Ephesians 6 | The Helmet of Salvation

For this week’s blog, we will continue to explore the series on The Armour of God; specifically, we will discuss the Helmet of Salvation mentioned in Ephesians 6:17.

 The Roman Helmet

For Roman soldiers, the helmet was a defensive piece of armour often made from strong bronze or iron materials. The Roman helmet covered the top, sides, and back of the head, leaving only the eyes and face exposed. It provided defence for the head on the battlefield against attacks from swords and arrows and reduced the chance of severe injuries to the head, as damage to the head would make the rest of the armour of no use. The Roman Empire’s helmet also helped identify one’s rank and achievements in the military through the coloured feathers present on top of the helmet.

What is Salvation?

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Ephesians 2:5-8 “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves; it is the gift of God not by works so that no one can boast.”

When one accepts Jesus Christ as the Lord and Saviour of their lives and believes that He is the Son of God who came to earth and died for our sins, they are given the gift of grace by God. Grace is not a result of anything we have done but rather a gift of love towards humankind by God. Through faith, we can repent for our sins, thanks to the grace given by God to us. Once we have repented, we receive salvation from eternal death in sin. Salvation is our ultimate promise from God to His children, and the confirmations in the Bible allow us to rest assured of it.

The Helmet of Salvation in spiritual warfare

For many Christians, spiritual warfare will start in the mind as the devil aims to cast insecurities, doubts, and temptations simply through our surroundings that can, as a result, influence our thoughts and desires.

Taking the Helmet of Salvation means resting assured in the promise of salvation given by God to those who believe in Jesus (Romans 8:1 says, “Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”). Just as a helmet protects the entire head, including the areas not visible to us, our thoughts ought to be protected by the promise of salvation. This way, when the enemy tries to approach our minds, we are neither tempted nor defenceless; instead, we can cast him away and remain comforted in our purpose of eternal life as we are confident in what we believe in and what we truly desire that cannot be found anywhere in this earth and especially in the devil. Therefore, our minds will remain unshaken in the face of spiritual warfare.

Additionally, just as the helmet leaves the eyes and face exposed, we need to reflect on what we are exposing ourselves to that may distract us, whether that is the content we consume on our phones, our friends, or maybe our human emotions (Proverbs 3:5 says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding”); we need to reflect on what is leading our minds and what we may be idolising in our thoughts that may ultimately impact our understanding and decision-making. When in doubt or if lost in warfare, the Roman soldiers would be able to identify their leader through their different helmet crests. Therefore, in times of distress, temptation, and enemy attacks happening in our minds, we need to look towards the commanding crest, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour (Proverbs 3:6 says, “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct thy paths”). Focus on prayer, reading the Bible, and connecting with God. Once our goal and purpose are re-established towards God, we are going to be able to defend ourselves. Additionally, not taking the helmet of salvation can also leave room for an ultimate loss in faith, as one may let the enemy win their minds and ultimately their actions over.

Prayer

“I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, that our minds and desires remain protected by the helmet of salvation and that in the face of obstacles and turbulence in our lives we do not look for answers from the world but rather look to God and remain firm with confidence in the promise of salvation.”