1 00:00:00,100 --> 00:00:04,000 Thank you, music ministers, if you have your Bibles. 2 00:00:04,033 --> 00:00:07,566 Turn with me to Ephesians. 3 00:00:07,799 --> 00:00:08,933 Chapter 6. 4 00:00:09,300 --> 00:00:12,433 It's been a while, since we've been 5 00:00:12,433 --> 00:00:15,866 here in Ephesians. 6 00:00:16,933 --> 00:00:21,533 And since verse 10, we've 7 00:00:21,533 --> 00:00:24,766 been working our way through studying the 8 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:26,000 armor of God. 9 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:28,633 And today, we come to verse 17. 10 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:32,466 And now we only have two pieces of 11 00:00:32,466 --> 00:00:35,000 God's armor left to ghost. 12 00:00:35,100 --> 00:00:39,366 But I want to get our thinking back within 13 00:00:39,366 --> 00:00:42,533 the context of this whole passage. 14 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:45,600 So let's begin just by reading, once again, versus 15 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:48,166 10 through 17. 16 00:00:49,399 --> 00:00:54,366 Apostle Paul writes, Finally, Be 17 00:00:54,366 --> 00:00:55,700 strong in the Lord. 18 00:00:56,166 --> 00:00:59,233 And in the strength of his might. 19 00:01:00,066 --> 00:01:03,533 Put on the full armor of God. 20 00:01:03,833 --> 00:01:07,066 So that you will be able to stand firm 21 00:01:07,099 --> 00:01:09,866 against the schemes of the devil. 22 00:01:10,266 --> 00:01:13,500 Our struggle is not against flesh 23 00:01:13,500 --> 00:01:17,400 and blood, but against the rulers, against 24 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:20,866 the powers, against the world forces 25 00:01:20,900 --> 00:01:24,666 of this darkness, against the spiritual forces 26 00:01:24,666 --> 00:01:27,366 of wickedness in the heavenly places. 27 00:01:27,599 --> 00:01:30,766 Therefore, take up 28 00:01:30,799 --> 00:01:33,799 the full armor of God, so that 29 00:01:33,799 --> 00:01:36,866 you will be able to resist in the evil 30 00:01:36,866 --> 00:01:40,599 day, and having done everything to 31 00:01:40,633 --> 00:01:42,133 stand firm. 32 00:01:42,133 --> 00:01:45,599 Stand firm, 33 00:01:45,599 --> 00:01:48,733 therefore, having girded your loins 34 00:01:48,733 --> 00:01:52,400 with truth, and having put on the breastplate 35 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:55,500 of righteousness, and having shod 36 00:01:55,500 --> 00:01:57,433 your feet with the preparation 37 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:01,366 of the gospel of peace, in addition 38 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:04,466 to all, taking up the shield 39 00:02:04,466 --> 00:02:07,500 of faith, with which you will be able 40 00:02:07,500 --> 00:02:10,800 to extinguish all the flaming 41 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:13,966 arrows of the evil one, and take 42 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:17,099 the helmet of salvation, and 43 00:02:17,099 --> 00:02:20,099 the sword of the spirit, which is 44 00:02:20,099 --> 00:02:22,366 the word of God. 45 00:02:22,699 --> 00:02:26,466 Now, we've been learning all about the serious reality 46 00:02:26,466 --> 00:02:30,533 for quite a little while now, that 47 00:02:30,533 --> 00:02:33,766 all Christians are involved as 48 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:36,633 they live and breathe on this earth in warfare. 49 00:02:37,333 --> 00:02:40,699 And this war that we are in. 50 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:44,766 consist of daily 51 00:02:44,766 --> 00:02:48,666 inner battles that 52 00:02:48,666 --> 00:02:51,800 we have with our own flesh, and which dwells 53 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:53,900 no good thing, as the Apostle Paul says. 54 00:02:54,233 --> 00:02:57,233 And that flesh that we 55 00:02:57,233 --> 00:03:01,066 are encased in is assailed from 56 00:03:01,099 --> 00:03:04,699 the outside by our admissary, 57 00:03:04,699 --> 00:03:07,766 the devil, using this present 58 00:03:07,766 --> 00:03:11,166 world system to continuously 59 00:03:11,166 --> 00:03:14,333 fire those flaming arrows from 60 00:03:14,333 --> 00:03:16,000 verse 16 at us. 61 00:03:16,099 --> 00:03:19,800 So this 62 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:23,099 warfare is being played out, 63 00:03:23,099 --> 00:03:24,966 in real time, on two fronts. 64 00:03:26,333 --> 00:03:29,866 our daily inner battle with our own flesh, 65 00:03:29,900 --> 00:03:32,966 as we, at the 66 00:03:32,966 --> 00:03:36,066 same time, live in 67 00:03:36,066 --> 00:03:39,300 an evil world system where the whole world 68 00:03:39,300 --> 00:03:43,066 system itself is engulfed 69 00:03:43,099 --> 00:03:44,900 in spiritual warfare. 70 00:03:45,500 --> 00:03:48,800 For example, when 71 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:52,266 you see godless ideologies 72 00:03:52,266 --> 00:03:56,233 and philosophies, like Marxism, 73 00:03:56,233 --> 00:04:00,233 and communism, and movements, 74 00:04:00,233 --> 00:04:03,533 like transgender rites, 75 00:04:03,533 --> 00:04:06,766 and the whole alphabet mafia movement, 76 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:10,099 LGBT, all of that, all of those things 77 00:04:11,466 --> 00:04:14,833 are like tanks being driven 78 00:04:14,833 --> 00:04:17,899 across the battlefield by the demon host. 79 00:04:18,133 --> 00:04:21,366 And this massive warfare 80 00:04:21,366 --> 00:04:24,600 being engaged on 81 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:27,666 our whole culture, not only 82 00:04:27,666 --> 00:04:30,666 here in America, but also in every 83 00:04:30,666 --> 00:04:33,066 culture, across the whole globe. 84 00:04:34,199 --> 00:04:36,433 This same reality. 85 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:40,699 is behind all false religions. 86 00:04:41,100 --> 00:04:45,133 Every religion is false, except biblical Christianity. 87 00:04:45,300 --> 00:04:48,433 And we have this relentless 88 00:04:48,433 --> 00:04:51,500 daily warfare, that 89 00:04:51,500 --> 00:04:54,866 sees Satan, roaming 90 00:04:54,866 --> 00:04:58,666 to and fro as a roaring lion, 91 00:04:58,699 --> 00:05:02,133 seeking whom he may devour, as the Bible says, 92 00:05:02,133 --> 00:05:05,566 every single day. 93 00:05:06,233 --> 00:05:09,366 And so as Christians, we have 94 00:05:09,366 --> 00:05:12,066 daily inner battles. 95 00:05:12,066 --> 00:05:15,300 As we live in a fallen world that 96 00:05:15,300 --> 00:05:19,066 itself is totally engaged in intense spiritual 97 00:05:19,100 --> 00:05:22,100 warfare all around us, just turn on your television. 98 00:05:22,100 --> 00:05:23,899 That's all the example that you need. 99 00:05:24,366 --> 00:05:29,100 And this text is giving us, as 100 00:05:29,100 --> 00:05:32,166 I've told you before, all the resources 101 00:05:32,166 --> 00:05:35,166 that we need, for us to gain 102 00:05:35,166 --> 00:05:38,833 victories in the daily battles that 103 00:05:38,833 --> 00:05:40,166 we grind in. 104 00:05:40,266 --> 00:05:43,866 And so I want to get just a little more nuanced. 105 00:05:44,699 --> 00:05:48,833 In totality, the 106 00:05:48,833 --> 00:05:53,466 conflict of the Christian can be understood to 107 00:05:53,466 --> 00:05:55,133 be taking place in three dimensions. 108 00:05:56,166 --> 00:05:59,466 In our personal lives, as I said, there's 109 00:05:59,466 --> 00:06:01,333 a conflict between flesh and spirit. 