Putting on the Helmet of Salvation: Keep your eyes on the prize 8/24/14 Intro Are helmets necessary? Do we really need helmets? I. What is the Helmet of Salvation? 1. Romans soldiers wore helmets to protect the head. The Apostle Paul uses the same metaphor for Salvation to protect our mind and vision. 2. 3 Different types of Salvation a) Past Justification: Removal of the penalty of sin b) Present Sanctification: we are saved continually through the power of sin. In the sense sin no longer has dominion over you. c) Future Glorification: Free from the presence of sin. This is our hope and anchor of our soul (Hebrews 6:19) 3. 1 Thessalonians 5:8-11; 1 Peter 1:3-9 Practical Application (How do I put on the Helmet?) 1. Place your hope on God s Word not your feelings a) 1 John 5:13 b) Jesus was an example of this during His testing in the desert 2. Keep your eyes on the Prize: The finish line! a) Hebrews 12:2; Hebrews 6:11-12; Romans 13:11 b) Romans 8:18 c) 2 Corinthians 4 I endure suffering because my focus is on the eternal. I fix my eyes not on what is seen but what is unseen d) 2 Peter 3:4/9-12. Early church began to doubt the return of Christ and changed their theology. They took off their Helmet of salvation 3. Guard your mind/take thoughts captive (MIND) a) Ex: b) 2 Corinthians 10 & Philippians 4 c) Colossians 3:2 4. Remember our salvation is based by Faith: Walk by Faith alone a) Titus 3:5-7; Ephesians 2:8-9 b) We cannot earn our Helmet we receive it by Faith alone 1
Manuscript Helmet of Salvation I am sometimes amazed and wonder about all of the safety measures we are required by law to take. I look at all of the kids who survived the 1930 s 40 s, 50 s, 60 s, and 70 s and think we survived riding in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a pick up was a cool thing to do. We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and no one actually died from this. We would spend hours building our gocarts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem. We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. We rode our bikes and skateboards with no helmets. If YOU are one of them who lived this dangerous carefree life CONGRATULATIONS you made it! Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn t it?! Even though it is true that many of us did indeed survive living this carefree lifestyle, there are some safety measures that we have learned that really are a good idea, such as protecting our head. After many deaths and brain injuries that have resulted because of those injuries we have learned that it is worth wearing a helmet to protect your most vital organ your brain. Consequently, it is a law in California that if you are a minor you have to wear a helmet riding your bike. Now, I am aware that many people believe that society has become a bit too precautious and has often overstepped it s bounds with implementing and thus forcing some safety laws. Many kids riding bikes and adults riding motorcycles want the freedom to ride without a helmet. I understand both sides of the argument. Yet there is one rule that very few have argued with, and that is the rule of a soldier to wear a helmet. In battle, soldiers are required to wear helmets. For it is one thing to take a chance that you will not make a mistake and fall and hurt yourself but it is another when someone else is intentionally seeking to do you harm. And if you get hurt in battle you not only suffer but the whole unit also suffers. In the same way the Bible teaches us that as Christians soldiers we also are in a battle a spiritual battle. Sometimes we are not aware or cannot easily discern what is a spiritual battle and what is just difficulties of life, nonetheless, the Bible teaches us that we have a real enemy, Satan, who exists to kill, steal, terrorize and destroy us. And because of this fact God has given every believer spiritual armor to protect themselves and find victory in the midst of this spiritual battle we are engaged in on a daily basis. And because this is a serious battle where we depend upon each other we must do our responsibility and put on the full armor of God. For this reason these past few weeks we have been studying the armor of God in Ephesians. As we have mentioned through out this series the Apostle Paul wrote this letter chained to a Roman soldier. The Apostle Paul took the weapons and armor of the Roman soldier and made parallels to the Christian soldier. We have looked at the belt of truth, the breast plate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, and today I want to look at Ephesians 6:17 which tells us to put on the helmet of salvation. The helmet of the Roman soldier served the same purpose a helmet does today to protect the head! In battle, the Roman soldier wore his helmet to protect against blows to the head from a sword or any weapon. In the same way, the ultimate terrorist Satan seeks to deal 2
