Lesson 25: The Helmet of Salvation, part 4

Ephesians 6:17
…and take the helmet of salvation,

If you are living in the insecurity of not wearing your helmet of salvation, there is only one way to gain the peace, security, and victory – put on your helmet of salvation! Remember, just as your shield of faith remains effective by keeping it “wet” with the word of God, so also our helmet of salvation is anchored to the word of God. We must keep on knowing and believing Jesus’ promises to us!

Paul adds a word to this in 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8 - So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.” Notice these last 3 words – the HOPE of salvation.

Most people believe Paul is referring to not just the fact that our salvation is guaranteed and secure, which is true. But he then adds another element of our salvation that helps us in our daily battle against the evil ones, and that is one day this battle is through! Praise God! He adds the word "hope" to say it includes a confident expectation of the future. Romans 8:24 says, “For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?”


The future hope Paul is talking about in connection with our salvation is our future inheritance in Christ Jesus:
Ephesians 1:18 - having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints,
Revelation 21:3-5 - And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And He who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also He said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

Our future inheritance is something to look forward to, not avoid. It is just as important as the fact of where we will spend eternity – it is that we are preparing now to BE in eternity. The attack of the evil one is not only that we are not saved now, it is also that we do not need to think about eternity now. We can have our life, our dreams, our successes here in this life so we do not even think about eternity. What futility!