110 00:06:01,399 --> 00:06:04,933 But then, also, there is a conflict, 111 00:06:04,933 --> 00:06:08,766 as I said, with every Christian and the world, 112 00:06:08,766 --> 00:06:12,000 and then, thirdly, there is a conflict between 113 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:15,300 every believer and the demon host themselves, 114 00:06:15,300 --> 00:06:16,433 and listen to me. 115 00:06:16,500 --> 00:06:19,566 You can't remove the demons from the other 116 00:06:19,566 --> 00:06:23,833 two because they work through the 117 00:06:23,833 --> 00:06:27,366 world and the flesh and the daily battles that we fight. 118 00:06:27,500 --> 00:06:28,466 Are you with me? 119 00:06:28,500 --> 00:06:29,566 You understand. 120 00:06:29,633 --> 00:06:31,433 That's three different spheres there. 121 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:34,333 And it's this third dimension. 122 00:06:34,566 --> 00:06:38,333 that Paul is focusing in to 123 00:06:38,333 --> 00:06:41,566 help us understand here in our text. 124 00:06:42,199 --> 00:06:44,066 How? 125 00:06:44,066 --> 00:06:47,566 Does a daily, less 126 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:51,066 struggling Christian believer, live 127 00:06:51,066 --> 00:06:54,966 this life in this situation, gaining 128 00:06:54,966 --> 00:06:58,133 daily victories, with all of this tremendous opposition 129 00:06:58,133 --> 00:07:01,133 that we get, look at the end of verse 11, 130 00:07:01,133 --> 00:07:04,199 this opposition that 131 00:07:04,199 --> 00:07:06,766 he calls the schemes of the... 132 00:07:07,133 --> 00:07:11,333 Now, if you remember, here 133 00:07:11,333 --> 00:07:14,333 in our text, Paul gets, before he gets to 134 00:07:14,333 --> 00:07:18,000 the armor, he gives us, look at this exhortation in verse 10, 135 00:07:18,066 --> 00:07:21,833 And I always, fail 136 00:07:21,833 --> 00:07:25,199 to review well, I think, because I always want to say more, 137 00:07:25,199 --> 00:07:28,366 and I just, again, I 138 00:07:28,399 --> 00:07:29,433 say this every time. 139 00:07:29,466 --> 00:07:32,466 If you haven't heard if you missed any of these messages on 140 00:07:32,466 --> 00:07:35,600 the armor, go back on the Facebook page and 141 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:38,766 watch, because my reviews are just real general. 142 00:07:38,833 --> 00:07:39,600 You got it? 143 00:07:39,666 --> 00:07:41,033 My reviews are very general. 144 00:07:41,100 --> 00:07:42,600 I'm not telling you everything that we went through. 145 00:07:42,666 --> 00:07:45,500 I'm just giving you general review, but let's go back to verse 10. 146 00:07:45,666 --> 00:07:48,833 Remember, this is the 1st point and it's very important. 147 00:07:48,899 --> 00:07:50,399 Before you get to the armor, verse 10. 148 00:07:50,699 --> 00:07:53,933 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 149 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:57,433 Before you start looking at the armor, You 150 00:07:57,433 --> 00:08:00,566 have to start off with this that you realize you 151 00:08:00,566 --> 00:08:03,699 cannot fight this battle in your own power and strength. 152 00:08:03,833 --> 00:08:05,166 It cannot be done. 153 00:08:05,233 --> 00:08:08,300 We all, all of us have to totally, 154 00:08:08,300 --> 00:08:11,833 completely depend on the power and strength of the Lord. 155 00:08:11,933 --> 00:08:14,333 We're going to get beat down by the enemy. 156 00:08:14,466 --> 00:08:16,733 But then, next, look in verse 11. 157 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:20,366 Paul then says, put on the full 158 00:08:20,366 --> 00:08:23,699 armor of God so that you will be able to 159 00:08:23,699 --> 00:08:26,833 stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 160 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:31,733 And then what happens is he begins to start defining the armor. 161 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:33,466 Look and starting in verse 14. 162 00:08:34,433 --> 00:08:38,766 Stand firm, having girded your loins with truth. 163 00:08:38,833 --> 00:08:41,066 And if you can think back, if you heard that sermon, 164 00:08:41,100 --> 00:08:43,933 It's not so much about content of the truth. 165 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:46,933 That comes later, what sort of spirit we're going to look at next time. 166 00:08:47,033 --> 00:08:50,100 But this is more of the sense 167 00:08:50,100 --> 00:08:51,833 of readiness in the truth. 168 00:08:52,733 --> 00:08:56,033 In all of this, remember, Paul is 169 00:08:56,033 --> 00:08:58,366 picturing the Roman soldier of his day. 170 00:08:58,500 --> 00:08:59,333 Keep that in mind. 171 00:08:59,633 --> 00:09:02,633 The idea of girding 172 00:09:02,633 --> 00:09:05,633 up your loins is a Jewish Old Testament expression 173 00:09:05,633 --> 00:09:09,100 of anticipation, and readiness, what 174 00:09:09,133 --> 00:09:10,933 you picture here is a soldier. 175 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:13,100 He's ready for battle. 176 00:09:13,133 --> 00:09:14,200 He's made his commitment. 177 00:09:14,333 --> 00:09:17,399 He's got the belt of truth strapped on, 178 00:09:17,399 --> 00:09:20,399 and he's ready for action, and then next in verse 179 00:09:20,399 --> 00:09:24,166 14, having put on the breastplate of righteousness. 180 00:09:24,233 --> 00:09:26,166 And what do we learn there? 181 00:09:26,233 --> 00:09:29,600 That's the daily practical righteousness that 182 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:32,700 we strive to live in as Christians in obedience to 183 00:09:32,700 --> 00:09:33,833 the Word of God. 184 00:09:33,899 --> 00:09:37,333 And then, thirdly, we saw in verse 15, look at it, and 185 00:09:37,333 --> 00:09:40,333 having shod your feet with the preparation of 186 00:09:40,333 --> 00:09:41,399 the gospel of peace. 187 00:09:41,533 --> 00:09:44,600 And the idea here, the gospel of peace, is the good news 188 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:46,766 that we are at peace with God. 189 00:09:47,700 --> 00:09:51,366 We were formerly enemies of God. 190 00:09:51,666 --> 00:09:54,000 We fought against God. 191 00:09:54,533 --> 00:09:57,833 But by saving faith in the gospel, we 192 00:09:57,833 --> 00:09:59,700 now have peace with God. 193 00:10:00,299 --> 00:10:03,600 And when we have our feet shod 194 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:07,133 with that kind of preparation, we can stand 195 00:10:07,133 --> 00:10:11,100 firm against the adversary, because now we 196 00:10:11,100 --> 00:10:12,133 have God on our side. 197 00:10:12,233 --> 00:10:13,666 We didn't before. 198 00:10:13,733 --> 00:10:16,799 And if you remember, all of those pieces 199 00:10:16,799 --> 00:10:19,133 of armor are long range. 200 00:10:19,500 --> 00:10:22,733 You keep those pieces on all the time, but 201 00:10:22,733 --> 00:10:25,866 when the battle gets hot, you pick up 202 00:10:25,866 --> 00:10:27,733 these next pieces of armor. 203 00:10:27,799 --> 00:10:30,133 And we see the verb change. 204 00:10:30,233 --> 00:10:32,399 Look at the verb change first in verse 16. 205 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:37,133 In addition to all, look what it says, that phrase. 206 00:10:37,266 --> 00:10:40,566 Taking up the shield of faith. 207 00:10:40,633 --> 00:10:41,466 That's action. 208 00:10:41,533 --> 00:10:44,533 Then verse 17, and take the helmet 209 00:10:44,533 --> 00:10:47,000 of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. 210 00:10:47,033 --> 00:10:50,333 If you remember, If the soldier 211 00:10:50,333 --> 00:10:53,033 was in battle and say there was a lull in the battle. 212 00:10:53,100 --> 00:10:56,100 And he wanted to get some water or something. 