out fatal blows to the mind of Christians through doubt, despair, discouragement, fear, lies and multiple attacks against the mind. This is why we need a helmet. Satan loves to discourage us in our Christian walk. He tries to get us to question whether following Jesus is really worth it. He ll bring all kinds of discouraging thoughts into our minds. Such as, You go to church every week and read your Bible every day, but your husband still doesn t treat you like he should and look at your kids. They re no different than anyone else s kids. You prayed to God, but your health hasn t improved a bit. In fact, it s actually gotten worse. You ve taught the children s Bible study class for two years now, but how do you know if they re really getting anything out of it? And every time we sin, Satan will try to make us doubt our salvation. He will bring into our mind thoughts like these: How can you call yourself a Christian and do the things you do? Are you sure you re really saved? You sure don t deserve to be. There is no way God is going to accept you when you do those kinds of things. It is lies and discouragement like this that Satan will throw at every believer. That being said, it is by placing the helmet of salvation that we are able to protect our mind from such attacks. It encourages us and gives us hope in the midst of the battles of life and vision of what life is all about and what really matters. Our initial reaction when we see the phrase helmet of salvation is to assume that it is the act of committing our lives to Jesus Christ that protects us from the attacks of Satan. While committing our lives to Christ ultimately protects us for eternity, this is not the helmet of salvation the Apostle Paul is referring to in Ephesians 6. First, the Apostle Paul is writing here to those who are already followers of Jesus. He is not writing to unbelievers and encouraging them to commit their lives to Jesus. Secondly, if all we have to do is commit our lives to Jesus in order to put on the helmet of salvation, then why do all of us still have to battle with discouragement, doubt, fear and all sorts of attacks against our minds? In order for us to understand the helmet of salvation, we need to go back to some very basic theology. Throughout scripture we discover that there are three aspects of salvation: past, present, and future. Scripture teaches us that through faith we are saved from the penalty of sin. This happens the moment we place our faith in Christ. Once you have done this you are saved from all of the penalty of sin, past, present and future. This is called justification. So once you have committed your life to Christ your salvation is secure and is complete and as time goes by it is an act that was completed in the past. Hence, the aspect of salvation in the past. We also read in scripture that we are in a constant process of being saved from the power of sin, this is called sanctification. This is the fact that we are continually being transformed into the image of Christ and being renewed daily by the grace of Christ. This is the present form of salvation. And lastly we are promised complete freedom from the presence of sin in heaven and this is called glorification. This is the future form of salvation. In Romans 5:1-2 we read this exact truth, Therefore, since we have been justified through faith [Justification], we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand [Sanctification]. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God [Glorification]. So, we were saved the very moment that we committed our lives to Jesus Christ. At that moment, we were positionally righteous before God and freed from the penalty of our sin. In addition, we are being saved right now as we live out that righteousness in Christ. We are no longer under the power of sin. And one day, our salvation will be complete. If you are a 3
believer you are currently experiencing the first two elements of salvation and when we are in heaven we will experience the complete promise of our salvation through the process of glorification. This is the hope of our salvation and this is the helmet of our salvation. Listen to 1 Thessalonians 5:8-9. 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. In this passage, the Apostle Paul very clearly points out that it is the hope of salvation that is our helmet. And in 1 Thessalonians 5:9, that hope is very unmistakably connected with the future aspect of our salvation. It is important to note that the hope of salvation is not a type of hope of someone seeking to win the lottery, but a hope of that which is a guarantee and a promise from God almighty. It is a guarantee that there will be a day in the future where we will not suffer the wrath of God, but instead receive the full measure of grace through our full salvation. The full measure of salvation is freedom from the evil of this world. It is the fulfillment of all of God s promises to us through Christ. It is a new body, a new home, and the absence of pain and turmoil. It is the eternal presence of God Himself. And we have this as a guarantee in Christ, and as proof of this guarantee we have been given the Holy Spirit who lives in those who have faith in Jesus Christ. It is a confident expectancy, and the absolute assurance of the good that God has in store for us in the future that is our helmet of salvation. And when we define the helmet of salvation in those terms, it is very easy to see how this is such an effective piece of armor against the weapons of discouragement, fears, and doubts that Satan launches against us. For there are a lot of things in