The Whole Armor of God
The Helmet of Salvation Eph 17a
Satan loves to play mind games with humans. Remember, he works IN the children of disobedience (Eph 2:2). He doesn’t have that kind access to the adopted children of the Most High God. He is, however, tenacious in his attacks at and on the children of God. This helmet of salvation is our Divinely fitted protection against his “mind darts”. Remember, Satan may be able to bruise the heel of the Son of man and of his people, but he can never crush the head of the Son or those who are In Christ Jesus!!! Again, this part of our armor is to enable the children to persevere, to hold fast their confidence to the end, TO WITHSTAND IN THIS EVIL DAY!!!
I. The content of this Helmet of Salvation.
There is nothing new here. The protection of our head, of our minds, is the whole of Vs 14-16. Satan’s attacks will always be against the truth of God’s word, seeking to breed guilt (pride and self confidence are the camouflage of guilt), and anxiety and turmoil.
(1) God’s armament is first of all established in TRUTH–God IS and He is the Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. And His Son, Who is the Embodiment of that Truth, is the Ultimate Reward of the adopted children!! All that He is as the Son of man, and all that He did in this Grand Drama of Redemption is our Salvation. This is the whole of Ephesians 1.
(2) God’s Truth assures us that we now have a Righteousness not our own, but that which is by the Faith of the Son of God. Any supposed self righteousness is defective armor, constantly allowing darts of guilt to pierce our minds and steal our peace and rest. Isaiah 59:17 states that the LORD who brought Salvation by His own Arm, put on Righteousness as a breastplate. Our righteousness is secure because it is His Righteousness and ours by faith alone!
(3) Since we have a Great High Priest Who Is The Truth, and Who is Perfect Righteousness, and Who is now seated at our Father’s Right Hand of Power, our Father is at perfect peace with us and we with Him. This is the Gospel of Peace. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” Rom 8:1
(4) This is the Truth that faith is to take up against the lies of the evil one. Remember, Satan’s favorite line is “has God said?” (Gen 3:1) More importantly, remember our Lord’s words in the face of the lies, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every WORD THAT PROCEEDS FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD.” (Matt 4:4) Hebrews 1:2 personifies that Word in that it says God “has spoken unto us by His Son.”
II. Old Testament context of this Salvation.
A. God doesn’t just give salvation, HE IS SALVATION!!!
Ex 15:2 The song of Moses: “The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation...” He is Israel’s Deliverer from the bondage of Egypt.
Ex 19:4 But remember that this salvation, this deliverance, wasn’t just from slavery, but unto the Presence of their salvation. “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles wings, AND BROUGHT YOU TO MYSELF.”
II Sam 22:47 David’s song: “The LORD lives! Blessed by my Rock! Let God be exalted, the Rock of my salvation.”
Job 13:15-16 The ultimate faith statement: “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him ......He also shall be my salvation.”
Ps 25:5 “Lead me in Your Truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation, on You I wait all the day.
Ps 35:3 In an “armor context”, David is crying out for deliverance and pleads with his God to “say to my soul, ‘I am your salvation’”. That is Personal!!!
Ps 38:21-22 Again David cries: “Do not forsake me, O LORD; O my God be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my Salvation.”
Ps 79:9 “Help us , O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your Name; and deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins.”
Ps 140:7 “O God the Lord, the Strength of my Salvation, You have covered my head in the day of battle.”
Isa 12:2 Behold, GOD IS MY SALVATION, I will trust and not be afraid, for the LORD Jehovah is my strength and my song; He also has become my Salvation.”
III. I Thes 5:8 adds a crucial word to our Ephesians verse. “And as a helmet the Hope of Salvation. This is strongly emphasized in the OT, by often attaching “wait” to salvation.
Lam 3:25-26 “The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.”
Isaiah 25:9 “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save usl This is the LORD; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His Salvation.”
Isaiah 33:2 “O LORD, be gracious to us; we have waited for you. Be their arm every morning, Our Salvation in time of trouble.”
Ps 62:1-2 “My soul silently waits for God; from Him comes my salvation. He only is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my defense/safety; I shall not be moved.”
Gen 49:18 First mention of “salvation” in scripture, Jacob, in the midst of the prophesies on his sons, inserts this: “I have waited for Thy Salvation, O LORD.”
To conclude: We must have this helmet on!!! The Justified now live by faith and are under constant attack by the evil one. We must have the solid hope that God is our Salvation. He has done everything necessary to bring us to Himself and to preserve us unto the Glorious Day of Jesus Christ. This is the message of Ephesians. But remember, “but without faith, it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to Him must believe that He is and that He is the Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Heb 11:6
“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him Whom He has Sent.” John 6:29
“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.”
