The Believer's Armor, Part 6: The Helmet of Salvation, Part 2 B

The helmet of salvation is that if you have a past salvation.

You also have a future one right because there's no other kind of salvation seen in the Bible, but the fullest of that which involves justification and sanctification glorification justify justify horrified, as if uncertainty and doubt. How does it work. Here's an example salesman criticizes a rival company trying to make you uncertain, doubtful, even fearful to buy that company's product. Of course those tactics are not restricted to the business world.

If you are a Christian and have ever worried about your eternal destiny. Maybe today your questioning whether your truly saved. Satan might be using this FUD technique on you. Thankfully you have what you need to overcome those ploys. God's given you the helmet of salvation. It's a key piece of the believer's armor. That's the title of John MacArthur study here on Grace to you and now with the lesson.

Here's John helmet of salvation is not something dealing with the past. It's not something even dealing with the present sense is something dealing with the future and this is what you say you can be sure of your salvation in the future and that becomes a protection against the broadsword that Satan wheeled look at second Corinthians chapter 4 second transients chapter 4 verse six God commanded the light to shine out of darkness, as shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ and what that verse means is that God has made us the lights of the world God has put Christ in our hearts to radiate him to the world and therefore verse seven says we have this treasure what is the treasure it's the light of God, the light of Christ in our lives we have in these earthen vessels. These bodies and the excellency of the powers of God, not us.

We have divine power in the indwelling Christ. What happens right.

We take Christ to the world we got the power and the light is there. Remove one of the results verse eight we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed. We are perplexed, not in despair, we are persecuted, but not forsaken.

We are cast down, but not destroyed. We are always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus in verse 11 we live are always delivered him to death for Jesus sake.

I like these is.

Here's how it is to minister for crack great career to go into right everywhere I go, distress, persecution, cast down, bearing in our body the dying of the Lord always on the edge of death. Somebody always wanted to take our lives. This is how we live day in day out confronting a godless hostile world. You might say well why do you bother Paul why he verse 14 tells why knowing that he who raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus Ellis.

The thing that sustained Paul in the level of commitment that he had was that Sunday would be raised with Christ you see, so that the future dimension of salvation becomes a powerful force in the living of life right now. You know I'm a stand face-to-face with Jesus Christ. I'm a stand face-to-face with a record of what I've done to serve him and I love them enough, and I have enough desire to know the fullness of eternal life and all that it can give to want to give everything I can give as long as God gives me breath in this little tiny veil of tears. This little life that only as a vapor that appears for a little time and vanishes away. I want to maximize these few short years so that I can experience the flawless of glorification eternity with Christ forever.

And the reason I don't want to grow weary in well doing this because I know that I'll reap a glorious reward if I faint not. That's the helmet of salvation. So when Satan comes against me was to discourage me and tells me want to quit preaching for a while and rest while you take some time off. I don't get so much study and I just think of a few things tell funny stories. They'll never know the difference just have an easy time of I get sometimes distressed with the things that I even work hard at insane designs very discouraging to minister people appreciate you, you know the church is in the way you want to be your it's not doing the things you want to do. You know, just give up and you hang in there because you know that coronation day is coming, you know that Dave accountabilities coming ill that day would be like Jesus Christ and you want to maximize all that that can be for all return.

That's what move Paula us without a move us. He said I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. Why, because henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge to give to me you not to me only, but to all them that love is a very I do it because I know and so when Satan comes with the sword of discouragement and the edge of discouragement against our our lives. We hold fast and we are protected by the confidence that the salvation God promised will come to pass as a second and that is that Satan has another edge on his sword is in discouragement. It's doubt and maybe doubt is the ultimate discouragement.

You know that Satan wants you to doubt your salvation or he's really good at that. Most people suffer from that at some point in the Christian life.

Early on will grow in the Lord to get to the place where you perhaps don't. Although none of us is totally invulnerable to Satan's temptations along that line. But Satan wants to come just after you've done something sinful and say you not, you're not a Christian you couldn't be a Christian. Why would a lot ever save you. You'll never make you're not good enough you don't deserve to be say how do you know you meant it when you did it better try again see if it works any better. Satan really comes after people in that area and there are people you know who go to certain churches that teach you can lose your salvation. They live in constant was that you believe in eternal security. In a sense that's what the Bible is saying here. The one thing I don't believe his eternal insecurity, but there are some people to live in all things live in a constant state of insecure and some people are told you'll never know whether you've made it until you face the Lord will can you imagine living that way all your life will see my going to make it all getting close to my what a horrible exist to be anything but these things are written unto you, that your joy may be full. You have to say the New Testament would say these things are written on here that you might be miserable. You could never be happy knowing that that kind of thing was a guessing game. Then there are other people think of times and you lose your salvation.

Satan wants us to be afraid we don't have salvation. He wants us to doubt salvation. You know why because he wants us to doubt the promise of God.

He wants us to believe God doesn't keep his word. He wants us to believe that salvation is a forever, but God can't hold onto us. He wants us to deny God's power to deny God's resource to deny that God can hold us to deny that God speaks the truth and all of these things are simply denials of that and so Satan comes against us, make us doubt I will react to that helmet of salvation is that if you have a past salvation rather sister. If you have a past salvation. You also have a future one right because there's no other time what the full list of that which involves justification and sanctification glorification.

