Our Helmet of Salvation...

Chapter Twenty-One:

Gurnall tells us that "the helmet of salvation covers our head in the day of battle. This helmet, together with most of the other pieces of armour, are defensive arms to protect the Christian from sin but not to keep him from suffering. Only one piece in the whole armour is for offense  - the sword. Scripture hints that the Christian's war lies chiefly on the defense and therefore requires defensive arms to fight it...the believer overcomes his enemy when he himself is not overcome."  He goes on to remind us that we must always be in a defensive posture, ready to defend ourselves and repel the attacks of Satan. 

Ephesians 6:17 reads, "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."  Gurnall points out that the phrase "And take..." implies that we are to be on the receiving end of salvation, that we are being told to reach out and not only receive this gift of salvation, but also to accept the spiritual armor that God offers to all of His children.

First Thessalonians 5:8 says, "...and the hope of salvation as a helmet." This verse tells us that our helmet not only defends our head but it also brings with it one of the greatest blessings of all, and that is hope. The hope that we receive from following God is much different than any hope the world has to offer. The hope that the world has to offer is temporary and can never truly satisfy the soul, regardless of its endless amount of empty promises. Only the hope that comes from God can truly satisfy the emptiness that is within every soul, and accepting God's gift of salvation is the only way we find that hope which is truly and fully satisfying.

As the helmet defends the head, this "hope of salvation" defends our soul. It is this helmet that the enemy hates as he knows it protects the believer from his temptations to sin. It defends the Christian because it makes it more difficult for temptations to ensnare us when we are truly satisfied with having God's favor and the hope that comes with our salvation. We have the wonderful hope that we will soon be seeing our heavenly home and will be leaving behind this world of misery and despair. 

Because the helmet defends our head from wounds, it also emboldens our heart, making it more difficult for us to fall when we face trouble. We will not be ashamed as we boast of our glorious God. Our confidence, which comes solely from God, gives us strength and  courage. As David said in Psalm 27:3, "Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear." Our courage comes from having this helmet of salvation. The hope that it brings us allows us to declare, along with David, that our hearts shall not fear.

This hope will be needed for as long as we war against sin and Satan. Gurnall tells us, "We are directed to take the helmet of salvation not for one particular occasion and then hang it up until another emergency calls us to use it again. But we must take it so as never to lay it down until God takes off this helmet to put a crown of glory in its place." 

Gurnall explains that our hope of salvation will help us in several other areas. First, this hope motivates us to give our best for our Lord. When asked to do something we do it with an attitude of excellence and boldness. We no longer care about the pleasures this world has to offer and reject them for the prospect of heaven's glory. Our hope of salvation takes the place in our hearts where worldly hope use to live. As man cannot live without some type of hope, we have happily traded the futile hope that the world has to offer for a hope that brings joy and peace.

Second, we are content with whatever position in life God appoints us.  Some He appoints to be leaders and men in high places. Others, do ordinary tasks that do not gain much recognition. However, the one whose hope is in Christ will be content regardless of where his Lord would have him serve. The promises of God strengthens our hands and hearts against any discouragement that may try to weaken us while we are serving Him.  Gurnall encourages us, "To arm the Christian against discontent and discouragement, God promises as great a reward for faithfulness in the most menial services as He gives in more honorable service."

Third, our hope gives us support during times of affliction and suffering. Gurnall put it this way "The Christian's patience is his back, where he carries his burdens; and some afflictions are so heavy that he needs a broad one to carry them. But if hope does not lay the pillow of the promise between his back and his burden, the least cross will prove to be too much. Therefore this promise is called the 'endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ' (First Thessalonians 1:3)."

Anyone who has gone through times of suffering and affliction know the sense of hopelessness it can bring. But through the hope we carry within us, the hope that comes solely from our relationship with God, we don't have to succumb to these feelings of anxiety. The hope we receive from our Heavenly Father can quickly quiet a disturbed, worrisome spirit better than anything man can offer. When David's soul was uneasy during affliction he clung to the hope he knew he could find in God alone, "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why are you disquieted within me? hope in God." (Psalm 43:5). 

There will be times when our spirit is grieved because of other people's actions or words, or maybe even being spitefully talked about by those who are supposed to be our friends. But even during those troubling times, waiting on God for His comfort and the type of joy only He can offer is the remedy the troubled soul needs. Hope can bring consolation so much so that even the most afflicted soul can smile when there appears to be no reason. Our hope assures us that our present sufferings bear no comparison to the coming joy of being with our Heavenly Father. 

Fourth, when there are times when God seems to be slow in responding to our needs or fulfilling His promises, our hope calms our spirit and reminds us that God's timing is always perfect. Unfortunately, we can easily be led into the temptation of questioning God if we don't remind ourselves "that God doesn't perform all His promises all at once, and that the fulfillment they (we) desire may be seen on the way coming to them (us)" says Gurnall. 

He goes on to say, "When God delays before He fulfills the promise it is the believer's duty to wait for it...God will perform it at the appointed time. It is hard work to wait when there is no sight of God's coming after days of prayer and nights of watching. To flesh and blood it is hard. Weak faith is out of breath and liable to turn back when it has gone a long way to meet God, and thus misses Him. Hope gives us the ability to quietly wait. Hope groans but does not grumble when the promised mercy does not come straightaway. Hope's groans are sighed out from the (our) spirit to God in prayer."

At this point, Gurnall transitions from giving us words of comfort to a stern warning. He points out the necessity of being assured we are, indeed, wearing the true helmet of salvation. He warns there are those who have fooled themselves into believing they are in right standing with God, and as a result wear a false helmet of hope. He calls out the hypocrite who never had any real hope, only an imaginary hope of their own making. 

He calls out the false prophets (not the False Prophet of Revelation) whose smooth words they have spoken will be no match for their own consciences that will judge them harshly at the appointed time.  He also warns against the religious person whose faith is wrapped up in their own works which results in self righteousness and self deception. The true hope, the hope of the right kind, is well grounded in the Christian who has received the new birth as a result of receiving Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and in nothing else.

Those of us who have this true hope are to be thankful for this precious gift that has been given to us and we are challenged to live in a manner that shows we possess this hope. Gurnall warns us "And certainly it is the devil's design to cast the greatest shame on Christ and His Gospel by persuading man to profess a glorious hope of heaven but to live in utter unworthiness of such a royal inheritance." 

Gurnall asks us to do a self examination of how we live out our Christian lives before others. Do we walk in a manner worthy to be called sons and daughters of the most High God? While man is made for fellowship, are we careful about our associates? Do they influence us more than we influence them? Do you look for fellow companions on your journey to heaven or do you find yourself drawn to be among the ungodly? As our hope points us towards heaven, we should find we have little to do with ungodly companions.

We need to look at our manner of conversation and how we present ourselves to others. As part of the Bride of Christ, we must not live in a manner that shows we are not living a holy life, as we are all waiting for the coming day of God (Second Peter 3:11-12).

Gurnall reminds us that "you have no more effective argument to defeat temptation than your hope (in heaven)...The sinner's lust rightly terrifies him with fire and brimstone, but your hope of heaven's glories keeps you out of lust's reach...Be off, Satan (we say), I will not have anything to do with you or any of your offers which will make me unfit for that blessed place and holy state I wait for."  We can have such a deep hope and desire for heaven that it overshadows anything this world can offer.