The Helmet of Salvation
By Caron Cline
Burke County
We have studied the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the shield, and faith and now we arrive at the helmet of salvation. Paul tells us to ‘take the helmet of salvation’. The Greek word for ‘take’ is ‘analambano’ and it means ‘receive up; take unto’.
Psalm 3:8 and Jonah 2:9 remind us that salvation belongs to the Lord and can only be received as a gift from Him. We cannot purchase it, earn it, or steal it. But what is it? In the OT, we constantly see references to the salvation of God as He came in and rescued His people: Exodus 14:13-14-Deliverance at the Red Sea for the people of God; Psalm 62:1-7-Deliverance for David as he fled from his enemies
Psalm 69:29 and Jeremiah 17:14-Deliverance from sickness; and Isaiah 35:3-4 promises that our God will come and save us.
Paul pulls two of the descriptions of the armor from the book of Isaiah. In Isaiah 59:14-20, the prophet likens righteousness to a breastplate and salvation to a helmet.
These passages are based on God’s salvation of His covenant people. However, we know that the Redeemer that came was Jesus Christ and although He came to the Jew first, He also came to the Gentile.
Isaiah 49:5-6 “And now says the Lord, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel might be gathered to Him (For I am honored in the sight of the Lord, and My God is My strength), He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth’”.
The bottom line is that God wants to save people more than people want to be saved.
Matthew 1:21-23 is the account of Gabriel’s visit to Joseph after Mary had announced her pregnancy. Joseph was troubled concerning this news, but Gabriel told him that this child was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Joseph was to name Him, Jesus, for He would save His people from their sins.
The name Jesus, which came from the Hebrew name Joshua, means salvation.
God provided a Savior, Jesus, the God-man. He came to live a perfect life in the flesh of a man and die as the Son of God, the ultimate and perfect sacrifice. Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection bridged the gap between sinful man and a holy God. He purchased salvation for all who would believe in His Name and He offers it as a free gift. Therefore, Paul says ‘take the helmet of salvation’. He gives the least amount of description concerning the helmet of any other piece of armor. Why? He has discussed salvation in depth throughout the letter to these believers.
In Ephesians 1:13-14, Paul wrote that when we hear the truth of the gospel and believe, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, Who is our guarantee of eternal salvation.
In Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul states that our salvation is based on the grace of God, not on anything that we can do.
In Ephesians 2:13-14, we learn that we have been brought near to God by the blood of Jesus
In Ephesians 2:19 we discover that we are now members of the household of God
And lastly, in Ephesians 4:22-24, Paul announces that we have the power to put off our old lifestyle and put on the new because we are renewed in the spirit of our minds.
We must put on our helmet of salvation because the enemy of our soul desires to destroy our confidence concerning our true identity in Christ. Our brain is command central and controls every movement in the body, however, our mind controls our decisions, our words, our thoughts, our will. The mind is the battlefield of Satan.
Have you ever doubted your salvation?
When true believers doubt their salvation, their productivity in the kingdom of God drops tremendously. Satan understands that causing us to struggle in this area limits our confidence to present the gospel to our family, co-workers, friends, etc.
So how can we be confident in our salvation? The word of God and the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth. We must spend time reading and meditating on God’s promises, standing firm on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
If our heart desires to please God by obeying His Word and loving others through word and deed, it is a strong indication that we are a child of God.
2 Timothy is believed to be Paul’s final letter and in 1:12, he confidently stated that he knew Whom he had believed. There was no doubt in his mind that his salvation was secure for time and eternity. We must walk confidently through life wearing the helmet of salvation. Refuse the devil even a toe hold in your mind by bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. The defeated foe will flee!
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Caron is a follower of Jesus Christ and a member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Morganton, NC. She loves to teach the word of God.
Her desire is to see every believer grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord. Read more good news from Caron HERE.
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