“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? HOPE THOU IN GOD! For I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.” (His shining face, God’s Smile in Christ Jesus upon His adopted children) Ps 42:5
The Helmet of Salvation Eph 17a
Satan loves to play mind games with humans. Remember, he works IN the children of disobedience (Eph 2:2). He doesn’t have that kind access to the adopted children of the Most High God. He is, however, tenacious in his attacks at and on the children of God. This helmet of salvation is our Divinely fitted protection against his “mind darts”. Remember, Satan may be able to bruise the heel of the Son of man and of his people, but he can never crush the head of the Son or those who are In Christ Jesus!!! Again, this part of our armor is to enable the children to persevere, to hold fast their confidence to the end, TO WITHSTAND IN THIS EVIL DAY!!!
I. The content of this Helmet of Salvation.
There is nothing new here. The protection of our head, of our minds, is the whole of Vs 14-16. Satan’s attacks will always be against the truth of God’s word, seeking to breed guilt (pride and self confidence are the camouflage of guilt), and anxiety and turmoil.
(1) God’s armament is first of all established in TRUTH–God IS and He is the Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. And His Son, Who is the Embodiment of that Truth, is the Ultimate Reward of the adopted children!! All that He is as the Son of man, and all that He did in this Grand Drama of Redemption is our Salvation. This is the whole of Ephesians 1.
(2) God’s Truth assures us that we now have a Righteousness not our own, but that which is by the Faith of the Son of God. Any supposed self righteousness is defective armor, constantly allowing darts of guilt to pierce our minds and steal our peace and rest. Isaiah 59:17 states that the LORD who brought Salvation by His own Arm, put on Righteousness as a breastplate. Our righteousness is secure because it is His Righteousness and ours by faith alone!
(3) Since we have a Great High Priest Who Is The Truth, and Who is Perfect Righteousness, and Who is now seated at our Father’s Right Hand of Power, our Father is at perfect peace with us and we with Him. This is the Gospel of Peace. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” Rom 8:1
(4) This is the Truth that faith is to take up against the lies of the evil one. Remember, Satan’s favorite line is “has God said?” (Gen 3:1) More importantly, remember our Lord’s words in the face of the lies, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every WORD THAT PROCEEDS FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD.” (Matt 4:4) Hebrews 1:2 personifies that Word in that it says God “has spoken unto us by His Son.”
II. Old Testament context of this Salvation.
A. God doesn’t just give salvation, HE IS SALVATION!!!
Ex 15:2 The song of Moses: “The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation...” He is Israel’s Deliverer from the bondage of Egypt.
Ex 19:4 But remember that this salvation, this deliverance, wasn’t just from slavery, but unto the Presence of their salvation. “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles wings, AND BROUGHT YOU TO MYSELF.”
II Sam 22:47 David’s song: “The LORD lives! Blessed by my Rock! Let God be exalted, the Rock of my salvation.”
Job 13:15-16 The ultimate faith statement: “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him ......He also shall be my salvation.”
Ps 25:5 “Lead me in Your Truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation, on You I wait all the day.
Ps 35:3 In an “armor context”, David is crying out for deliverance and pleads with his God to “say to my soul, ‘I am your salvation’”. That is Personal!!!
Ps 38:21-22 Again David cries: “Do not forsake me, O LORD; O my God be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my Salvation.”
Ps 79:9 “Help us , O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your Name; and deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins.”
Ps 140:7 “O God the Lord, the Strength of my Salvation, You have covered my head in the day of battle.”
Isa 12:2 Behold, GOD IS MY SALVATION, I will trust and not be afraid, for the LORD Jehovah is my strength and my song; He also has become my Salvation.”
III. I Thes 5:8 adds a crucial word to our Ephesians verse. “And as a helmet the Hope of Salvation. This is strongly emphasized in the OT, by often attaching “wait” to salvation.
Lam 3:25-26 “The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.”
Isaiah 25:9 “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save usl This is the LORD; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His Salvation.”
Isaiah 33:2 “O LORD, be gracious to us; we have waited for you. Be their arm every morning, Our Salvation in time of trouble.”
Ps 62:1-2 “My soul silently waits for God; from Him comes my salvation. He only is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my defense/safety; I shall not be moved.”
Gen 49:18 First mention of “salvation” in scripture, Jacob, in the midst of the prophesies on his sons, inserts this: “I have waited for Thy Salvation, O LORD.”
To conclude: We must have this helmet on!!! The Justified now live by faith and are under constant attack by the evil one. We must have the solid hope that God is our Salvation. He has done everything necessary to bring us to Himself and to preserve us unto the Glorious Day of Jesus Christ. This is the message of Ephesians. But remember, “but without faith, it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to Him must believe that He is and that He is the Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Heb 11:6
“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him Whom He has Sent.” John 6:29
“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.”
“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? HOPE THOU IN GOD! For I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.” (His shining face, God’s Smile in Christ Jesus upon His adopted children) Ps 42:5