this world that can discourage us and give us doubt, and we all have our own unique trials and difficulties to deal with. But what allows us to move beyond discouragement and doubt is the absolute certainty that this world and our problems are only temporary and that one day we will receive the totality of the inheritance that God has promised to us. Hebrews 6:19 refers to this hope as an anchor for our soul. Listen to 1 Peter 1:3-6. Here we read that we have a living hope through Christ into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. And it is because of this hope that we can rejoice even though we have had to suffer many trials. Imagine if you walked around completely confident of God and His promises. Imagine the sense of peace that you would have even in the midst of trials and difficulties. Satan could use terroristic tactics against you, such as despair, fear, doubt and discouragement but none of that would affect you because you were so confident in God s promise of salvation in all circumstances. There is nothing that God can t save you from, even death, for God is bigger than death itself. This promise of salvation is the helmet that protects you in all circumstances. This promise is available to all who believe in Jesus Christ! Isn t that awesome! Well now that we know what the helmet is and why we need it, I want to share 3 practical ways on how we can put on the helmet of salvation. For simply knowing about the helmet does not mean you are wearing the helmet. The first practical way we can place the helmet of salvation on is to take thoughts captive and place your hope on God s word and not your feelings. Too often Satan knows how to discourage us by simply getting us to believe that our feelings always match reality. And the truth is that our feelings most often match our current situation and not the hope of God s promised reality. And remember, that is our 4
helmet God s promised future reality. We read in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 that, For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 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. It is the lies and fears of Satan and even our feelings that set up against the knowledge of God. And we are to take those feelings, lies, and fears captive and make them obedient to the Word of God. Satan tempts us to live and make decisions based on our feelings and our circumstances so that when we face attacks and difficult challenges of life it is easy to get discouraged and give up. But God s Word never changes. So if we take thoughts and feelings captive and base our hope on His Word, our hope will be consistent and we won t be tossed around by our feelings and fears and doubts. For example, there are many times when I feel not good enough. Such as, I feel as though I am not good enough follower of Jesus, or not good enough to be loved, or good enough leader, parent, husband. And it is true that in all of these areas I can improve but it is also true I need to stand on God s word and not my feelings. I need to stand on the fact that I am loved and good enough for God because of what Christ did not because of what I have done or not have done. Rather than relying on my feelings, the Word of God needs to be my firm anchor that enables me to turn away the attacks of the Satan and stand firm. Maybe you are feeling like your family is never going to live in peace and that it is beyond redemption? Maybe you feel like you are unlovable and that you will always be alone? Maybe you feel like the damage and wounds that have been inflicted upon you will never heal? All of those feelings may feel true and may be an accurate assessment of what appears to be true in your current situation. But you have to take those thoughts captive and believe in God s Word, which states that He is able to work out all things for His glory, even the difficult times. We must learn to put on the helmet of salvation and defeat the lies and fears of this world by believing in God s word and not our feelings. Have you been letting your feelings and the lies of Satan rob you of the joy of your salvation? Have you been making decisions based on God s promise or based on how you feel? If we are to stand firm against the attacks of the enemy and difficulties of this world we need to put on the helmet of salvation and take thoughts captive and not believe in our feelings or the lies of this world but in God s promises. In addition to taking thoughts captive and placing our hope on God s Word, we can learn to put on the helmet of salvation by keeping our eyes on the prize: the finish line. If the helmet of salvation is our hope in our future salvation then it is logical that to place the helmet on we need to focus on the promises of future salvation. This enables you to engage in battle fully confident that God is able to save you! When you have full confidence in God and in His salvation you approach the battle differently. You sacrifice your whole life because you are so confident in the salvation of the Lord. We don t need to worry or labor for this world because we know that we have salvation in the Lord. Life teaches us and Jesus tells us that we are going to have hard times and Satan is going to seek to terrorize us, lie to us, and discourage us. But if we focus on our circumstances instead of the finish line we will never complete the race. A marathon runner trains, sacrifices, and is able to endure the pain of the race by staying focused on the goal that is the finish line. Now I will never understand what would drive someone to 5
