Protecting Our Minds (Helmet of Salvation) Eph. 6:17 & 1 Thes. 5:8-9 1 Thessalonians 5:8-9 (NIV) 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be selfcontrolled, 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. Ephesians 6:17 (NIV) 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
nothing absolutely nothing can separate us from the Love of God So if God is for us, it does not matter who is against us. We need to understand that salvation speaks to our past, present and future. Romans 8:31-39 (NIV) 31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.
34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died-- more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Salvation first addresses our past. When we accept for ourselves Christ as Lord we enter into salvation through justification. We are freed from guilt of past sins. At the moment we accept Christ as Lord and Savior we have freedom from the penalty of sin. Once we accept His grace we become co-heir with Christ (Rom. 8:17). Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. When we decide to follow Christ we are crucified with Christ and so are our sins.
In the present aspect of salvation means freedom from the overwhelming power of sin. Sin no longer has power over us, the believer. Romans 6:11-14 (NIV) 11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
The future aspect of salvation speaks of freedom from the presence of sin. There will be a day that sin will not exist; it is called glory. Paul writes in Romans 8:18 - I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. It is called the kingdom of heaven.
The helmet once in place helps us endure trials In spiritual warfare the helmet helps protect us from Satan s two-sided sword of discouragement and doubt. Discouragement is one of his ploys or schemes to pull us away from being a disciple. We call it burn out or brown out today but Satan reminds us of disappointments in life. Satan likes to question our beliefs. It is okay to search for answers but Satan wants us to doubt in simple faith statements.
Satan would say you are not going to be with God because you still mess things up (that is another way of saying that you have sinned). It is not by our efforts it is because of God s grace we can be sure of place of residency. It is not bold on our part to know where we will spend eternity it is a matter of counting on God s promise to those who believe in Christ
Words that Assures Us of Salvation We will have eternal life if we confess that Christ is Lord and believe: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. (Romans 10:9-10) We will be like Christ: Dear friends now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)
Words that Assures Us of Salvation We will enjoy endless companionship with Christ: 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. (John 14:3) We will enjoy complete health: So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 1 Cor. 15:42-43 We will enjoy unending happiness: God will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."(rev. 21:4)