213 00:10:56,166 --> 00:10:57,200 What would he do? 214 00:10:57,233 --> 00:11:00,600 Well, he would put down his sword, 215 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:03,833 he put down his shield, take his helmet off, 216 00:11:03,833 --> 00:11:07,299 but the rest of the armor wouldn't come off, right? 217 00:11:07,433 --> 00:11:09,233 I mean, he wouldn't take off the breast braid. 218 00:11:09,366 --> 00:11:10,799 He wouldn't take off the shoes. 219 00:11:10,866 --> 00:11:12,433 He wouldn't take off the belt. 220 00:11:12,533 --> 00:11:14,766 But then when things got cooking again. 221 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:17,833 And the battle got stirred back up. 222 00:11:17,899 --> 00:11:19,833 What did he have to do? 223 00:11:19,866 --> 00:11:23,633 Well, he went over, had to go back over there and pick that armor up that he had put down. 224 00:11:23,700 --> 00:11:26,399 He had to go pick the sword up and the shield up. 225 00:11:26,533 --> 00:11:29,766 And this is when the arrows really begin 226 00:11:29,766 --> 00:11:32,766 to fly, and that's the rest of verse 16 that we 227 00:11:32,766 --> 00:11:36,200 looked at, taking up the shield of faith with 228 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:39,433 which you will be able to extinguish all the 229 00:11:39,433 --> 00:11:41,366 arrows of the evil one. 230 00:11:41,633 --> 00:11:43,500 And we talked about that. 231 00:11:43,566 --> 00:11:46,700 All the constant shooting 232 00:11:46,700 --> 00:11:49,933 of the flaming arrows of temptation that 233 00:11:49,933 --> 00:11:53,533 the adversary sends our way, endless, 234 00:11:53,533 --> 00:11:54,899 endless amount of ways. 235 00:11:54,899 --> 00:11:56,333 Go back and listen to that. 236 00:11:56,399 --> 00:11:58,266 We went thoroughly through that. 237 00:11:58,333 --> 00:12:01,333 The only way that 238 00:12:01,333 --> 00:12:04,333 we can extinguish those flaming arrows. 239 00:12:04,433 --> 00:12:06,066 Do you remember is faith. 240 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:08,166 And what do I mean by that? 241 00:12:08,233 --> 00:12:12,500 Well, remember, whenever we sin, we 242 00:12:12,500 --> 00:12:15,200 are believing the lie of the enemy. 243 00:12:15,299 --> 00:12:16,933 Ooh, it's okay. 244 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:18,333 Just go ahead. 245 00:12:18,366 --> 00:12:19,566 It's all right. 246 00:12:19,633 --> 00:12:21,799 We believe the lie of the enemy. 247 00:12:21,833 --> 00:12:25,000 But as long as we believe the word of God, 248 00:12:25,033 --> 00:12:28,133 when we're doing that, we won't be believing the 249 00:12:28,133 --> 00:12:29,399 lies of the enemy. 250 00:12:29,466 --> 00:12:32,933 And so the shield, against the flaming arrows 251 00:12:32,933 --> 00:12:35,766 of temptation, is faith. 252 00:12:35,899 --> 00:12:37,399 is believing God. 253 00:12:37,700 --> 00:12:40,700 So now, let's move 254 00:12:40,700 --> 00:12:43,700 to the next and the fifth piece of armor, for 255 00:12:43,700 --> 00:12:45,799 today, we're going to look at verse 17. 256 00:12:45,966 --> 00:12:46,333 Look at it. 257 00:12:46,433 --> 00:12:49,500 And take, again, there's 258 00:12:49,500 --> 00:12:53,166 the verb, the helmet of salvation. 259 00:12:54,533 --> 00:12:56,266 And that's all it says. 260 00:12:56,466 --> 00:12:59,766 Now, is 261 00:12:59,766 --> 00:13:03,600 that because it's simply just talking about being saved? 262 00:13:04,500 --> 00:13:08,533 Well, you know Paul better than that by now, right? 263 00:13:08,833 --> 00:13:11,833 So that means we got to dig into, 264 00:13:11,833 --> 00:13:13,799 with our shovel, what this means. 265 00:13:14,100 --> 00:13:17,566 And let's go back to the imagery of the soldier for a minute. 266 00:13:18,366 --> 00:13:21,500 A Roman soldier would absolutely never 267 00:13:21,500 --> 00:13:23,299 go into battle without his helmet. 268 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:26,766 And their helmets were 269 00:13:26,766 --> 00:13:28,266 generally made out of one or two things. 270 00:13:28,333 --> 00:13:31,700 Leather, with pieces of metal attached 271 00:13:31,700 --> 00:13:34,833 to the leather, or they had these 272 00:13:34,833 --> 00:13:38,533 molded solid cast metal helmets. 273 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:42,133 You've seen these in the movies, I'm sure all of us have, and 274 00:13:42,133 --> 00:13:45,866 whatever you were doing, depending on what kind of helmet that you would have on. 275 00:13:45,966 --> 00:13:47,166 But the helmet? 276 00:13:47,333 --> 00:13:49,000 Helmet was critical. 277 00:13:49,100 --> 00:13:50,000 in battle. 278 00:13:50,100 --> 00:13:53,399 I mean, as you were fighting, and an 279 00:13:53,399 --> 00:13:56,933 arrow come flying through, and hit you in the head, it could protect you from 280 00:13:56,933 --> 00:13:59,933 that arrow, just as much as a blow from 281 00:13:59,933 --> 00:14:03,000 one of the short swords, when you be up close, or 282 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:04,933 even one of the broadswords. 283 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:05,666 It could protect you. 284 00:14:05,833 --> 00:14:10,166 The helmet was absolutely necessary in battle. 285 00:14:10,266 --> 00:14:11,766 And there's no doubt. 286 00:14:11,766 --> 00:14:15,133 Over the years that Rome existed 287 00:14:15,133 --> 00:14:18,233 in the Roman army existed, that countless lives 288 00:14:18,233 --> 00:14:21,299 were saved by the soldier having his helmet on. 289 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:24,766 And now here in our text, we're dealing, though, 290 00:14:24,799 --> 00:14:26,666 with the helmet of salvation. 291 00:14:27,533 --> 00:14:31,799 And let me tell you why I 292 00:14:31,799 --> 00:14:36,066 said that this does not refer to salvation. 293 00:14:37,100 --> 00:14:41,466 He's not saying, now 294 00:14:41,466 --> 00:14:44,633 that you're in the army, now that you're fighting 295 00:14:44,633 --> 00:14:47,700 the enemy, now that you've got the breast spray of 296 00:14:47,700 --> 00:14:51,133 righteousness on the belt of truth, the shoes of the preparation of the gospel 297 00:14:51,133 --> 00:14:54,266 of peace, and you've got the shield of faith, now get saved. 298 00:14:54,799 --> 00:14:56,666 He's not saying that. 299 00:14:57,433 --> 00:15:00,433 Now, in context here, 300 00:15:00,433 --> 00:15:02,600 that's already happened. 301 00:15:02,633 --> 00:15:06,666 I mean, you're not even in the army unless you're a believer first. 302 00:15:06,733 --> 00:15:07,266 You understand? 303 00:15:07,733 --> 00:15:10,433 Jesus said, if you're not with him, what? 304 00:15:10,500 --> 00:15:11,266 You're against him. 305 00:15:11,333 --> 00:15:12,166 Right? 306 00:15:12,233 --> 00:15:15,466 So if you're on God's side and you're in the battle against 307 00:15:15,500 --> 00:15:17,766 Satan, you're already saved. 308 00:15:17,933 --> 00:15:19,666 So he's not talking about that here. 309 00:15:19,799 --> 00:15:24,000 What he is talking about requires 310 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:25,133 us to get theological. 311 00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:26,533 Or just a moment. 312 00:15:26,633 --> 00:15:28,966 So hang in there with me, okay? 313 00:15:29,833 --> 00:15:32,066 Ever since I became a Christian. 314 00:15:32,166 --> 00:15:35,233 Almost immediately, I have found many people 315 00:15:35,233 --> 00:15:38,533 to be confused about 316 00:15:38,533 --> 00:15:41,833 the subject of eternal security of salvation. 317 00:15:42,233 --> 00:15:46,133 A lot of people, even Baptist. 