McCauley justified me justifying glorified nobody in the gaps. Initially this is we go backwards in the Bible to John chapter 6, very, very important passage in verse 37 all that the father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

What the Lord says if you come to him, he will in no wise cast you out in no wise means.

Under no circumstances there are no circumstances in existence in the universe whereby Christ would cast out somebody who came to him.

That's what he say you come to him. Under no circumstance under no condition.

In no case, in no wise would cast you out. Why, because the only ones who come are the ones the father gives you see and if God gives you to Christ, then you have the decree of God to eternal salvation and you have the response of Christ to eternal salvation and there is no way to lose the father then just to give you an illustration of what he saying is the father is like rewarding the sun. The sun is done well and going to the cross and accomplishing redemption.

So the father gives him gifts and the gifts are very lovely. There the souls of men. You and I know Christ are gifts from the father to the son tokens of the father's love and the father loves the son so much he gives these kinds of gifts.

And conversely, the son loves the father so much that he holds tightly to such precious gifts all the father gives shall come and when they come under no circumstance when I turn them away. Why isn't because of you isn't because of you and all you not even the picture here. It's because the son loves the father too much to ever lose anybody that was a love gift from the father to the son is he. It's all wrapped up in the Trinity folks delegate the next verse 38 Fry came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me this was the father's plan all along.

He was saying the whole plan of the father was to redeem some people give them to the sun and that the sun keep them.

That's the whole plan and this is the father's will or send me what is as well that of all that he hath given me I should lose none but should raise him up again at the last day, does Jesus lose none none none.

There is no loss between the decree of the father, the gift of the sun and the resurrection of the last day so that you have justification, sanctification, glorification, past, present, future. Without loss, so does the Bible teach that God has a counsel that cannot be changed. A calling that cannot be revoked an inheritance that cannot be defiled a foundation that cannot be broken the seal that cannot be shaken. A life that can not perish over to John 10 verse 27 now here.

There are seven strands in the role of the blind us eternally to Christ. Seven great reasons why you maintain salvation. Seven grapefruits number one verse 27 my sheep my sheep stop right who sheep are you your Christ's sheet. Alyssa if you are Christ's sheet is his duty as shepherd to care for you and protect you if he loses you. That is, in effect slur against his own ability as a ship to get that if you are his sheep and the shepherdess to care for the sheep than for someone to be lost reflects upon the character and quality of the shepherd.

The second strand that binds us to Christ my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me. Listen, they follow Christ. His sheep do. No exceptions. They will not listen to strangers.

They listen only to him. True Christians that are kept by the power of the great Shepherd at strand number one. Secondly, they will follow.

That's what he said they will follow they may stumble in sin, but they'll be there.

Thirdly, I give verse 28 under them eternal life, eternal life. Last, how long forever is eternal life to speak of it as ending is a contradiction in terms. Eternal life is eternal, so we are bound by the character of the shepherd, we are bound by the character of the sheep as they follow. We are bound by the very definition of the gift of eternal life is forever further is a gift I give them eternal life. You didn't do anything to earn it. You can't do anything to keep it.

It's a gift. Fifthly, another strand that binds us to Christ as he says they shall never perish. If one person ever did. Then Christ didn't tell the truth. Christ didn't tell the truth, roll your Bible forget Christianity is all wrong. Further, it says no man is able to pluck them out of my father sent there is no power in the universe stronger than God and of God wants to hold on. That's the way it's going to be nobody can take us out of the father saying. And further, he adds verse 29. My father gave them to me, is greater than all the no man's able to pluck them out of my father's hand. Notice in verse 28. He says my hand in verse 29 my father saying double protection. I want to try to show you in these two passages in John is simply that Jesus himself by his own words confirms the fact that the past salvation includes a future one as well that eternal life is just that they never perish. They never fail that he never loses any of that's the way Jesus spoke of. No wonder when you come to Romans eight in verse 38, the apostle Paul says I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creation, shall be able to separate us the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Paul is saying there is nothing in the universe now or in the future that could ever separate a believer from Christ. In Philippians chapter 1 verse six it says being confident of this very thing that you have to be John a good work that's the past part of salvation he began will that's the present unto the day of Jesus Christ. That's the future, all three elements of salvation bound up in the same verse I want a closer study by having you look at the book of Jude next to the last book in the New Testament.

Let me just say this by way of a general look at the book of Jude book of Jude is written to deal with apostasy or a departure from the faith is primarily concerned with the violent character of false prophets and false teacher. It talks about in verse four. Certain people creeping in rural basically ordained to condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of God and the lasciviousness it talks about filthy dreamers in verse eight it talks about the prophets who prophesy for greed. In verse 11. The scabs there called scabs. In verse 12 wells without water clouds without water.

