8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
Then there is the helmet of salvation, Ephesians 6:17. The helmet of salvation is a critical piece of armour. No matter how well a soldier’s body is protected, if he leaves his head uncovered, his chance of survival is minimal. A soldier must wear his helmet. …
The Roman helmet in Paul’s day, was a leather cap, covered with plates of metal, and that was adorned with a kind of ornamental crest or plume. 1 Thessalonians 5:8 tells us, that this helmet is the hope of salvation. But today, as in Paul’s day, discouragement is a common ploy of Satan. Satan wants to discourage you. And you stumble to sin. You backslide. He wants to tell you there is no way back. Your attempt to live a holy life is hopeless. It is of no use to serve God. Satan wants you to go AWOL [Absent Without Official Leave] from Christ’s army. He wants you to be a deserter. He wants you back. You see, when Satan makes you feel like giving up the battle against sin, Paul says,
Put on the helmet of hope. Believe you have been saved and you are being saved and you shall be saved. Cling to this hope in Jesus Christ and by his resurrection believe you are new-born to a living hope, and you will abundantly increase in hope through the Holy Spirit.When you put on that helmet of hope, you believe that you have the best of this life, because no unbelieving person has the joy you have in this world, when you are centred in Christ. You have got the best of the world to come. You have got the best of both worlds. So, look to the future. Look to glory. Do not lose heart. Live by hope.Also, remember that Paul speaks in the past tense in Romans 8:1–39, when he says,
Joel BeekeFor whom he did foreknow, them he also glorified.He is so sure that his future is in heaven, that he speaks of it in past tense, as if it has already happened. So, run to your battle station, and put on the helmet of hope. Lift up your head. Let hope be your ornament; your plume of eternal victory. When the coming of the Son of man draws near, then you will no longer need your helmet. Your battle will be over. Satan will be eternally crushed. But until then, you need this helmet. What a beautiful thing this helmet of hope is.1
17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,