“and take the helmet of salvation…” (Ephesians 6:17, ESV)
It’s interesting that here in the middle of the passage we get to the helmet. The helmet protects our head which is symbolic for our intellect and thinking. This is where we develop strategy. It would seem like we should talk about the helmet first, but in spiritual warfare, other things needed to come first. This is important for a few reasons.
Sometimes attacks hit our emotions and threaten our faith before anything else. Sometimes we find ourselves feeling overmatched and stumbling into sinful situations we never saw coming. Sometimes we’re just not ready. Sometimes we think life’s getting the best of us, but here in the middle of the armor we are reminded to put on the helmet of salvation.
For some of us, we know exactly what this means. For others, we may need to learn a little more about salvation. Chapter 2 of Ephesians says more….
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:4–10, ESV)
Putting on the helmet of salvation is a reminder that God has already won. God has already saved us. He has already shown immeasurable kindness to us through the riches of His love, grace and mercy. We are born into sin, and that renders us dead and separated from Him, but Jesus died to pay for our sins, and to give us victory over them forever. We are destined for heaven. We are already citizens there. Everything we face here and now is temporary. We have everything we need.
In times of battle, when the fiery darts are being hurled at as, we don’t trust in a literal armor, we trust in what the armor stands for. Our helmet protects our mind in order to let the knowledge of how great God is and how amazing his grace is compel us through everything life brings our way. Without our helmet of salvation we lose perspective, we think it’s all about us, and we are vulnerable. With it we stand firm, we have God fighting for us and with us, and we are safe a secure for now and for all eternity.
Questions for Reflection
Read back over Ephesians 2:4-10. What did you need to hear from that today?
As you think about the helmet of salvation, why is that important?
How is the faith of salvation different from the faith we talked about yesterday?
How do you feel your readiness for standing firm growing from this reading today?
Please remember to let us know if we can answer any questions you might have, connect you with resources for help of any kind or pray for you.