The Helmet of Salvation
Take up the helmet of salvation…
Ephesians 6:17
For a Roman soldier, the helmet was the last piece of armor to be put on. The helmet protected the head and the mind. If their head was damaged in the battle and they lost their ability to think and make decisions, the rest of the armor would be of little value.
When God the Father rescued you from the dominion of darkness and brought you into the kingdom of the Son He loves (Colossians 1:13), you were saved. Your salvation is eternal and secure. You need the helmet to not only protect the knowledge that you are saved, you need it to protect your mind as you fight the battle on a daily basis. Salvation is eternal but that doesn’t mean the devil won’t try to get you to think you might not be. Assurance of your salvation is an ongoing work of the Holy Spirit. It is Him that testifies with our spirit that we belong to God (Romans 8:16). When you try to fight without your helmet of salvation, your mind is vulnerable to the enemy. He may be successful is getting you to doubt your salvation and so much more.
With the helmet, we demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obedient to God (2 Corinthians 10:5). We learn to think on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8).
The Bible talks about salvation in three tenses. He has saved us, we are being saved, and we will be saved. All three are true.
God has saved us as believers (2 Timothy 1:9). Our sins have been forgiven and we have been justified and put in right standing with God. It is secure.
In Philippians 2:12, you are told to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. In 1 Corinthians 1:18, Paul talks about those of us who are being saved and in 2 Corinthians 2:15, Paul again says that God sees those who are being saved as the aroma of Christ. This is also known as sanctification, the process of becoming more like Christ.
When Paul says we will be saved (Romans 5:9-10), is He talking about heaven? In Romans 13:11, he tells us our salvation is now nearer than when we first believed. And 1 Thessalonians 5:8 talks about wearing the hope of salvation as a helmet. People hope for things that haven’t happened yet, so there is an aspect of salvation that is still coming.
Since we live in the in between and we are told to put on the helmet of salvation now, what does it mean? In practical terms, how do we do this?
Renew your mind…do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind… (Romans 12:2)
Put on the full armor of God…truth, righteousness, being ready to share and live out the gospel of peace, and faith all help us become more like Christ…put on the full armor of God so that you may be able to take your stand against the devil’s schemes (Ephesians 6:11)
Don’t live only for this life, but keep eternity in your mind…set your minds on things above, not on earthly things (Colossians 3:2)
Remember the victory is already won. You know the end! Jesus defeated Satan and his “army” at the cross…and having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them at the cross (Colossians 2:15)
Find your hope in Jesus alone…let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him (Psalm 62:5 NLT)
Listen to God, He is always speaking—through various ways…My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me (John 10:27 NASB)
Remember, it is a process and for us and for our prodigals. I keep seeing my son as a follower of Christ, being used by God in ways He never could have had he not rebelled. God has a way of redeeming our past mistakes, bringing good out of bad. I believe God will bestow on him a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. He will be called an oak of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor (Isaiah 61:3). Wearing my helmet of salvation, helps me to think about him the way God does.