318 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:50,166 I mean, sometimes, especially Baptists, do 319 00:15:50,166 --> 00:15:53,533 not really have a proper understanding of 320 00:15:53,533 --> 00:15:56,666 what has also been come 321 00:15:56,666 --> 00:16:00,166 to be named as once saved, always saved. 322 00:16:00,233 --> 00:16:02,566 And I'm almost certain a Baptist came up with that phrase. 323 00:16:02,899 --> 00:16:05,000 And then what's the reason for that? 324 00:16:05,100 --> 00:16:08,233 The reason is because they 325 00:16:08,233 --> 00:16:12,000 do not understand the basic, 326 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:15,133 fundamental doctrines of the Christian 327 00:16:15,133 --> 00:16:19,433 faith, and primarily they do not understand the 328 00:16:19,433 --> 00:16:20,866 doctrine of salvation. 329 00:16:20,899 --> 00:16:24,299 The subject of eternal security is 330 00:16:24,299 --> 00:16:25,933 extremely clear. 331 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:29,333 I don't even think, in my opinion, it's even debatable 332 00:16:29,333 --> 00:16:32,333 when you understand the doctrine of salvation 333 00:16:32,333 --> 00:16:33,366 properly. 334 00:16:33,433 --> 00:16:37,566 And let me give you something simple, and 335 00:16:37,566 --> 00:16:41,000 something profound at the same time, to understand. 336 00:16:41,100 --> 00:16:44,633 Now, some of you have heard this breakdown before, from 337 00:16:44,633 --> 00:16:48,066 me, or maybe others, but it's good to get a refresher 338 00:16:48,066 --> 00:16:51,200 course on what I'm fixing to tell you, because 339 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:54,233 it's so important for you to understand this 340 00:16:54,233 --> 00:16:55,299 down in your bloodstream. 341 00:16:55,700 --> 00:16:59,466 There are three primary 342 00:16:59,466 --> 00:17:01,799 aspects to the doctrine of salvation. 343 00:17:02,333 --> 00:17:05,766 Past, present, 344 00:17:05,766 --> 00:17:09,299 and future, and 345 00:17:09,299 --> 00:17:13,200 they have been defined theologically this way. 346 00:17:13,333 --> 00:17:16,500 First, the past 347 00:17:16,500 --> 00:17:19,799 aspect frees us from 348 00:17:19,799 --> 00:17:23,266 the penalty of sin, in 349 00:17:23,299 --> 00:17:25,099 other words, if you say to me, are you a Christian? 350 00:17:25,933 --> 00:17:30,000 Have you been saved, 351 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:32,466 I would say, yes? 352 00:17:32,599 --> 00:17:34,933 Well, Brother Philip, when did it happen? 353 00:17:35,033 --> 00:17:37,733 Well, it happened when I believed the gospel. 354 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:41,400 And when I did, all 355 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:44,466 of my sins were placed upon Christ, all of 356 00:17:44,466 --> 00:17:47,633 my sins were imputed to Christ on the cross as my 357 00:17:47,633 --> 00:17:51,466 substitute, he paid the penalty for all of my sins, 358 00:17:51,500 --> 00:17:53,000 that is in the past. 359 00:17:53,900 --> 00:17:56,833 The penalty is paid. 360 00:17:57,299 --> 00:17:59,166 I died. 361 00:17:59,333 --> 00:18:02,333 I was crucified with 362 00:18:02,333 --> 00:18:06,000 Christ, and nevertheless, right now I live. 363 00:18:06,733 --> 00:18:10,099 The penalty for my sin was paid, 364 00:18:10,099 --> 00:18:12,366 it was totally dealt with. 365 00:18:12,799 --> 00:18:15,799 There is never, ever, ever, 366 00:18:15,799 --> 00:18:19,099 ever going to be any more penalty to 367 00:18:19,099 --> 00:18:22,200 pay from anyone, 368 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:25,033 because Jesus paid it all. 369 00:18:25,566 --> 00:18:29,033 Romans 81 makes 370 00:18:29,033 --> 00:18:31,000 this very clear. 371 00:18:31,099 --> 00:18:34,799 Therefore, there 372 00:18:34,799 --> 00:18:38,466 is now no condemnation 373 00:18:38,466 --> 00:18:41,533 for those who are 374 00:18:41,533 --> 00:18:43,099 in Christ Jesus. 375 00:18:43,133 --> 00:18:46,366 Doesn't say there's some, said there's no. 376 00:18:47,333 --> 00:18:50,866 But also, secondly, there 377 00:18:50,900 --> 00:18:53,900 is a present aspect 378 00:18:53,900 --> 00:18:55,566 to salvation. 379 00:18:56,299 --> 00:18:59,833 A continual working in 380 00:18:59,833 --> 00:19:03,299 our lives of freedom from the power 381 00:19:03,299 --> 00:19:05,099 of sin. 382 00:19:05,233 --> 00:19:08,466 Look at what Paul says in Romans 6:14. 383 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:12,066 For sin, shall 384 00:19:12,066 --> 00:19:15,799 not be master over you. 385 00:19:15,966 --> 00:19:19,333 For you are not under law, 386 00:19:19,333 --> 00:19:21,266 but under grace. 387 00:19:21,366 --> 00:19:24,366 The reality for every genuine believer is 388 00:19:24,366 --> 00:19:27,500 that sin no longer has 389 00:19:27,500 --> 00:19:30,966 total dominion over you as 390 00:19:30,966 --> 00:19:33,066 it did before you came to Christ. 391 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:36,266 This doesn't mean that you do not sin at all. 392 00:19:36,799 --> 00:19:39,799 This means that sin no 393 00:19:39,799 --> 00:19:42,866 longer has the reigning power 394 00:19:42,866 --> 00:19:46,133 and dominance over your life, like 395 00:19:46,133 --> 00:19:47,799 it did, before salvation. 396 00:19:47,933 --> 00:19:49,133 Why? 397 00:19:49,266 --> 00:19:52,566 Well, in addition to Jesus having totally 398 00:19:52,566 --> 00:19:55,566 paid the penalty that we deserve for all our sins, look at 399 00:19:55,566 --> 00:19:57,599 what we also learn in 1 John 19. 400 00:19:58,266 --> 00:20:02,033 If we confess our sin. 401 00:20:02,099 --> 00:20:05,099 He is faithful and righteous, 402 00:20:05,099 --> 00:20:08,333 to forgive us our sins, and 403 00:20:08,333 --> 00:20:10,866 cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 404 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:14,400 Though all of our sins have 405 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:17,400 been forgiven in the past, 406 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:20,400 we are still, right now, in time, 407 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:23,933 down here in responsibility land, struggling 408 00:20:23,933 --> 00:20:27,299 with sin every day, as 409 00:20:27,299 --> 00:20:30,433 you've heard me, Luther, many, many times, we 410 00:20:30,433 --> 00:20:34,566 are sinners, saved by grace, but sinners, still. 411 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:38,133 And that's why, every day, 412 00:20:38,133 --> 00:20:41,833 we need to be acknowledging that reality and 413 00:20:41,833 --> 00:20:44,700 confessing our sins before the Lord. 414 00:20:44,833 --> 00:20:48,733 John MacArthur writes this in his study Bible about 1 John 19. 415 00:20:49,266 --> 00:20:52,500 Rather than focusing on confession for 416 00:20:52,500 --> 00:20:55,866 every single sin is necessary, John 417 00:20:55,866 --> 00:20:59,333 has, especially in mind here, a settled recognition 418 00:20:59,333 --> 00:21:02,400 and acknowledgement that one is a sinner 419 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:04,866 in need of cleansing. 420 00:21:04,933 --> 00:21:06,299 And understand what he means there. 421 00:21:06,433 --> 00:21:07,866 Listen carefully to what he's saying. 422 00:21:07,933 --> 00:21:11,766 He's not saying, don't worry about confessing 423 00:21:11,766 --> 00:21:12,799 individual sins. 424 00:21:12,833 --> 00:21:13,599 That's not his point. 