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Our Spiritual Warfare(7) - The Helmet of Salvation · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Return with me now please to Paul's letter to the Philippians, sorry to the Ephesians, I'm getting ahead of myself.
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It's Ephesians chapter 6.
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Tonight we're going to look at verse 17, the first part of verse 17.
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As you can see verse 17 mentions two parts of the armour that we've been going through over the past number of weeks.
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So verse 17 mentions the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.
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We're just going to confine our thoughts tonight to the first of these, this helmet of salvation.
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We've been looking at the various parts of the armour as we've gone through them.
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We've noticed at times that there's a specific connection between some of them.
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And that's the case spiritually, of course, as well, even more so than it was in the case of the Roman soldier, who's used here as a picture or analogy of a spiritual armour.
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And we'll see that that's the same tonight as we come to the helmet of salvation.
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It has a specific connection with the word of God, with the gospel.
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Verse 15, shoes for your feet, having on the readiness given by the gospel of peace, but also what is mentioned, the belt of truth in verse 14.
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Because the belt of truth in many ways, as we saw it going round the waist of the Roman soldier and keeping things in place,
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it's always the case that spiritually we come back to the belt of truth because it's foundational to our progress and to our security.
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So as we look at verse 17 tonight, obviously, it has to do with the helmet of the Roman soldier, which protected the head, one of the most important parts of the body.
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Obviously, if the head was damaged, then the whole person was really out of action and would not be able to carry out their duties as required.
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So let's look at this helmet in the spiritual sense of it.
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And first of all, try and work out what exactly it means.
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It's called the helmet of salvation.
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Is it salvation in its entirety?
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What does the word salvation actually indicate there?
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And I think there's a clue to this in the passage we read in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5,
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and especially the words of verse 8 there.
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You recall as we read through that, since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.
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So it's narrowing it down there to the hope of salvation.
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In other words, it's not salvation in the broadest sense.
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It's salvation in a more narrow, specific sense.
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And I think we can take that into chapter 6 of Ephesians as well, because the Thessalonian passage gives us an insight into the working of Paul's mind in regard to this.
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Now, the context, as you recall, in Thessalonians is one of Paul encouraging them to encourage one another.
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They were looking forward to the coming of Christ.
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Some actually were a bit concerned or even confused about how that would be in terms of in relation to those who had passed on from this life.
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And you recall in chapter 4 that he deals with that specific problem, that the Lord will come with the sound of the trumpet of God.
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The dead in Christ will rise first.
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We then who are alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the air to meet the Lord in the air.
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We will always be with the Lord.
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Therefore, encourage one another with these words.
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And then in chapter 5, as we read, verse 11, therefore, encourage one another and build one another up just as you are doing.
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So it's very much to do with the context or the purpose of Paul of encouraging these Thessalonians,
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encouraging this young church as they wrestled with theological problems,
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but also like the Ephesians as they wrestled against spiritual darkness and against decline,
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even amongst some of the people who had come to follow the Lord.
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And the context of encouraging one another there in 1 Thessalonians is set in the context of Christ's return,
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set in the context of looking forward in hope to the arrival of the Lord Jesus Christ as promised by himself
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and by the teachings of God's word when he left this world to return to glory.
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So salvation in this context really has that narrower focus.
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And indeed, you'll find that in other contexts as well.
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1 Peter, for example, begins his epistle by reflecting on how the resurrection of Jesus Christ brought them all to a living hope.
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God had done this by the resurrection of Christ to a living hope.
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To you who are called, he said, you who are kept by the power of God through faith
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unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
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Now he's talking there of, Peter is talking there of salvation ready to be revealed.
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And he knows very well that salvation has already been revealed.
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So he's talking again more narrowly, more focused on salvation in the sense of what is going to appear at the coming of Christ.
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What is going to be made known then, that is not necessarily as clear now, but certainly hasn't yet been realized,
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hasn't been accomplished in the sense of it hasn't taken place.
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And here you can import that into your thinking in Ephesians here and verse 17.
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Take the helmet of salvation.