voluntarily run a marathon, but I do understand running to loose weight not a marathon though. I personally hate running, but every time I run I try not to focus on the pain or the fact that I hate running but the end result, the prize of me running. In the same way we are to stay focused not on this world but on Christ and His promise that is putting on the helmet of salvation. For example, it is hard to take thoughts captive and trust in God s word and not our feelings. It is hard to pick up our cross and live obediently to Christ s word and not satisfy our flesh. Because truthfully, many times all I want to do is satisfy my flesh and follow the ways of the world. I want to put Joe s kingdom first and not God s. But part of the reason I seek to press on and not give up is the promise of God s joy, peace, and salvation that keeps me focused and committed to striving forward towards the finish line. Jesus is the ultimate example of this. We read in Hebrews 12:2, that For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Jesus was able to endure the cross because He kept His eyes on the prize, on the finish line. The Apostle Paul modeled the same truth. For preaching the gospel Paul was persecuted, beaten, falsely accused and imprisoned, shipwrecked, cold, hungry, in danger from false believers, Jews, and the Romans. And yet we read that he endured all of this because he kept his eyes on the prize: the finish line. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 illustrates as Paul declares, Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. This focus of the Apostle Paul was not only when he faced external dangers but also when he faced internal challenges and successes. Speaking about his goals the Apostle Paul says in Philippians 3:13-14, that he forgets what is behind and strains towards what is ahead with the ultimate goal: his eternal salvation. His eyes were on the prize: the finish line and that enabled him to stand his ground with the helmet of salvation. But this will take perseverance and dedication to trust in God s promises. We must stay focused on the prize that Christ offers and His faithfulness to deliver it. If not we can become easily discouraged and take our eyes off of the prize and then take off our helmet. For example, the return of Jesus was of great concern to the early church. It was their hope and belief that Jesus could come back at any time to bring final and ultimate salvation. However, after several years some people got tired of just hoping and waiting, so they changed their theology. Some said that it had already happened and they missed it. Others said, Where is it? He must not be coming. They didn t keep their helmets on! They became disillusioned, they lost their focus, and they fell right back into sin. When God did not move the way they wanted and when they wanted they took their eyes off of the prize, and Satan came in and terrorized them stealing their joy and peace. How many of you here today have believed lies and have given away your joy because you have taken off your helmet of salvation? Perhaps you too have believed that God has let you down because you have focused solely on your circumstances and not the end of the race and the big picture? Today, God is inviting you to put back on the helmet of salvation and experience the joy and hope that God is bigger than your circumstances and His promises are true. 6
The activities of Satan are relentless and never stop, but we are encouraged with absolute confidence of God s sovereign power and grace and ability to save. In Romans 13:11 we read the admonishment to wake up from our slumber because the hour of our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. Do you understand that? In effect, Paul is encouraging his readers by letting them know that the finish line is closer now than the day they first believed. Too many believers are focused on the prizes of this world and the wrong finish line. Brothers and sisters, if we are to stand our ground and put on the helmet of salvation then we must keep our eyes on the prize: Christ, our ultimate finish line. The Bible promises us that if we do that, our hope will be sure. The last practical principle I want to share with you today about how we can put on our helmet of salvation is to remember our salvation is based on faith and faith alone. So often, one of the greatest lies that Satan spreads to Christians is that we are not saved. This usually happens after we sin and Satan is there to accuse us and remind us that we are not worthy of God s grace and love. It is at this point we stop coming to church and want to give up because we feel guilty. But it is at this point that we have to put on the helmet of salvation and remember that we are saved by faith and faith alone. Titus 3:5-7 reminds us that, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. If we are to stand our ground with the helmet of salvation we must remember that we are saved by faith and faith alone. The truth is that we are going to sin. We are sinners. If we could not sin then there would be no reason for Christ to have come and died on the cross. But we have, and we do, and Christ did. So we must now stand on that truth. 