Rather trees without fruit, twice did plucked up by the roots, raging waves of the sea wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever murmurs complainers and just horrible, sensual, ungodly listing being these are the apostates and here's a little group of Christians, as it were sort of in the midst of an apostate age not unlike us today. The concept here is that right in the midst of file evil false teaching. The corruption of the church. Sleep the rotting of the foundation visit were is a little group of believers who might be saying to themselves man you know were liable to get swept up in this whole deal. What's gonna happen to us. They see everything going down the drain. Like in our society. Liberalism and neo-orthodoxy in all of the garbage. It's coming along. The name of Christianity seems to be selling us right down the river and we say what about us or are we going to fall by the wayside in this deal, and so at the beginning of Jude verse one the end of Jude versus 24, 25, Jude reiterates the fact that we don't have to fear matter how bad the day gets matter how vile the world around us were okay. Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to them that are set apart by God the father and checked in Jesus Christ better translated By Jesus Christ, and the dative case. He says in the midst of all around you, you will be set apart by God and kept by Jesus Christ to rent was the Greek verb means to watch the guard to keep and preserve. It's even been used outside the Bible to speak of something being guaranteed. When you are saved you are given a gilded guarantee Bible talks about the fact that we been given the earnest of the spirit and the earnest is and it means engagement ring down payment guarantee when you were saying God gave you the Holy Spirit is a guarantee that someday you glorified in the presence of God even in the toughest times. No, Jesus prayed father I pray that you will keep them, which I have given you, which will keep them from the evil one.

John 1711, 15, and Jesus prayer will be answered.

The father will keep the believer. That's what he saying you are not only sanctified, you are kept by Jesus Christ us, the helmet of salvation unit. It was in the Satan stats all you better make sure you're really a Christian to stop shaky on that ground you can have any confidence. If you don't have any confidence. Number one, you may not be a Christian at all, but number two you may be a Christian whose being severely buffeted by Satan. You better get back on the helmet of salvation, but in verse 24. Jude, and here is the same thing again only a greater length now on to him that is able to keep you from falling is not great. The word able is doing a metal power. He is powerful enough to keep you from falling is adjusted. Christ doesn't want you to fall this these able to prevent it. You see, is able to prevent it, and he's able to present you, Thomas. Without a spot without a blemish. Last and by the way on the losses used in first Peter 118 to 19 refer to Christ, he is able to keep you from stumbling keep you from falling and present you as pure as Christ is pure someday in the presence of God the father. That's the keeping power of Christ from Linda security tremendous and the word here talking about keep you is not to rent all the same word as the earlier one of watch guard keep, but it's the lasso, which means to secure in the midst of an attack so matter what all the host of health role against you. Christ is powerful enough to keep you from falling and present you, Thomas.

As spotless as Jesus Christ in the presence of God, no one of the Psalmist said surely confidently.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. He knew it and all really I will dwell where in the house of the Lord forever. See, he knew that the salvation God gave them was a past president future salvation sure Lisa goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and ultimately all dwell in the house of the Lord forever in first Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 23 Paul says in a glorious benediction. The very God of peace sanctify you wholly and your whole spirit and soul and body preserved blameless to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. I love this faithful is he that called you who also will do it, or great bosses. This great good addiction preserve our blameless and faithful is he who called you who will do no we do not accept the blows of doubt that Satan cast against us.

Armor is the confidence that salvation is future as well as present and past, and Christ holds us in the power of his own hand in Hebrews 616 to 19.

The Bible says there are two things to him mutable things to on changing things.

The promise of Christ and the oath of Christ that anchor the believers soul forever. Hebrews 616 tonight. So it is that confidence makes us defend ourselves against Satan's blokes love it when it comes with discouragement when he comes without be assured there's a glory day coming as a victory day coming fight the good fight of confidence in the salvation God gave you and know that you'll be there for that crowning day in the wonderful him. The church's one foundation, the writer says, mid toil and tribulation, and tumult of her wars. She waits the consummation of peace forevermore Jill with the vision glorious or longing eyes are blessed and the great church victorious becomes the church at rest someday this coming arrest, not now, in the battle to fight the battle. The rest comes later when the victory is been ours. Another him and you know it well says, stand up, stand up for Jesus. The strife will not be long.

This day the noise of battle, but next to Victor's song to him, and overcome with the crown of life shall be the with the King of glory shall reign eternally Diane with the words of John Bunyan hobgoblin North foul fiend can daunt his spirit. He knows he at the end shall life inherit then fancies flyaway. He'll fear not what men say to a laborer night and day to be a soldier. Dear John Bunyan was thrown in the Bedford jail and it was there that he determined that he'd fight and never grow weary. He wouldn't feel the blows of discouragement and doubt, and in that time in the jail. As he looked at the date be with Jesus Christ and the worst of circumstances. He produced the greatest thing ever did in his life. Pilgrim's progress will give up. Don't let Satan victimize you with discouragement and down because you're going to win in the end keep the helmet on their this is grace to you with John MacArthur thanks for tuning in today. John is the Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary. His current study is looking at the believers armor only say that if you appreciate hearing Grace to you and solid Bible teaching on the radio. There are some important people who deserve your things and that's the team at this station we tell them thanks, but I think we don't do it enough, and I know John you would encourage our listeners to also pray for and say thanks to the people who run this station Please do that that that is so important to us and to them.

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