Ephesians

The Helmet of Salvation

In Ephesians 6:17, Paul tells us, “Take the helmet of salvation.” The figure of a helmet immediately suggests to us something designed to protect the mind, the ability to think and reason. This helmet can keep our thinking straight and preserve us from mental confusion as we make our way through this dark and evil-infested world.

We live in confused times. The demon-dominated world system bombards us with conflicting philosophies and anti-Christian belief systems, all designed to undermine the faith of Christians and prevent non-Christians from ever discovering the truth. But the Christian is not defenseless. We have the helmet of salvation.

What is this helmet that keeps our thinking straight in the midst of a confused world? Paul answers in one word—salvation. Understand, Paul is not talking here about the salvation of the soul. He is not looking back to the moment where he invited Christ into his life as Lord and Savior. He is talking about a salvation which is a future event. This is what he means when he says elsewhere in the New Testament, “Our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11).

The helmet of salvation is further defined for us in Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians: “But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet” (1 Thessalonians 5:8). This future tense of salvation can be found in a number of passages, especially Romans 8:18-25, in which Paul talks about the day of resurrection, when creation will be delivered from its bondage, when Christ will return to establish His kingdom. This helmet, therefore, is the recognition that all human schemes to obtain world peace and harmony are doomed to fail. But Jesus Christ is working out His own plan, which will culminate in His appearing again and the establishment of His own reign in righteousness on the earth. That is the helmet of salvation which will keep our thinking straight, even in unsettled times, when the systems of the world collapse around us, when society is torn by wars and rumors of wars. No matter how terrible and chaotic this world becomes, we trust in God and patiently await our ultimate salvation.

We are to remind ourselves frequently of the coming of the Lord. Jesus continually told us to watch and be ready for that hour (see Matthew 24:42; 25:13). We must live daily in that hope and anticipation. This battle we have been examining in Ephesians 6 is an epic struggle against the devil and his angels, against the principalities and powers—yet it is being fought right where we live, in our homes, our offices, our churches, and the inner core of our hearts. Yet we must never forget that this battle is not ours, but the Lord’s. We are individual fighting units in a great army. The ultimate cause is sure and the end is certain. In this struggle between Jesus Christ and Satan, we already know the outcome.

With our minds securely protected by the helmet of the ultimate salvation of God, we can face the evil days ahead with our thoughts ordered, our hearts calm, and our souls undisturbed by the trumpets of war. The battle is coming, and we are almost ready to meet it. We only need one more implement to make our armor complete: a sword.