Spiritual Warfare

The Helmet of Salvation Truth, righteousness, the gospel, and salvation take on an armoring effect when they are appropriated by faith within the believer’s relationship to God. Thus, we must strive for a biblical understanding of each. If our understanding is not based on the Bible, the armor is weakened.

Problems understanding salvation New Birth Forgiveness Justification Redemption Imputed righteousness Being sealed in Christ by the Spirit Being indwelt by the Spirit Being baptized in the Spirit Assumed synonyms of salvation:

Problems understanding salvation Tendency to think of salvation as an isolated event in the believer’s life. Salvation is: The ongoing work of God (Trinity) resulting in the believer’s (the Church’s) presence in eternity with Jesus. Viewed as an event, it is thought of only in the past-tense.

Problems understanding salvation 1 Thessalonians 5.8: But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. Salvation seen only as a past event, loses its armoring effect. Perseverance becomes little more than a formality, passing the time until Jesus’ return, or, the believer’s death. Perseverance is no longer understood as the believer standing strong in the strength of the LORD’s might while in the face of spiritual warfare.

A Biblical Examination of Salvation The gospel in Romans is: Promise of the Davidic King His reign over His kingdom Salvation is: The believer’s entrance into that kingdom at Christ’s return. ROMANS Romans : Love does no wrong to a neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of the law. And this do, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.

A Biblical Examination of Salvation Romans 5.9’s wrath is the wrath of 1.18 and 2.5 Romans : …that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call upon Him; for “WHOEVER WILL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”

A Biblical Examination of Salvation Romans 1.16: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. paraphrased: The gospel is God’s inheritance for the Davidic King, and God’s power to bring sinful, forgiven people into that kingdom.

A Biblical Examination of Salvation HEBREWS Hebrews 1.14: Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

A Biblical Examination of Salvation Hebrews : For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor was it that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.

A Biblical Examination of Salvation 1 Peter

Perseverance to salvation’s completion Hebrews Hebrews Thessalonians

Present salvation with future completion Romans In Hope: The state of our expectation of the completion of our promised salvation. Presently saved, in hope

Future, salvation completed Romans Waiting eagerly with perseverance -- Salvation’s beginning: Salvation’s completion: No condemnation; peace with God Completed adoption, not only Spirit of adoption, the redemption (resurrection) of our bodies

Salvation in Ephesians 1.4 looks to ’s summing up of all things in Christ The hope of His calling, the glory of His inheritance 1.21’s view to the age to come 2.7, the Church’s purpose in the ages to come To have His bride with Him for eternity is His gift to her. This is the gospel of our salvation.

Yahweh, the Warrior Isaiah : And He saw that there was no man, and was astonished that there was no one to intercede; then His own arm brought salvation to Him; and His righteousness upheld Him. And He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; and He put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle. According to their deeds, so He will repay, Wrath to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies… So they will fear the name of the LORD from the west and His glory from the rising of the sun, for He will come like a rushing stream, which the wind of the LORD drives. “And a Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” declares the LORD. And as for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the LORD: “My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring’s offspring,” says the LORD, “from now and forever.”

Salvation as a Helmet When Paul writes of the Helmet of Salvation he speaks of the confidence of knowing the absolute salvation from ALL harm which Christ has prepared for His bride.

With perseverance we wait… We are presently engaged in a spiritual battle. Will that battle ever end? The Church is a unity, a single bride. Her salvation will be complete at one time. Hebrews : And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

With perseverance we wait… Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen… Presently we walk by faith and not by sight… When salvation is complete, we will walk by faith AND by sight. 1 John 3.2: Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is.

With perseverance we wait… For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. His coming completes our salvation!

With perseverance we wait… New Birth Forgiveness Justification Redemption Righteous Sealed in Him Spirit indwelt all these are complete along with Jesus & His work Incarnation Death (blood) Resurrection Intercession Sanctification His return Defeat of enemies Rule over creation COMPLETE OUR SALVATION! “I AM BEING SAVED!!!!” …but to us who are being saved [the word of the cross] is the power of God.