Putting On the Helmet of Salvation
Thanks for coming back to continue our study of what it means to put on the full armor of God and exactly how to do it! In this post, we will be discussing the helmet of salvation.
If you haven’t already, you might want to start by reading at least our introduction to the topic of the armor of God and why we need it. Part 1 covers the belt of truth. And here’s a link to part 2 (the breastplate of righteousness), part 3 (the shoes of peace), and part 4 (the shield of faith). But if you’re ready to learn how to put on the helmet of salvation, then let’s go!
But really quickly, here’s the piece of scripture we’ve been unpacking:
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Ephesians 6:14-17
Contents
Salvation
What is Salvation?
Merriam-Webster defines salvation as “deliverance from the power and effects of sin.” There are a few other definitions, but this is the one that is most applicable to this post and to our lives as followers of Christ.
If you think about it, salvation isn’t that much different than the stories we hear of early heroes saving people from roaring floodwaters or burning buildings. They are taken out of a situation that could lead to their death and given chance to go on living.
In the same way, salvation from a spiritual perspective means that our heavenly hero (Jesus) saves us from the consequences of sin (death) and gives us a chance to live forever in Heaven with Him (eternal life).
Salvation is found in admitting 4 key things:
- I am a sinner. (Romans 3:23)
- God’s penalty for sin is death. (Genesis 3, Romans 6:23)
- Jesus died to save me from the penalty of sin. (Romans 5:8)
- Placing my faith in Jesus alone is the only way to achieve salvation. (Romans 10:9-13)
What Salvation is Not
To be clear, salvation is not achieved by any of the following alone:
- Being generous
- Attending church regularly
- Being baptized as a baby (or even being baptized period without accepting Jesus into your heart first)
- Being a good person
- Not having any addictions
- A desire to go to Heaven instead of Hell
- Volunteering in your community
- Growing up going to church
- Fighting or dying for your country
Of course, these things are not bad things, but they don’t lead to salvation in and of themselves.
“Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”
Ephesians 2:9
The Helmet of Salvation
What is the Purpose of a Helmet?
Helmets are protective head coverings made to resist impact. Obviously, they keep our head and brain intact and in good working order. After all, if our brains aren’t working right, all sorts of things can go awry. Healthy, intact brains control not only basic life functions like breathing and circulation, but help us think logically and make decisions. So if anything happens to your brain, it’s a bad day.
What is the Helmet of Salvation?
So if salvation is the deliverance from sin and death, and helmets resist impact that could damage our brains or even kill us, how can we put these together to explain the helmet of salvation?
Putting on the helmet of salvation helps us resist the impact of worldly views and Satan’s lies on our thinking that might cause us to sin and ultimately die a spiritual death.
What does the Helmet of Salvation Represent?
Clarity
Clarity, or the ability to see and understand things clearly, is imperative in our world today. With so much contradictory information coming at us at all times, we need to be able to take hold of what is relevant and discard what is not.
Clarity allows us to see through all the stuff we see and hear to find what’s true and important. It also allows us to be certain about things. Clear thinking gives us confidence through the knowledge that we are making choices based on the right information. And all of this helps us to have the courage to tackle whatever life or the devil throws at us or whatever God asks us to do in faith.
“But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.”
1 Thessalonians 5:8
Being clear on the matter of our own salvation, specifically, is especially important. After all, according to 1 John 5:11-13, if we aren’t saved, we don’t have life. Sure, we may be living and breathing here on earth, but what really matters (eternity) depends entirely on whether or not we have received the gift of salvation.
Protection From the Lies of Satan
Satan wants us to think about things of the world and our sins more than we think about Jesus. He wants us to compare ourselves to others and judge them, coming to the conclusion that our sins aren’t so bad that we need saving. Or he wants us to feel like our sins are so bad that salvation is out of reach.
Furthermore, culture is embracing tolerance and acceptance to the extreme, and as a result, those of us who live by the Bible are increasingly being considered to be intolerant bigots and closed-minded fools.
