4MG.org

This week’s lesson is about the helmet of salvation, which is mentioned in
Ephesians, chapter 6, verse 17 – Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

“Take the helmet of salvation” is literally all it says, and I checked a few different
Bible versions. The other armor pieces get some small explanation; the helmet
gets none at all. Why do you think that is?

If you think the lack of detail is because the helmet is not that important, you do
not understand the Bible’s capacity for understatement, nor the ability for Bible
scholars to find meaning in the smallest nuance. I used to think that was just folks
being nit-picky, but I’ve since changed my mind. Reading Exodous, which details
every aspect of how the Jewish people should create a sanctuary for God as they
travel through the desert – down to the spacing of the movable tent poles, the
ounces of silver and gold in the candle sticks, even the colors of the hangings –
I’ve come to believe that God says exactly what he means.

There is an awful lot of debate about why we have to take the helmet of salvation.
Some people argue that once you are “saved” – that is, you know that Jesus Christ
has died for your sins and that you are forgiven – you don’t need to do anything
else. Others argue that “taking the helmet” implies reminding ourselves daily of
the salvation God has given those who believe.

There’s plenty of commentary to be found, but I think they are missing the whole
point. To my way of thinking, it’s not so much the particulars of peace or
righteousness or salvation, but the fact that it’s the “sandals of peace” and the
“helmet of salvation.” Each piece of armor has a distinct purpose.

What does a helmet do?
I’m sure all of you have worn a helmet at one time or another, perhaps when
playing a sport or riding your bike. Why did your parents make sure your head
was protected? Because if your brain is injured, your body cannot function. A
helmet is to protect your head from impact – banging against the ground or being
hit with a ball or stick or worse.

In our fight against the devil’s schemes, what would constitute “impact,” especially
with regard to our head, which in this case also refers to our minds?
There is another verse that can give us some insight here:
2 Corinthians 10:4-6 (NIV)
⁴  The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary,
they have divine power to demolish strongholds.  ⁵  We demolish arguments and
every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take
captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 

So, the schemes of the devil are to make us doubt our salvation, and doubt the
power and divinity of God.

Satan wants us to believe the lie that we can do it ourselves. That we can make it
on our own and don’t need Jesus. He attempts to alter our thoughts and scramble
our focus. Today, there are a lot of people who believe that God doesn’t even
exist, or that there are things that are more important than God, such as popularity,
money or even science. Salvation is the protection the Lord gives us to keep us
safe from the impact of these thoughts and images.

Why does it come last in the armor?
(The helmet is the last piece as mentioned in the Scripture. I have jumbled the
order up a bit trying to fit all the lessons with a token.)
Paul listed all the other armor before the helmet – belt, breastplate, boots, shield. 
That order doesn’t make sense, as a soldier would have put on a helmet prior to
picking up his shield. However, when we look at what each of the articles of
armor is associated with, the order becomes clear:
We must first know the truth about Jesus (belt of truth). And in that truth, we
acknowledge righteousness (breastplate of righteousness) and are able to have
peace (boots of peace). Those three lead us to faith (shield of faith) or complete
trust and confidence in God. It is with those elements in place that we choose
salvation.

Even if the first four are not firmly established, as we are called to continue to
grow in each of these areas. A person has generally thought about and/or
acknowledged them before choosing salvation.

Without a helmet, the other pieces of armor are not much help. Think of any
contact sport. If the player doesn’t have a helmet on, it doesn’t matter what other
aspects of protection they have with them. The same is true of salvation. Without
it, we don’t have the ultimate safety of eternal life.

One more verse, which may be helpful:
1 Thessalonians 5:8-9 (NIV)
⁸  But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a
breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.  ⁹  For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.