Title: The Helmet of Salavtion
Text: Ephesians 6:17
And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION,
Introduction
This morning I will be sharing with you on the Helmet of Salvation.
The Roman soldier’s helmets were made of thick leather covered with metal plates, and others were of heavy moulded or beaten metal. They usually have cheek pieces to protect the face.
The purpose of the helmet was to protect the head from injury, particularly from the dangerous broad sword used in the warfare of that day. The broad sword was a large two-handed, double edged sword, often carried by Calvary man. They would swing at the head of enemy soldiers to split their skull.
Just as the helmet is of great importance to the Roman soldier, the Helmet of Salvation is of great importance to the Christian Soldier.
1. What is the Helmet of Salvation?
Paul equated this helmet to the Christian’s Salvation. Just as the helmet protects the head of the soldier, the Helmet of Salvation protects the mind of the believer from the enemy’s attack.
Now to better understand the helmet of salvation, let us refer to another portion of scripture.
Let us examine the word salvation.
Salvation as we know it is past, present and future. We obtained salvation when we first believed. At the present we are still being saved and the process is call sanctification. We are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Then there is a future hope of salvation, when we become perfect just like Christ.
The helmet of salvation, I believed speaks about our future hope of salvation.
In 1Th 5:8 Paul referred to the helmet as “The Hope of salvation”.
1TH 5:8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.
Thus the helmet of salvation speaks of the hope of our future salvation.
2. Understand our “future salvation”
In order for us to put on the helmet of salvation, we need to know what is our “future salvation”.
In Colossians 1:5 Paul said that there is a hope laid out for us in heaven.
COL 1:5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel
In Col 1:27 Paul said that there is a future hope of glory for all believers.
Col 1: 27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
The word “Glory” comes from the Greek word Doxa which means:
“the glorious condition of blessedness into which is appointed and promised that true Christians shall enter after their Savior’s return from heaven”
In heaven we will received a new glorified body, we will be made perfect with no struggle with sins, no more pain, no more hurts, no more tears.
No more poverty, not more wars, no more injustice.
We will receive our heavenly inheritance and live in the glorious presence of God. Jesus himself said in John 14:1-3
JN 14:1 “ Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.
JN 14:2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.
JN 14:3 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.
Jesus has prepared a place for us in heaven. It will be a place filled with such glory, a place that is incomparable to any place on earth.
3. How to put on the Helmet of Salvation?
Having understood the meaning of the helmet of salvation and the glory of our future salvation it is important for us to learn how to put on the helmet of salvation.
In a long distance race, thoughts will normally flood the mind of an athlete. Thoughts of giving up are not uncommon. Good athletes are those who put away thoughts of giving by, by focus at the prize they are to receive at the end of the race.
A story was told of Cao Cao of the three kingdoms.
One summer, Cao Cao was leading his troops in a punitive expedition against Zhang Xiu. It was extraordinarily hot. The burning sun was like a fire, and the sky was cloudless. The soldiers were walking on the winding mountain paths. The dense forest and the hot rocks exposed to the sun on both sides of the paths made the soldiers feel suffocated. By noontime the soldiers’ clothes were wet through with sweat, and the marching speed slowed down. Some solders of weak physique even fainted on the roadside.
He spurred his horse and came to the head of the column. Pointing his horsewhip to the front, Cao Cao said, "Soldiers, I know there is a big forest of plums ahead. The plums there are both big and delicious. Let’s hurry along, and we will reach the forest of plums after bypassing this hill." When the solders heard this, they immediately slobbered. Picturing in their minds the sweet and sour flavour of the plums, the soldiers felt as if they were actually eating the plums, the soldiers felt as if they were actually eating the plums themselves. The morale greatly boosted, the soldiers quickened their steps a great deal automatically.
The Chinese idiom “Watching plums, quenching thirst” was derived from this story.
In similar ways, the Christian’s warfare on earth can be so though that having thoughts of giving up the race is not uncommon. In order to defeat the bombardment of satan against our mind, Paul’s solution for the Christian soldier is that one should there put on the helmet of salvation.
How are we to put on the helmet of salvation?
Make it a practice to:
1. Think about your future glory in heaven
Phil 3:14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Paul’s practice was to press on toward the goal, which is the prize he will receive from God at the end of his life. In other words, Paul who had so much difficulty in his life and ministry makes it a practice to think about the prize he would receive if he stays faithful.
Similarly we should put on the helmet of salvation by thinking about heaven. That will spur us to press on and not give up when the battle is fierce.
2. Listen to and sing songs about heaven
Songs have the capacity to lift up our spirit and encourage us. Listening to and singing songs about heaven and our future glory enable our spirit man to be lifted up in times of discouragement.
When I was younger I sang songs like:
Heaven is a wonder place, filled with glory and grace
I want to see my savior’s face, heaven is a wonderful place.
I’ve got a home in glory land that outshines the sun (x3)
Way beyond the blue.
When I am down or discouraged I still sing such songs, because it reminds me that my struggles are temporal, there is sometime glorious that awaits me in heaven.
Conclusion
In this life we will go through many trials, many temptations. The enemy will try to swing his broad sword at our head so as to defeat us in the mind. However if we put on the helmet of salvation, there will be no opportunity for him to do so. No matter how tough the race is ahead, because our mind has been strengthened by the helmet of salvation, we will be able to press on towards the goal for the upward prize we have in Christ Jesus.
