Protecting Your Noggin

It has been almost two week, or more, since writing on the Armor of God. Much has been going on and between work and family activities, I have not made the time to continue with this blog series.

Verse 17 finishes out the Armor with "Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is God's word". Today I will deal with the helmet, or as it was called in the first century a "coolus". There were many different styles and types of helmets used by the Roman army.


While they may differ in details most helmets had the crown covering the skull, a fixed band of metal about 3 to 4 inches wide, on the neck, and hinged cheek protectors that tied at the bottom to hold the coolus on. These helmets were used to protect the head, and thus the most important organ in the body. With a serious head injury the legionnaire could not perform his duties and would probably die. The coolus protected the soldier from sword, club and sling strikes and could even deflect arrows.

Paul referred to this piece of armor as our salvation. Salvation is defined as:

1. The act of saving; preservation from destruction, danger or great calamity.

2. Appropriately in theology, the redemption of man from the bondage of sin and liability to eternal death, and the conferring on him everlasting happiness. This is the great salvation

Salvation is everything, the most important aspect of our Christian lives, with the exception of the Holy Trinity, and determines our fate throughout eternity. Our salvation, was and is secured by Christ's death on the cross and the shedding of His blood. This fulfilled the blood sacrifice requirement of the Old Testament, and was a gift of grace to us as sinners.

When one accepts this this gift it is a decision that, while may be an emotional event, it is still a decision, a choice of the mind. I feel this is why Paul tied the protection of a helmet to the mind. Definition #1 fits this idea perfectly, The mind must be protected from Satan's attacks, even unto death. Lucifer would like nothing more than to destroy not only Christians but mankind in general. In 2 Corinthians 4:4 we see this design by Satan. Our salvation provides us protection, like the helmet, from "wounds" to our heads. It also protects us from the snares and traps that Satan lays along the path that God has laid before each one of us. Wearing our "helmet"(salvation) will protect our minds as we step onto the battlefield.