This is instilling in many Christians a fear of being judged or offending people. We’re being led to feel that anytime we stand up for our faith, even if we do it lovingly, we are being exclusive and cruel. As a result, Christians are sitting down and shutting up for fear of rejection or being attacked.
With the helmet of salvation securely in place, we are protected from the confused thinking that comes from these lies.
(I couldn’t not include this picture. I want this to be what Satan sees when I put on my helmet of salvation. This chick is seriously fierce!)
How to Put On the Helmet of Salvation
We’ve seen that wearing the helmet of salvation helps us be clear-headed, bringing certainty, confidence, and courage. And we’ve seen that the helmet of salvation protects us from disoriented thinking that stems from believing the lies of the world and of Satan.
That makes sense, but what do we do in real life to put on this metaphorical helmet of salvation?
Make sure you are indeed saved
According to 2 Thess. 2:14a, we are called to salvation when we hear the Good News. If you remember from part 3 of this series, the Good News is that Jesus came and died for our sins, giving us eternal life. But simply hearing the Good News isn’t enough. We must accept the calling to salvation by accepting the Good News as truth and Jesus as our Savior.
If you have heard that Jesus died for you, you have been offered the free gift of salvation! It’s up to you to reach out and take it. Luckily, this is a simple process!
If there is any doubt in your mind about the status of your salvation. Don’t wait! Head over to our Salvation Prayer page to learn how to accept the gifts of salvation and eternal life.
Recall regularly what salvation means
By remembering all the truths encompassed within the gift of salvation, it becomes easier to fight off the lies of Satan and the world.
If I know without a doubt that I am saved, then I also know:
- I am loved (Romans 5:8, John 3:16)
- I am accepted by Christ (Rom. 15:7)
- Nothing can separate me from God’s love (Rom. 8:38)
- God has a purpose and plan for my life (Jer. 29:11)
- I am forgiven (Luke 1:77)
- I am chosen (2 Thess. 2:14)
- I am protected (Isaiah 26:1)
- I am capable of righteousness and Godly character (Phil. 1:11)
- I can make a difference (1 Tim. 4:16)
- Victory is mine (Romans 8:37)
Remember also that even though the earthly opportunity cost of sharing our faith might seem high (business, friends, family, money, etc.), the eternal opportunity cost of not being saved is even higher.
The earthly opportunity cost of sharing our faith might seem high, but the eternal opportunity cost of not being saved is even higher. Click To TweetWatch how you live
Even though we are all sinners and will always fall short of deserving God’s love and forgiveness, we can still live a life of purpose and love. Living a life of purpose and love means showing love for people and minding your own business (not the business of everybody on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram). It means lifting one another up and not condemning one another. It means not causing other believers to stumble or giving non-believers a reason to avoid coming to faith.
In living such a life, we will encourage other believers in their own faith and be an example of God’s love and mercy to those who don’t yet believe.
“Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you.”
1 Timothy 4:16
The Helmet of Salvation Summary
Salvation is deliverance from sin and death, and helmets resist impact that could damage our heads or brains; therefore, putting on the helmet of salvation helps us resist the impact of worldly views and Satan’s lies that tempt us to sin, leading to spiritual death.
Being sure of our salvation, meditating on the true meaning of salvation, and doing our best to live a righteous life all prepare us and give us courage for when we are pulled into the spiritual battle raging around us.
If we want to remain standing throughout this life and be able to face eternity with certainty, we must put on the armor of God, specifically the helmet of salvation. After all, none of us is any good to God (or anyone) without a fully functioning brain. 😉
One post left in the series (the sword of the Spirit)! What has been your favorite piece of the armor of God so far? Why? Let us know below!
Catch ya’ later,
PS Here‘s a cheat sheet that you can download to keep handy when you feel you need to put on the armor of God but aren’t sure exactly what to do.
This post/series is inspired/informed by the amazing pastors at Woodland Hills Family Church. Thanks, guys! Click here to hear the original sermons.
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