425 00:21:13,733 --> 00:21:15,299 We should be doing that. 426 00:21:15,500 --> 00:21:18,833 But what he is pointing out is 427 00:21:18,833 --> 00:21:21,900 the broader thrust of what John is getting at 428 00:21:21,900 --> 00:21:25,033 in that verse, and that is a daily 429 00:21:25,033 --> 00:21:28,266 acknowledgment to God of our current condition and 430 00:21:28,266 --> 00:21:30,433 sanctification, daily. 431 00:21:30,500 --> 00:21:33,633 Continual confession of sin, 432 00:21:33,633 --> 00:21:37,033 both individual sins and general, is 433 00:21:37,033 --> 00:21:41,099 a strong evidence of salvation in a believer's lie. 434 00:21:41,233 --> 00:21:44,400 This really does demonstrate, when 435 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:47,466 you do this, when this is your practice, how sin no 436 00:21:47,466 --> 00:21:50,033 longer does have dominion over us anymore. 437 00:21:50,099 --> 00:21:53,466 If you're confessing and acknowledging that, every day. 438 00:21:53,533 --> 00:21:56,666 And here in 1 John 1, 9, the idea of our confessing 439 00:21:56,666 --> 00:21:59,766 sin and God being faithful to forgive us, 440 00:21:59,766 --> 00:22:03,000 the verbiage there, the wording there is this idea of 441 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:04,066 continuous. 442 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:07,333 Continual, Confessing, 443 00:22:07,333 --> 00:22:10,500 and continual, cleansing, and forgiving 444 00:22:10,500 --> 00:22:12,900 all of our life by God. 445 00:22:12,966 --> 00:22:16,566 That is a major aspect of our sanctification. 446 00:22:16,700 --> 00:22:19,766 And that's why, again, always, we 447 00:22:19,766 --> 00:22:22,799 should daily be 448 00:22:22,799 --> 00:22:25,799 confessing our sins in order, you've heard me 449 00:22:25,799 --> 00:22:29,099 say this many times, in order to get that daily temporal 450 00:22:29,099 --> 00:22:32,099 forgiveness that is rooted and grounded in the 451 00:22:32,099 --> 00:22:35,166 judicial, positional forgiveness of Christ, our king, 452 00:22:35,166 --> 00:22:37,033 where all our sins have been forgiven. 453 00:22:37,099 --> 00:22:37,933 Are you getting this? 454 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:40,766 I mean, this is important for you to understand. 455 00:22:41,766 --> 00:22:45,599 The absolute gospel greatness 456 00:22:45,599 --> 00:22:49,799 of this reality, when understood properly, 457 00:22:49,799 --> 00:22:56,400 is that for Christians, we can never have 458 00:22:56,400 --> 00:23:00,533 not even one sin charged to our account. 459 00:23:02,599 --> 00:23:04,533 Look at Romans 8:33. 460 00:23:04,700 --> 00:23:07,866 Who will bring a charge against 461 00:23:07,866 --> 00:23:10,200 God's elect? 462 00:23:10,266 --> 00:23:13,200 Answer, nobody, ever. 463 00:23:13,333 --> 00:23:15,500 I just read it to you earlier. 464 00:23:15,533 --> 00:23:17,333 There's now no condemnation. 465 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:19,633 for those who are in Christ Jesus. 466 00:23:19,700 --> 00:23:22,799 The substitutionary atonement of Christ on 467 00:23:22,799 --> 00:23:25,866 the cross for all the sins of all believers, for all time, was 468 00:23:25,866 --> 00:23:28,933 absolutely, totally, infinitely sufficient. 469 00:23:28,933 --> 00:23:32,633 No other payments are actions of 470 00:23:32,633 --> 00:23:34,500 any kind need to be made again. 471 00:23:34,633 --> 00:23:37,933 Jesus paid it all. 472 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:39,733 There's no amount of works. 473 00:23:39,833 --> 00:23:42,900 There's no amount of suffering, there's no amount of 474 00:23:42,900 --> 00:23:46,333 some imaginary place where you go to be purged for your sin. 475 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:49,433 No amount of nothing adds to the perfect, sufficient 476 00:23:49,433 --> 00:23:50,866 work of Christ. 477 00:23:50,933 --> 00:23:53,500 His work alone is sufficient. 478 00:23:53,633 --> 00:23:56,466 But during our life. 479 00:23:56,599 --> 00:23:59,666 In this process of sanctification, where 480 00:23:59,666 --> 00:24:02,700 God is conforming us to the image of Christ, he has 481 00:24:02,700 --> 00:24:05,933 ordained this battle for us with 482 00:24:05,933 --> 00:24:07,799 sin every day. 483 00:24:07,866 --> 00:24:11,700 There is this constant daily, 484 00:24:11,700 --> 00:24:14,700 purging, and struggle, and confessing, 485 00:24:14,700 --> 00:24:15,733 and forgiving. 486 00:24:15,833 --> 00:24:17,633 That's the Christian life. 487 00:24:17,766 --> 00:24:20,533 Again, John MacArthur writes this. 488 00:24:20,599 --> 00:24:23,766 It's like Jesus said to Peter, You have a bath one 489 00:24:23,766 --> 00:24:26,633 time, and then the rest of your life you just get your feet washed. 490 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:30,066 The Lord bathes you, he says, as 491 00:24:30,066 --> 00:24:33,366 it were, at salvation, and dust off your feet with his cleansing 492 00:24:33,366 --> 00:24:34,500 day by day by day. 493 00:24:34,633 --> 00:24:35,299 by day, by day. 494 00:24:35,333 --> 00:24:38,333 So, must get 495 00:24:38,333 --> 00:24:39,400 our bearing straight. 496 00:24:39,500 --> 00:24:41,833 We have the past aspect. 497 00:24:42,366 --> 00:24:42,533 Okay? 498 00:24:42,599 --> 00:24:44,166 We have been, say. 499 00:24:44,299 --> 00:24:48,366 Right now we're living in the present aspect. 500 00:24:48,500 --> 00:24:51,200 We are being saved. 501 00:24:51,299 --> 00:24:54,433 I have been saved from the penalty of sin. 502 00:24:54,500 --> 00:24:57,799 Right now, I am being saved from 503 00:24:57,799 --> 00:25:00,799 the dominating power of sin, and don't forget what 504 00:25:00,799 --> 00:25:02,533 the end of Hebrew 7.25. 505 00:25:02,833 --> 00:25:06,666 speaking of Jesus, what he's doing right now for all believers, 506 00:25:06,666 --> 00:25:09,833 since he always lives to 507 00:25:09,833 --> 00:25:11,200 make intercession for them. 508 00:25:12,133 --> 00:25:15,299 We are being saved right now 509 00:25:15,299 --> 00:25:18,533 in this constant continual cleansing and 510 00:25:18,533 --> 00:25:21,166 intercession that Jesus makes for us. 511 00:25:21,233 --> 00:25:22,900 Look at Romans 5.10. 512 00:25:23,700 --> 00:25:27,433 For if, while we were enemies, 513 00:25:27,433 --> 00:25:30,599 we were reconciled to God through the death of 514 00:25:30,599 --> 00:25:34,333 his son, much more having 515 00:25:34,333 --> 00:25:37,400 been reconciled, we 516 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:40,833 shall be saved by his life. 517 00:25:40,866 --> 00:25:44,033 Now that we have been saved, Jesus can 518 00:25:44,033 --> 00:25:47,633 keep us saved by his continuous, 519 00:25:47,633 --> 00:25:49,566 living, intercessing power. 520 00:25:50,333 --> 00:25:53,566 So, we have been saying, 521 00:25:53,599 --> 00:25:56,599 We are being saved, oh, but 522 00:25:56,599 --> 00:25:59,533 lastly, there's a future aspect here. 523 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:03,066 The penalty of sin has been dealt with. 524 00:26:03,500 --> 00:26:06,833 The power of sin no longer has total 525 00:26:06,833 --> 00:26:10,066 dominion over us, and is being dealt with, right 526 00:26:10,099 --> 00:26:13,533 now, in the process of sanctification by 527 00:26:13,533 --> 00:26:17,033 our faithful redeemer and the work of the Holy Spirit, but the best part. 528 00:26:17,533 --> 00:26:20,700 Now, these three aspects of salvation is 529 00:26:20,700 --> 00:26:21,733 what we're going to look at today. 530 00:26:21,799 --> 00:26:26,099 The biblical reality that one day, we 531 00:26:26,099 --> 00:26:29,233 will be completely saved from the very 532 00:26:29,233 --> 00:26:31,033 presence of sin. 533 00:26:31,133 --> 00:26:34,000 Look at 1 John, 3 2. 