It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm…Galatians 5:1
In Ephesians 6, the apostle Paul symbolically uses the pieces of armor a traditional Roman soldier would put on before heading to battle to illustrate the spiritual pieces of armor each of us need to wear so we’ll be properly equipped and protected. One vital piece of that armor is the helmet of salvation. Just as a physical helmet protected a soldier’s head from being injured by a flying arrow or an enemy’s sword, our spiritual helmets is what guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Too many times, the benefit of salvation is reduced to nothing more than what determines our eternal destiny—heaven or hell. However, the benefits of our salvation don’t end at the foot of the cross. The fact that Christ lives means our salvation continues to flow into our everyday experiences. While our choice to trust Christ and the work He accomplished on the cross is a one-time decision, once saved God begins the process of molding us and transforming us into the image of Christ. Salvation not only secures our eternal destination, but restores the painful places where sin has destroyed us and gives victory where once was only defeat.
God wants us to fully experience the glorious inheritance of our salvation which is why Paul knows we must do everything we can to protect it. We are told in I Peter 5:8 that just like a lion stalks its unsuspecting prey, Satan is looking to devour those of us not wearing our spiritual armor. When we choose not to daily wear our helmets of salvation, we leave our minds exposed to Satan’s lies and attacks. It doesn’t matter how strong spiritually in other areas we are; once our minds are impaired the rest of us will be impaired and we’ll be unable to live the victorious lives God intended us to enjoy.
Lord help us to live each day in light of eternity and the glorious inheritance we received at the point of our salvation.
Jessica Chenoweth is a writer and speaker passionate about helping men and women to live out an authentic faith rooted in a genuine relationship with Christ. You can connect with her on Facebook or Twitter.