What is the significance of the helmet of salvation?

from the old testament

• The image of the helmet of salvation from Ephesians 6 is drawn from Isaiah 59:17, which reads, “He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.” In that passage, the LORD saw that there was no justice (Isaiah 59:15b) and no one to help (Isaiah 59:16a) and therefore stepped in to bring salvation (Isaiah 59:16b). Paul uses this passage in a section about armor to show that salvation comes from God, not our strength.

from the new testament

• Ephesians 6:10–20 contains vivid imagery of the Christian as a warrior. Like a warrior, one must “put on the whole armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11a). However, the picture is largely not that of an offensive warrior out on the attack but a defensive one. The armor is so “that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11b). Thus, rather than thinking of the armor specifically as for engaging in spiritual warfare against Satan, it’s to be understood in terms of how one stands against Satan’s arrows (Ephesians 6:16) when he attacks without warning. The underlying meaning of each piece is to hold to the truth (Ephesians 6:14) and to rely on God through prayer (Ephesians 6:18).
• So, all of the armor descriptions fall broadly under the idea of a defensive posture. However, some pieces of armor are more explicitly defensive than others. The “helmet of salvation” (Ephesians 6:17a) is one such piece.
• While Paul is certainly saying that one cannot stand against Satan without being saved, that is not his primary point. By alluding to Isaiah 59:17b, he is reminding the reader that salvation is a work of God. It is His arm of salvation that saves.
• Paul used this same imagery in 1 Thessalonians 5:8, which reads, “let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.” There, he calls the helmet “the hope of salvation.” What protects the believer about this helmet is remembering that one is saved from ultimate condemnation through Jesus (cf. Romans 5:9).
• Thus, this piece of armor represents a believer reminding himself or herself of the work Jesus has done and, by extension, of the immovability of their salvation (cf. Romans 8:38–39). Remembering that helps one to stand, regardless of how hard Satan pushes against them.

implications for today

Satan prowls around looking to destroy believers (1 Peter 5:8). His goal is to do everything he can to hurt Jesus’ people, and he does not “play fair.” He’s willing to do or say anything to cause us to fall.

One of his primary attacks is to sow doubt about our salvation. Whether that’s through reminding us that we aren’t good enough to be saved, telling us we’ve irrevocably harmed our relationship with God, or even to cause us to doubt the gospel, these attacks intend to cause us to give up. If we aren’t saved, then we don’t have hope. If we don’t have hope, then what good is fighting?

Putting on the helmet of salvation is our way of reminding ourselves of the truth of the gospel. Satan is right—we aren’t good enough to be saved. But Jesus is perfect, and He died in our place (2 Corinthians 5:21). We don’t need to be good enough to be saved; we need to believe in Him (John 3:16). Satan may also be right that we’ve committed some grievous sin. However, for a true believer, God won’t let anything separate us from Him (Romans 8:38–39). Instead, we are reminded that “if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1). Jesus, through whom we are saved, is also the one who holds us even now (John 10:27–29).

Put on the helmet of salvation today. Remind yourself who Jesus is and what He did, and then remind yourself that there’s nothing you can do to add to that or to keep your salvation. With that confidence, Satan can attack all he wants, but his accusations will not stand (Romans 8:33–34)!