The helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17).
Paul would have been familiar with the Roman imperial helmet. It was designed to protect the whole head. God saves us body, soul and spirit. His salvation embraces every aspect of our lives. Paul earlier described the spiritual battle we are in. He wanted his readers to experience, as he did, the Lord’s power of deliverance in this battle by taking “the helmet of salvation”. He presses upon us the importance of living day by day in the conscious knowledge and application of God’s salvation. In 1 Thessalonians 5:8 Paul adds a further dimension to the helmet. He encourages us to live in the light of Christ’s return when he writes about putting on “as a helmet the hope of salvation”. Just as the helmet surrounded and protected the head of a soldier, so the salvation we have in Christ Jesus surrounds and protects us.
This is true in regard to sin. We often remind ourselves that we are saved from the penalty (the past), the power (the present) and the presence (the future) of sin. It is also true in regard to the circumstances we face. Paul writes in 2 Timothy 4:17-18: “I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!” The apostle experienced deliverance from immediate danger, and he believed God would deliver him from future dangers. This experience and faith drew worship from his heart: “To Him be glory forever and ever.” God delights to save. Just as the soldier would place his helmet on his head at the commencement of his service, so Paul encourages us to have complete faith in Christ’s saving power as we live each day for Him.
The helmet protects the head, which represents our minds. In Luke 24:27 (ESV) the Lord Jesus “interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself”. Then in verse 45 He “opened their minds to understand the Scriptures”. Our minds govern our thinking, our attitudes, our words and our actions. Paul illustrates the connection between the armour we wear and the weapon we hold, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. The word of God, first and foremost, reveals Christ to our hearts and then forms Christ’s mind in us. This includes the humility of the mind of Christ that Paul speaks of in Philippians 2 and the obedient mind which rejoiced to do God’s will: “Behold, I have come to do your will, O God” (Hebrew 10:7 ESV). God has saved us to express Christ-likeness, and we are equipped to apply the word of God in every circumstance. The word of God is living and powerful (Hebrews 4:12) and the Holy Spirit applies it to our hearts and minds to follow Christ in obedient faith, and to witness to him: “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13).
