30TH SEPTEMBER, 2013 ODEHYIEBA DAILY DEVOTION TOPIC: THE HELMET OF SALVATION TEXT: Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation... EXPOSITION My dear, we are still on the series on th Armor of God. We are on the fifth piece of God’s armor which is represented by the Roman soldier’s helmet, without which he would never enter battle. Some of the helmets were made of thick leather covered with metal plates, and others were of heavy molded or beaten metal. They usually had cheek pieces to protect the face. The purpose of the helmet , of course, was to protect the head from injury, particularly from the dangerous broadsword commonly used in the warfare of that day. In the same way, we need to protect our head with spiritual helmet in order to avoid our minds being polluted by the corrupt nature of this world. The fact that the helmet is related to salvation indicates that Satan’s blows are directed at the believer’s security and assurance in Christ. The two dangerous edges of Satan’s spiritual broadsword are discouragement and doubt. To discourage us he points to our failures, our sins, our unresolved problems, our poor health, or to whatever else seems negative in our lives in order to make us lose confidence in the love and care of our heavenly Father. Please note this: since Paul is addressing believers, putting on the helmet of salvation does not refer to receiving Christ as Savior. The only ones who can take up any piece of God’s armor, and the only ones who are involved in this supernatural struggle against Satan and his demon forces, are those who are already saved. Trusting in Jesus Christ, immediately saves from the penalty of sin. For believers, this first aspect of salvation which is justification, is past. It was accomplished the moment we trusted in Christ, and that particular act of faith needs never be repeated, because we are secure in our Father’s hands; from whom, as we have just seen, we can never be snatched ( John 10:28– 29). We are forever saved from condemnation( Rom 8:1). The second aspect of salvation, which is sanctification, involves our life on earth, during which time we experience a measure of freedom from the dominating power of sin. Being now under God’s grace, sin no longer has mastery or dominion over us; we are no longer sin’s slave but God’s ( Rom. 6:14 , 18–22). Paul shows these first two aspects of salvation side by side in the previous chapter of Romans: “For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (5:10). Christ’s death saved us once and for all from sin’s penalty, and His life within us now is saving us day to day from sin’s power and mastery. The third aspect of salvation is future, the aspect of glorification, when we shall one day be saved altogether and forever from sin’s presence. Looking forward to that glorious time, John says, “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is” ( 1 John 3:2 ). To be like God is to be without sin. We rejoice that this aspect of our salvation is nearer than when we believed. It is this final aspect of salvation that is the real strength of the believer’s helmet. If we lose hope in the future promise of salvation, there can be no security in the present. This, no doubt, is why Paul calls this same piece of armor “the helmet” which is “the hope of salvation” ( 1 Thess. 5:8 ). “Having the first fruits of the Spirit,” Paul explains in Romans, “even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved” (8:23–24). Finally my brethren, the helmet of salvation is that great hope of final salvation that gives us confidence and assurance that our present struggle with Satan will not last forever and we will be victorious in the end. We know the battle is only for this life, and even a long earthly life is no more than a split second compared to eternity with our Lord in heaven. We are not in a race we can lose. We have no purgatory to face, no uncertain hope that our own continued efforts or those of our loved ones and friends will perhaps some day finally make us acceptable to God. We know that whom God “predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” ( Rom. 8:30 ). There is not the loss of a single soul from predestination to justification to sanctification to glorification. That is God’s unbroken and unbreakable chain of salvation. So hold on tight to your salvation. Remember, those who endure to the end shall be saved. God bless you and enjoy a fruitful week. AMEN FURTHER STUDY JOHN 6:39–40 ; 10:27–30 REMAIN SAVED AND RAPTURABLE
Posted on: Mon, 30 Sep 2013 07:56:05 +0000
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