534 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:37,799 Beloved, now we are children of God. 535 00:26:38,166 --> 00:26:41,299 And it has not appeared as yet 536 00:26:41,299 --> 00:26:42,799 what we will be. 537 00:26:43,099 --> 00:26:46,266 We know that when 538 00:26:46,266 --> 00:26:49,733 he appears, we will be 539 00:26:49,733 --> 00:26:52,000 Him. 540 00:26:52,133 --> 00:26:54,599 Because we will see him. 541 00:26:54,833 --> 00:26:57,533 Just as he is. 542 00:26:57,599 --> 00:27:00,900 And he is sinless, 543 00:27:00,900 --> 00:27:03,966 spotless, without flaw, or 544 00:27:03,966 --> 00:27:07,133 blemish, and incredibly, John says 545 00:27:07,133 --> 00:27:11,500 right here, we will be like him. 546 00:27:14,633 --> 00:27:17,633 Church, this will be the highest 547 00:27:17,633 --> 00:27:20,933 plane of existence that a human being can 548 00:27:20,933 --> 00:27:21,966 exist in. 549 00:27:22,133 --> 00:27:25,500 Not only will you not have the presence of sin, 550 00:27:25,500 --> 00:27:29,566 you will not even have an inclination to sin ever, but... 551 00:27:30,666 --> 00:27:34,200 I mean, I 552 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:37,500 can't take words to describe how you 553 00:27:37,500 --> 00:27:39,433 and I can't even wrap our minds around that. 554 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:42,966 The totality of it. 555 00:27:43,099 --> 00:27:47,366 So, salvation has happened. 556 00:27:47,466 --> 00:27:50,533 Salvation is happening. 557 00:27:50,633 --> 00:27:52,299 Salvation will happen. 558 00:27:52,433 --> 00:27:55,733 This is why understanding the 559 00:27:55,733 --> 00:27:58,200 fundamental doctrines, and that's all this is. 560 00:27:58,266 --> 00:28:02,233 The fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith is so important. 561 00:28:02,299 --> 00:28:04,266 For example, has happened. 562 00:28:04,333 --> 00:28:07,166 That's the doctrine of justification, is happening. 563 00:28:07,200 --> 00:28:08,566 That's the doctrine of sanctification. 564 00:28:08,633 --> 00:28:12,000 will happen, that's the doctrine of glorification. 565 00:28:12,133 --> 00:28:14,400 Every Christian should understand that. 566 00:28:14,900 --> 00:28:18,066 Those three aspects are the heart and 567 00:28:18,066 --> 00:28:21,799 soul of the meaning of salvation past, present, and future. 568 00:28:22,333 --> 00:28:25,400 And it is that future 569 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:30,033 aspect, that can help us tremendously. 570 00:28:30,233 --> 00:28:33,233 To be able to handle whatever God 571 00:28:33,233 --> 00:28:37,000 has ordained for our lives for our spiritual growth. 572 00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:40,500 We can handle the 573 00:28:40,500 --> 00:28:43,500 pain and the adversity, if 574 00:28:43,500 --> 00:28:46,566 that's what God has for us, when we know 575 00:28:46,566 --> 00:28:48,200 there is a finish line. 576 00:28:49,433 --> 00:28:52,666 And a finish line that 577 00:28:52,700 --> 00:28:55,866 is infinitely greater than any thing 578 00:28:55,866 --> 00:28:57,433 we can possibly imagine. 579 00:28:57,500 --> 00:28:58,833 And I don't know about you. 580 00:28:58,833 --> 00:29:02,033 But 581 00:29:02,033 --> 00:29:05,200 the closer I get to the finish line, the more I 582 00:29:05,233 --> 00:29:06,266 want to fight in the war. 583 00:29:07,033 --> 00:29:10,099 The more I want to be diligent, 584 00:29:10,099 --> 00:29:13,166 to focus on 585 00:29:13,166 --> 00:29:16,299 finishing well, because the 586 00:29:16,333 --> 00:29:19,799 finishing line is getting closer and closer, with 587 00:29:19,799 --> 00:29:22,666 every single year, that goes by. 588 00:29:22,733 --> 00:29:24,366 Look at Romans 8:24. 589 00:29:24,966 --> 00:29:27,966 Or, in hope, 590 00:29:27,966 --> 00:29:31,433 we have been saying, biblical hope. 591 00:29:31,500 --> 00:29:32,266 What is that? 592 00:29:32,333 --> 00:29:35,400 steadfast certainty of this 593 00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:38,166 fantastic future reality is biblical hope. 594 00:29:38,233 --> 00:29:39,000 It's not wishful thinking. 595 00:29:39,133 --> 00:29:39,966 Imagine. 596 00:29:40,099 --> 00:29:41,366 Just imagine. 597 00:29:41,366 --> 00:29:45,466 If you had to go on struggling 598 00:29:45,500 --> 00:29:48,733 with the world and the flesh and the devil forever. 599 00:29:48,733 --> 00:29:51,266 Just imagine that. 600 00:29:51,366 --> 00:29:53,599 There'd be no hope in that. 601 00:29:54,433 --> 00:29:57,666 That would be nothing but eternal 602 00:29:57,666 --> 00:30:00,000 despair, right? 603 00:30:00,299 --> 00:30:03,366 That's why having a firm grasp 604 00:30:03,366 --> 00:30:06,599 on this future aspect 605 00:30:06,599 --> 00:30:09,233 of salvation is so important for every Christian. 606 00:30:09,299 --> 00:30:10,633 There is a goal. 607 00:30:11,766 --> 00:30:15,000 There is an end to this warfare. 608 00:30:15,066 --> 00:30:18,200 There is a finish line for us, 609 00:30:18,200 --> 00:30:21,200 and that is exactly what 610 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:24,566 Ephesians chapter 6 here, verse 17, 611 00:30:24,566 --> 00:30:28,366 is saying that the helmet of salvation is. 612 00:30:28,633 --> 00:30:32,066 And let me show you, a 613 00:30:32,066 --> 00:30:36,233 comparative verse to prove that to you, in 1 Thessalonians 5.8. 614 00:30:36,500 --> 00:30:39,566 It says, But 615 00:30:39,566 --> 00:30:42,766 since we are of the day, meaning we're not of the night, that's 616 00:30:42,799 --> 00:30:44,433 the enemy's dominion is the light. 617 00:30:44,466 --> 00:30:47,166 We're sons of the day, sons of light, sons of God's kingdom. 618 00:30:47,233 --> 00:30:50,700 Since we are of the day, let us be sober, having 619 00:30:50,700 --> 00:30:53,866 put on the breastplate of faith and love, and 620 00:30:53,900 --> 00:30:56,933 as a helmet, the hope 621 00:30:56,933 --> 00:30:59,633 of salvation, verse 9. 622 00:30:59,700 --> 00:31:02,833 For God has not appointed us for wrath, but for obtaining 623 00:31:02,833 --> 00:31:06,366 salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 624 00:31:06,433 --> 00:31:09,666 There's still an element of salvation for us to obtain 625 00:31:09,666 --> 00:31:11,400 as the future element. 626 00:31:11,466 --> 00:31:12,500 That's the helmet. 627 00:31:12,900 --> 00:31:16,200 The certain hope of the final full 628 00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:19,366 completion of salvation in glorification. 629 00:31:19,433 --> 00:31:22,900 That's the helmet, the writer of Hebrew says, this hope, 630 00:31:22,933 --> 00:31:25,700 is the anchor of the soul. 631 00:31:26,333 --> 00:31:29,700 So what is the helmet of salvation here 632 00:31:29,700 --> 00:31:30,900 in our text for today? 633 00:31:30,900 --> 00:31:33,966 It is complete confidence in 634 00:31:33,966 --> 00:31:37,133 a full, final, total salvation 635 00:31:37,133 --> 00:31:41,033 to come, absolutely no presence of sin for any of us. 636 00:31:41,633 --> 00:31:44,799 It's this great confidence that we are 637 00:31:44,833 --> 00:31:48,666 to have, empowered by the Holy Spirit, taught to us in 638 00:31:48,666 --> 00:31:51,799 the Word of God, that someday this battle will 639 00:31:51,799 --> 00:31:52,833 be done. 640 00:31:52,933 --> 00:31:54,500 It'll be over. 641 00:31:55,400 --> 00:31:58,833 So now let's go further into 642 00:31:58,833 --> 00:32:02,700 how this is part of the armor. 643 00:32:02,766 --> 00:32:06,299 You remember back, I told you, there 644 00:32:06,299 --> 00:32:10,066 were two different swords, the short sword, and the big, broad sword, 645 00:32:10,099 --> 00:32:13,233 that the Roman soldier had, and he also 646 00:32:13,233 --> 00:32:16,366 had to deal with in battle, that's big, long, broad sword. 