1 John 5:11-13, tells us And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. God wants us to know that if we have the Son then we can know for certain that we have eternal life, not based on our feelings, or the fact that we have messed up but based on His sacrifice and mercy. We cannot earn our helmet of salvation we receive it by faith alone. As we close, let me ask you something: Where is your helmet? Where is your hope of salvation? God has offered it. Have you taken it? Have you put it on to protect you from sin and from losing your focus? Do you believe Jesus, when He said He would come again and receive us to Himself? Jesus promises us in John 14:2-3 that in His house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. Does that promise direct your life, bringing you hope, purpose and joy? If this is not a reality to you I pray that it may become a reality to you today. Heaven is real! God is real! And His promises are real! It is this hope that enables us to defeat the lies and attacks of Satan. Don t live based on feelings and emotions alone. Feelings and emotions are not bad, but they can deceive us, they can be distorted, and uninformed. Take the helmet of salvation, the truth of who God is and who you are in Christ as a cover and protection to your mind to deflect and defeat the schemes of Satan. He is a terrorist and we are called to be anti-terrorist. Remember to keep your eyes on the prize. This enables us to keep everything in 7
perspective. The things of this world will not always work out the way we want them. That is okay, this is not our world! We are citizens of a heavenly realm and that realm is closer and closer each day. Knowing that we have salvation waiting for us at the end of the war, we can have the strength and determination to see the battle through to the very end. With the helmet of salvation securely set we, like the Apostle Paul, can declare, I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:18). And lastly remember that we are to stand by faith and faith alone. This gift of salvation is secure because it is given to us by God s grace through faith. Have you received this gift? Maybe you have received the gift of eternal salvation but have not put on the helmet of salvation and today is your day to arm up. Lets Pray. 8
Scripture for Putting on the Helmet of Salvation Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 1 Thessalonians 5:8-9 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. Hebrews 6:19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 1 Peter 1:3-6 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 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. Hebrews 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Philippians 3:13-14 Romans 13:11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 9
Titus 3:5-7 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 1 John 5:11-13 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. John 14:2-3 My Father s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. Romans 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 10
Scripture for 8/24/14 Ephesians 6:17 Romans 5:1-2 1 Thessalonians 5:8-9 1 Peter 1:3-6 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 Hebrews 12:2 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Philippians 3:13-14 Romans 13:11 Titus 3:5-7 1 John 5:11-13 John 14:2-3 Romans 8:18 11
Life group questions: 1. How did this sermon help you? 2. Read Ephesians 6:17 and 1 Thessalonians 5:8-9. How does Satan attack your mind? And how does the Helmet of Salvation protect your mind? 3. Hebrews 6:19 says the promise of Christ is a hope and anchor for our soul? Think for a minute what you truly hope in? Is it God s promises, your skill, or the world s promises? 4. Read 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. One scriptural way we can place our helmet on is to take thoughts captive and trust in God s word and not our feelings? However are your feelings different from God s word? What thoughts and feelings do you need to align with God s word in order to put on the helmet of salvation and protect yourself from the lies, doubts, and discouragement of Satan? 5. Read Hebrews 12:2. Here we see that Jesus was able to endure the cross because He kept His eyes on the prize: The finish line. When you are facing discouragement, doubt, and the difficulties and trials of life, how do you endure? What are you focusing on? The prize/promises of this world or the prize of Heaven? Do your actions line up with what you want as a prize? 6. Read Romans 13:11. Here the Apostle Paul admonishes us to wake up from our slumber and recognize our salvation is nearer now that when we first believe? What does he mean by this? How is this relevant to your life now? 7. Spend some time praying for each other. Ask God to help each person focus on His eternal salvation and the promises of His kingdom, especially for those in your group that are going through a difficult time or trial. 12