Ephesians 6:17a
“And take the helmet of salvation,”
One of the final pieces of the Armor of God mentioned is the helmet of salvation. This entire passage in Scripture is for the saved believer, not the lost, yet notice this verse specifically states to take the helmet of salvation. Does that mean one can lose their salvation? No, the Bible clearly indicates that a person is saved forever. But it does mean you can lose your assurance of salvation.
The helmet isn’t too interesting, yet it is a very important piece of armor. Its job is to protect the head. Forgetting the helmet is extremely dangerous. Should the enemy land a blow to your head, you immediately become disoriented, perhaps lose consciousness, or even your life. The helmet needs to be secured tightly so that it is not lost in the heat of battle.
The word “salvation” refers the gift of eternal life that God offers. God is perfect, holy, and just. As such, while He loves everyone, He cannot allow sin to enter into heaven, and so all sinners are doomed to an eternity in hell. The Bible clearly states that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”, which means all men deserve hell. But God loves us and provided a way. He sent His son, Jesus, down to earth, born of a virgin. After living a sinless life, He was beaten beyond imagination and crucified to the cross. Three days later, He rose from the dead. The blood He shed was placed upon the altar in heaven, offering all a chance of eternal life. All you must do is repent and accept Christ as your Savior.
So why did God attribute salvation to a helmet? Without our assurance of salvation, our minds will be easily susceptible to Satan’s attacks. We will get confused and unstable in life, as we are not sure that we are a child of God. Our focus will be lost, and as such, the strength of the other items will greatly weaken. As soon as we lose the helmet, doubts will easily creep in. After all, if we are not sure we’re saved, how can we know God is with us? How can we know we’re under His direction and protection?
But remember, just because your helmet is off does not mean you no longer have it. Once God grants you the helmet of salvation, He will never take it away. When you lose assurance, it does not mean those doubts are true. God will still be with you, and He will still direct and protect you.
I went on a missions trip to Argentina several years back. It was a 10-hour non-stop flight from New York to Buenos Aires. I had never flown on a jet before and was somewhat nervous thinking about everything that could go wrong. However, one of the young ladies who was also on the trip had been on planes several times, and she wasn’t worried at all. In fact, while waiting to board, she was reading a book about a plane crash. As the jet took off, I was worried and anxious, while she was calm. The question is: who had a higher chance of being in a crash that day? We were both under the trust of the same pilot. We were both in the same jet. The answer is: we were both equally safe. Yet only one of us had peace and the ability to do something other than worry. In the same way, losing assurance of salvation doesn’t make you any less saved, but you won’t have peace or be as profitable to the cause of Christ.
1 John 5:13 states: “that ye may know that ye have eternal life”. If you’re saved, you don’t have to wonder. You never have to lose the helmet. Focus on Christ: that is the key. Remember, salvation is through Christ alone. Being kept is through Christ alone. And being assured is through Christ alone. As soon as you start looking around at life’s troubles, as soon as you look at your failures, as soon as you turn your eyes away from Christ and his promises, the helmet will fall. You must remember that God cannot lie. If He says He will keep you, He will. Doubting salvation is a dangerous but unfortunately common problem. If you accepted His gift, then it is done. Period. No actions or circumstances can pull you away from His arms. Don’t let your feelings steal away the peace and comfort that comes with the helmet of salvation. Keep it close, and don’t ever take it off.