647 00:32:16,433 --> 00:32:19,666 Well, Satan's big broad sword, like 648 00:32:19,700 --> 00:32:21,733 the soldiers, has two sides to it. 649 00:32:21,799 --> 00:32:23,599 So double edged blade. 650 00:32:23,833 --> 00:32:27,299 One side is discouragement 651 00:32:27,299 --> 00:32:28,633 of that blade. 652 00:32:28,700 --> 00:32:31,833 The other side is doubt. 653 00:32:32,400 --> 00:32:36,133 And boy, is he good at discouragement? 654 00:32:36,200 --> 00:32:39,200 Like, think about it. 655 00:32:39,433 --> 00:32:42,000 Man, you sure are given a lot. 656 00:32:43,633 --> 00:32:46,733 I mean, you really are pouring it in this Christian 657 00:32:46,733 --> 00:32:48,966 life and you sure aren't getting much in return. 658 00:32:49,033 --> 00:32:50,299 Hmm? 659 00:32:50,333 --> 00:32:52,900 You're striving to live the Christian life. 660 00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:56,333 You're really making strides and serving, 661 00:32:56,333 --> 00:32:59,466 and studying your Bible, and trying to 662 00:32:59,466 --> 00:33:03,366 live a godly life, and... you just lost your job. 663 00:33:03,500 --> 00:33:04,566 Hmm. 664 00:33:05,033 --> 00:33:07,366 Some blessing that is for you. 665 00:33:07,500 --> 00:33:10,333 What's what's he doing in your life? 666 00:33:10,700 --> 00:33:13,766 You've been reading your Bible every day, and your 667 00:33:13,766 --> 00:33:16,900 wife is just as ornery as she ever was when you picked up 668 00:33:16,933 --> 00:33:17,966 the first page and read it. 669 00:33:18,500 --> 00:33:20,466 What's God up to? 670 00:33:20,599 --> 00:33:22,033 With you? 671 00:33:23,033 --> 00:33:25,799 You've been going to church all these years. 672 00:33:26,033 --> 00:33:27,766 Look at your kids. 673 00:33:28,200 --> 00:33:31,333 They don't respect you now any more than they ever did. 674 00:33:31,866 --> 00:33:35,466 I mean, I could go on, and 675 00:33:35,466 --> 00:33:38,633 on, and on, with 676 00:33:38,633 --> 00:33:41,933 this side of the blade that Satan cast that broad 677 00:33:41,933 --> 00:33:45,466 sword of discouragement in them, and you start to get discouraged. 678 00:33:46,566 --> 00:33:49,700 And striving to live the Christian life 679 00:33:49,700 --> 00:33:52,833 as it's laid out and defined for us in the Bible. 680 00:33:52,933 --> 00:33:54,433 And then, you know what Satan does? 681 00:33:54,500 --> 00:33:58,400 He flips that sword over to the other blades, other side of the blade, the doubt side. 682 00:33:59,533 --> 00:34:01,766 You really think you're a Christian? 683 00:34:02,400 --> 00:34:04,366 Look at what you just did. 684 00:34:05,933 --> 00:34:08,466 Listen to what you just said. 685 00:34:08,533 --> 00:34:11,166 Listen to what just came out of your mouth. 686 00:34:11,233 --> 00:34:14,366 Do you really think that's the manifestation? 687 00:34:14,400 --> 00:34:15,766 of being a Christian? 688 00:34:16,266 --> 00:34:19,733 So discouragement, doubt, 689 00:34:19,733 --> 00:34:21,366 assails us. 690 00:34:21,500 --> 00:34:24,833 all the time, and they're tough to 691 00:34:24,833 --> 00:34:27,966 deal with on this mortal coil, 692 00:34:27,966 --> 00:34:31,733 as we are battling every day, the world of flesh, and the devil. 693 00:34:31,866 --> 00:34:35,599 And the helmet of salvation is 694 00:34:35,599 --> 00:34:38,599 just what we need for protection 695 00:34:38,599 --> 00:34:42,633 against the enemy's broadsword blows. 696 00:34:42,733 --> 00:34:45,733 Discouragement and doubt can definitely have a major 697 00:34:45,733 --> 00:34:47,599 effect on us when we are serving the Lord. 698 00:34:47,633 --> 00:34:48,666 No doubt. 699 00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:51,800 But we have to remember verses like Galatians chapter 700 00:34:51,800 --> 00:34:55,199 6, and verse number 9, let us not 701 00:34:55,199 --> 00:34:58,333 lose heart in doing good, for in due 702 00:34:58,333 --> 00:35:01,400 time, we will reap if we do 703 00:35:01,400 --> 00:35:03,199 not grow weary. 704 00:35:04,866 --> 00:35:06,599 Let me tell you. 705 00:35:07,033 --> 00:35:09,000 Satan never gets weary. 706 00:35:09,966 --> 00:35:12,199 He never gets tired. 707 00:35:12,300 --> 00:35:13,500 Ever. 708 00:35:15,133 --> 00:35:18,733 I don't know about you, but that reality motivates 709 00:35:18,733 --> 00:35:21,366 me to work harder for my king. 710 00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:24,800 Matthew Arnold wrote, For now, in 711 00:35:24,800 --> 00:35:27,933 blood and battle was my youth, and full of 712 00:35:27,933 --> 00:35:31,433 blood and battle is my age, and I shall end this 713 00:35:31,433 --> 00:35:32,800 life in battle. 714 00:35:33,199 --> 00:35:35,433 Listen to me, Christian. 715 00:35:35,533 --> 00:35:37,466 It never stops. 716 00:35:39,233 --> 00:35:41,033 Not in this life. 717 00:35:41,333 --> 00:35:43,266 You better understand. 718 00:35:43,333 --> 00:35:47,466 We will fight this foe all of our life. 719 00:35:48,366 --> 00:35:52,333 And I refuse to be a punk in this battle. 720 00:35:53,466 --> 00:35:56,533 As John Piper once said, I refuse to 721 00:35:56,533 --> 00:35:58,333 be irrelevant in the kingdom. 722 00:35:59,533 --> 00:36:03,666 Some preacher once said, when I die, I 723 00:36:03,666 --> 00:36:05,033 want all of hell to throw a party. 724 00:36:05,099 --> 00:36:07,633 and say we sure are glad he's gone. 725 00:36:07,733 --> 00:36:10,000 That's what I want to have happen. 726 00:36:10,133 --> 00:36:12,400 When Paul came to the end of his life, 727 00:36:12,500 --> 00:36:16,166 Look what he said in 2 Timothy 4:7, I have fought the good fight. 728 00:36:16,633 --> 00:36:19,199 I have finished the course. 729 00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:22,633 I have kept the faith. 730 00:36:22,699 --> 00:36:23,733 I pray all the time. 731 00:36:23,766 --> 00:36:26,766 God, please, please, grant me the grace to finish well. 732 00:36:26,900 --> 00:36:27,266 Please. 733 00:36:27,666 --> 00:36:30,300 Please grant me the grace to finish strong. 734 00:36:30,433 --> 00:36:33,966 Like Huey Moch, ate up with cancer, 80 735 00:36:33,966 --> 00:36:37,333 years old, while taking chemo, still preaching. 736 00:36:37,433 --> 00:36:38,933 Never complaining. 737 00:36:39,433 --> 00:36:40,933 Never! 738 00:36:41,000 --> 00:36:43,766 Even when he had to sit in a chair to get it done. 739 00:36:43,800 --> 00:36:45,433 All the way to the end. 740 00:36:46,033 --> 00:36:49,500 Serving the king, folks, is never gonna be easy. 741 00:36:50,033 --> 00:36:53,699 Living the Christian life is never gonna be easy. 742 00:36:53,766 --> 00:36:55,433 Get used to it. 743 00:36:56,333 --> 00:36:58,800 You're going to have close family members. 744 00:36:58,933 --> 00:37:00,433 You're going to have kids. 745 00:37:00,533 --> 00:37:03,533 You're going to have grandkids who refuse to 746 00:37:03,533 --> 00:37:05,333 bow the need to King Jesus, every day. 747 00:37:05,900 --> 00:37:07,933 You got to keep praying. 748 00:37:08,000 --> 00:37:09,666 That's what Brother Ed taught us this morning. 749 00:37:09,733 --> 00:37:11,233 You can't give up. 750 00:37:11,333 --> 00:37:14,400 You may have physical ailments that just 751 00:37:14,400 --> 00:37:17,033 grind you down to powder right now. 752 00:37:17,099 --> 00:37:19,133 All manner of adversity. 753 00:37:19,199 --> 00:37:20,033 Guess what? 754 00:37:20,166 --> 00:37:23,466 That is what God is using to 755 00:37:23,466 --> 00:37:26,533 conform us to the image of Christ. 756 00:37:26,599 --> 00:37:28,099 And that's why it's so important. 