THE CHRISTIAN’S HELMET “And for an helmet, the hope of salvation” I Thessalonians 5:8
The head, like the heart, is a most vital area of the body. In ancient armament not only did the soldier secure breast protection, but good head protection as well, making sure he had a quality helmet. Many folks have helmets of hope, but not good quality helmets. Some have hope with no idea as to where it came from. The believer’s hope comes out of the divine armor shop of God, produced and God furnished salvation. His salvation is not of himself, but of another, even Jesus Christ, “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” As a youngster we would play war games and make helmets of brown paper bags. They fared well in games, but in real combat would have been of no use at all. Many who profess Christ have no more than brown paper bags as hopes of salvation, and when the test comes, and test will come, they will be mortally shot through. We live in a day when absolutely nothing seems sure! An a’moral society (no-morals)! A child growing up in a healthy home environment is far from sure—there was a time when, whether parents were Christians or not they had enough morality to raise children fit for society. Marriages are not sure, thus making the raising of children unsure. I believe to my soul that in today’s marriages young couples go through the ceremony with the idea of “if it doesn’t work I’ll get a divorce.” There was a day when divorce was frowned upon, the married couple just made it work. Some will not even consider marriage, they have a live-in mentality; that way it’s easier to get out of it, yet they go right on having children, one after the other. Jobs are not sure; friendships are not sure, church-life is not sure, we could go on and on. But oh, my dear ones, make dead sure you have “a hope as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil (heaven); Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec” (Hebrews 6:19-20). With life so unsure maybe you think, “Pastor Worthan you say this way of hope and salvation is coming to Christ and I am afraid I do not come in the right way.” Christ Jesus says, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). His word is the only sure thing in this world. He rejects not a sinner who comes to Him, but don’t look to your coming, look to Christ. Look to Him as God; He can save you. Look to Him as the bleeding, dying Son of Man, He is willing to save you. When we make Jesus our hope we have a hope that cannot be overturned, a hope that cannot be frustrated. An old writer said, “The New Zealanders call hope the swimming thought, because it always swims. You cannot drown it; it always keeps its head above the wave. When you think you have drowned the Christian’s hope, up it comes and cries again, “Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise Him!”
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