In the opening lines of his gospel, the apostle John identifies this force, this source as Jesus Christ- the Logos (capital L) become flesh for the purpose of reconciling humankind with God through His human life, death, and resurrection.
(John 1:1-5, 14, NIV):
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
“In the beginning was the Logos, and the Logos was with God, and the Logos was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it… The Logos became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Jesus, as the Logos made flesh, brought about the salvation of humankind. When we put on the Logos, capital “L” as a helmet, we allow Him to protect- guard- guide- rule our logos, lower case “l”. Jesus is our armor. He is our protector. Ray Steadman explains that the armor of God is a figurative explanation of who Jesus is and what He is to His followers. When we put on the armor we are putting on Christ. Jesus is ready to be our armor.
As He declares in John 17:23 (NIV),
I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
“I in them and you in me.”
This is simple language- “I in you- you in me.” But the meaning of it is profound. Friends, accepting Jesus’ gift of eternal salvation is relatively simple. It requires believing, confessing, and accepting. But Jesus wants to be more to us than fire insurance against hell’s blaze.
“I in them and you in me”- He wants intimacy- a deeply personal, relationship. He wants to take up residence in our logos- our inner most being. You can’t get more personal than that.
Moreover,
4. If Jesus is to be our deliverer, we must offer Him more than just our belief, we must make Him Lord of our lives.
Our physical brains rule our bodies. Every action, every movement is subjected to the brain. When we put on the helmet of salvation we are subjecting ourselves to Christ’s rule over us. Just as the brain rules our body, when we put on the helmet of salvation, Christ comes to rule over our minds.
Have you submitted to Jesus? Have you surrendered to Him? Are you willing to let Him into the inner most part of you- laying bare you inner most thoughts, your memories, your feelings, your hurts, even your sinful desires and lusts?
John Stevens shares the following story,
“Near Michelangelo’s famous statue of David, four unfinished sculptures line the hallways. Calling them “The Captives,” Michelangelo had planned to use them as part of Pope Julian’s tomb. With protruding limbs and body parts, each piece appears to be a human figure trying to escape its marble enclosure.
On seeing the sculptures for the first time, author Theodore Roder wrote, ‘When I looked at those partial figures, they stirred up in me a deep longing to be completed-an ache to be set free from that which distorts and disguises, imprisons and inhibits my humanness, my wholeness. But as with those statues, I cannot liberate myself. For that I need the hand of another’”
Let’s be real. The sin that is the most difficult to get rid of is the sin we love the most. Perhaps it is the high the pill gives you or the numb release of alcohol. Perhaps it is the rush that pornography supplies. It is afterwards though that we feel the negative effects of our sin- the shame, the devastation of addiction. It is then that we feel like Michelangelo’s distorted and trapped forms. It is then that we say with the apostle Paul- “Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?”
Friends, whatever the sin, if you want to be delivered, if you want to be set free then you must put on your helmet of salvation. You must give Jesus intimate and honest access to your inner self. I plead with you this morning- let Him in- let Him lead you to true freedom.
Let us pray.