757 00:37:28,199 --> 00:37:31,266 You've got to keep this helmet of salvation 758 00:37:31,266 --> 00:37:34,633 on strapped down tight. 759 00:37:34,699 --> 00:37:38,233 This great 3rd aspect of salvation, 760 00:37:38,233 --> 00:37:40,333 that glorification that is coming. 761 00:37:40,400 --> 00:37:43,699 It's guaranteed by God himself in his word. 762 00:37:43,733 --> 00:37:46,599 It's promised to us by Jesus himself. 763 00:37:46,699 --> 00:37:49,566 Look what he said in John 14, one through three. 764 00:37:49,633 --> 00:37:52,699 Do not let your heart be troubled. 765 00:37:52,933 --> 00:37:54,900 Believe in God. 766 00:37:55,099 --> 00:37:57,433 Believe also in me. 767 00:37:57,500 --> 00:38:00,366 In my father's house are many dwelling places. 768 00:38:00,366 --> 00:38:03,666 If it were not so, I would have told you, for I go 769 00:38:03,666 --> 00:38:05,900 to prepare a place for you. 770 00:38:05,933 --> 00:38:08,933 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I 771 00:38:08,933 --> 00:38:12,099 will come again and receive you to myself, where 772 00:38:12,133 --> 00:38:15,266 I am, there you may be also. 773 00:38:15,366 --> 00:38:18,366 That is an absolutely unbreakable promise. 774 00:38:19,266 --> 00:38:21,066 Speaking of Jesus. 775 00:38:21,366 --> 00:38:23,633 Luke 181. 776 00:38:23,900 --> 00:38:24,366 says. 777 00:38:24,533 --> 00:38:26,933 Now, he was telling them a parable. 778 00:38:27,500 --> 00:38:31,333 to show that at all times, 779 00:38:31,333 --> 00:38:34,933 we ought to pray, not 780 00:38:34,933 --> 00:38:36,733 to lose heart. 781 00:38:36,800 --> 00:38:39,733 When you start losing heart, pray! 782 00:38:39,833 --> 00:38:41,933 And then get back in the game. 783 00:38:42,300 --> 00:38:44,400 Get back on the battlefield. 784 00:38:44,466 --> 00:38:48,433 Turn on that helmet of salvation, and 785 00:38:48,433 --> 00:38:51,066 think about what's in store for you right around the corner. 786 00:38:52,199 --> 00:38:55,266 Hebrews 12/4 says, You 787 00:38:55,266 --> 00:38:58,733 have not yet resisted to the point of shedding 788 00:38:58,733 --> 00:39:00,699 blood and you're striving against sin. 789 00:39:02,000 --> 00:39:03,866 Hang in there. 790 00:39:03,900 --> 00:39:06,599 Put your armor on, and fight. 791 00:39:06,666 --> 00:39:07,933 That's what that means. 792 00:39:08,233 --> 00:39:11,300 Just get used to the fact that the 793 00:39:11,300 --> 00:39:14,333 enemy will always, always, every 794 00:39:14,333 --> 00:39:17,333 day be swinging that broadsword of discouragement, and doubt. 795 00:39:18,199 --> 00:39:19,933 On the regular. 796 00:39:20,633 --> 00:39:22,366 He's slick. 797 00:39:23,099 --> 00:39:27,533 He whispers things like, oh, nobody listen to you. 798 00:39:28,633 --> 00:39:30,866 Look all this work you're doing. 799 00:39:30,900 --> 00:39:33,599 Look how pitiful these results are. 800 00:39:33,666 --> 00:39:34,866 What's wrong with you, dude? 801 00:39:35,333 --> 00:39:38,633 Again, the helmet 802 00:39:38,633 --> 00:39:41,866 of salvation, protects us from giving 803 00:39:41,900 --> 00:39:44,933 up, protects 804 00:39:44,933 --> 00:39:46,300 us from growing weary. 805 00:39:46,400 --> 00:39:46,833 Why? 806 00:39:46,866 --> 00:39:49,933 Because we have a guaranteed hope 807 00:39:49,933 --> 00:39:53,000 and our hope is that there is a light at the 808 00:39:53,000 --> 00:39:54,033 end of this tunnel we're in. 809 00:39:54,800 --> 00:39:56,466 And one day. 810 00:39:56,599 --> 00:39:58,166 Very soon. 811 00:39:58,866 --> 00:40:00,599 Sooner than we think. 812 00:40:00,733 --> 00:40:04,933 Each of us is going to break through the veil one at a time. 813 00:40:05,699 --> 00:40:09,733 We are going to swim across the 814 00:40:09,733 --> 00:40:13,099 chilly waters, of the Jordan River in death, 815 00:40:13,099 --> 00:40:16,266 and immediately break into the glorious 816 00:40:16,266 --> 00:40:19,400 light of the very presence of 817 00:40:19,400 --> 00:40:20,433 the King of Kings. 818 00:40:20,833 --> 00:40:23,166 That's the helmet of salvation. 819 00:40:23,400 --> 00:40:27,066 And I don't know about you, but I absolutely 820 00:40:27,066 --> 00:40:30,199 do not want to have my 821 00:40:30,199 --> 00:40:33,199 first appearance in front of my commanding 822 00:40:33,199 --> 00:40:36,433 officer in this army, having quit in the middle of the battle. 823 00:40:37,433 --> 00:40:40,800 I prefer for my first audience 824 00:40:40,800 --> 00:40:44,400 with the king to be bruised and bleeding, 825 00:40:44,400 --> 00:40:47,466 having fought the good fight all the way 826 00:40:47,466 --> 00:40:48,833 to the very last breath. 827 00:40:48,966 --> 00:40:50,166 That's what I prefer. 828 00:40:50,400 --> 00:40:53,866 Isaiah 40, verse 29 829 00:40:53,900 --> 00:40:55,533 gives us some tremendous promise. 830 00:40:55,633 --> 00:40:58,866 He gives strength to the weary. 831 00:40:59,000 --> 00:41:02,000 And to him who lacks might, he 832 00:41:02,000 --> 00:41:03,800 increases power. 833 00:41:04,433 --> 00:41:07,966 Just when you get to the place where you are about to give out. 834 00:41:08,599 --> 00:41:12,333 He gives you strength, if you're faithful. 835 00:41:12,366 --> 00:41:14,166 He gives you power. 836 00:41:14,233 --> 00:41:15,366 It's a promise. 837 00:41:15,500 --> 00:41:18,666 Look at Isaiah 40, verse 31, 838 00:41:18,733 --> 00:41:22,033 Yet those who wait for the Lord, will 839 00:41:22,033 --> 00:41:25,033 gain new strength, and will mount up with 840 00:41:25,033 --> 00:41:26,066 wings like eagles. 841 00:41:26,099 --> 00:41:28,433 They will run and not get tired. 842 00:41:28,500 --> 00:41:30,900 They will walk and not become weary. 843 00:41:31,033 --> 00:41:32,666 Don't be discouraged. 844 00:41:32,699 --> 00:41:37,266 You, Christian, have the helmet of salvation. 845 00:41:37,333 --> 00:41:38,366 And guess what's great? 846 00:41:38,400 --> 00:41:39,900 You can put it on any time you want. 847 00:41:40,133 --> 00:41:43,366 Daytime, nighttime, in the night watch. 848 00:41:43,433 --> 00:41:44,866 You can put it on. 849 00:41:44,933 --> 00:41:47,266 So salvation is passed. 850 00:41:47,333 --> 00:41:49,266 in our justification. 851 00:41:49,633 --> 00:41:53,966 Salvation is present, and our sanctification. 852 00:41:54,500 --> 00:41:57,733 Thank God almighty, 853 00:41:57,733 --> 00:42:00,133 salvation is future one day. 854 00:42:00,433 --> 00:42:02,400 Our glorification. 855 00:42:02,533 --> 00:42:03,733 Let's pray. 856 00:42:03,800 --> 00:42:05,166 By the way, thank you. 857 00:42:06,833 --> 00:42:10,199 Words are not enough to thank you. 858 00:42:10,866 --> 00:42:14,633 For this great reality of salvation. 859 00:42:14,699 --> 00:42:17,833 So, I pray that your people 860 00:42:17,833 --> 00:42:21,199 would, would soak in the 861 00:42:21,199 --> 00:42:24,900 Word preach today, and 862 00:42:24,900 --> 00:42:28,199 be motivated to not 863 00:42:28,199 --> 00:42:31,866 only say thank you for salvation, but to be 864 00:42:31,866 --> 00:42:34,866 motivated, to live a life 865 00:42:34,866 --> 00:42:38,400 expressing Thanksgiving for 866 00:42:38,400 --> 00:42:41,633 salvation, by keeping this helmet on. 867 00:42:42,233 --> 00:42:45,233 and looking to our great future hope, which 868 00:42:45,233 --> 00:42:48,300 is guaranteed, and how we thank 869 00:42:48,300 --> 00:42:51,300 you for Jesus, who is 870 00:42:51,300 --> 00:42:54,833 the only way it could have possibly been made possible through 871 00:42:54,833 --> 00:42:58,266 his substitutionary atonement on the tree. 872 00:42:58,333 --> 00:43:02,400 We pray that all we've done here today has brought you glory. 873 00:43:02,400 --> 00:43:03,900 In Jesus' name, we pray. 874 00:43:03,966 --> 00:43:04,733 Amen.