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And if you think in that narrower focus as the hope of salvation, as the helmet covered the head physically,
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So the hope of salvation is something that looks forward to the future in hope,
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but also is such an important and integral aspect of the Christian's life.
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The Christian looking forward in hope is itself an antidote to discouragement,
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an antidote, as we saw there in 1 Thessalonians 5,
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to the discouragement that is so easily comes and drifts into our lives.
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So if you think about the helmet in the ordinary sense, in the natural sense of protecting the head,
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I think we can say that spiritually the helmet is there to protect the mind.
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The mind, as it works through the issues that God has revealed, comes to certain conclusions.
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God has given us the spirit of a sound mind.
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He's opened our mind.
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He's given us the kind of mind that wants to learn more and more of the truth of God,
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learn more from the word of God.
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And as that is the case, so it is something which nourishes your hope as you look towards the future,
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among other things.
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Of course, it does more than that, but we're focusing on the hope of salvation
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as it's represented by this helmet, this helmet of the Roman soldier.
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And the Christian mind, as it thinks ahead, is a mind that is able to think clearly
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because you have the benefit of God's word clearly stating
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that the things that are hoped for are already secure.
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They're not things that are waiting to be worked through and brought to realization or accomplishment.
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The fact that Jesus has gone to glory and is at the right hand of God the Father,
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the fact that he has accomplished redemption on earth,
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the fact that the spirit of God has come as promised,
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and that Christ the Son and the Father are present through that spirit in the hearts of God's people,
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that itself is something that is already the case.
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And the word of God brings it to us so often that that has already been accomplished.
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So hope in this sense, as you put on the helmet of hope,
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as you exercise hope every day in Christ,
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you're not dealing with something that's uncertain,
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something that is still somehow unclear.
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Sometimes we use the word hope, of course, and we mentioned this more than once.
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We use the word hope in the ordinary, everyday sense of hope,
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like hoping for the best or hoping something will actually come to take place,
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or whatever it may be.
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We're hoping it might be realized.
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We're hoping it will come to pass.
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We have no confidence that can say for sure it will.
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But here, in the word that God has given us,
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this belt of truth that's fastened on,
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it's something that comes through the workings of your mind
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to focus upon those certainties on which your hope is based,
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on which your hope rests.
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Because you're not here tonight as Christians,
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exercising the mind that God has given you,
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and somehow doubtful about things that are foundational for your hope.
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Christ has died.
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Christ has risen from the dead.
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Christ is at the right hand of glory.
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And all the way through the scripture, especially Paul's epistles,
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you'll find him referring to these great facts,
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facts accomplished already as the very ground of our hopes,
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the very ground of the Christian hope,
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that salvation that's certain,
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that God has said is already accomplished,
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that will remain to be,
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that remains to be finally crowned at the appearance of Christ.
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Well, what he's saying is,
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in order to face the issues of the day,
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and especially to face the enemy,
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to face the spiritual darkness that we all wrestle against,
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as we saw at the beginning of this passage,
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take the helmet of salvation,
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take the hope of salvation,
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take that hope that penetrates forward into the future,
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not as an unknown future,
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though there are many events in the course of life
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that will remain unknown.
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But these are not unknowns.
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These are the actual verities,
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the truths,
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the certainties of what God has already done,
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and of what God in his word has promised,
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will yet be fulfilled.
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So that's something about the spiritual helmet.
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We're focusing it down,
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following 1 Thessalonians 5,
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to the hope of salvation,
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to the final stage of salvation,
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with the coming of Christ.
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And Paul is there,
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and also here in Ephesians,
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drawing the minds of the Ephesians
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to that particular issue.
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So that it's looking forward to projecting into the future.
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So which temptation especially is addressed
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by this particular emphasis on the hope of salvation
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or the helmet of salvation?
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Well, the second point,
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and we looked at the spiritual helmet briefly,
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is to look at how we need to keep up the fight,
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to keep up our resistance,
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and indeed our attack of the enemy as well,
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whatever forms we find the enemy actually coming to assault us.
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And the particular temptation,
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I think, that's in mind here
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for the use of the helmet of salvation
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or the hope of salvation,
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is the temptation to lose heart.
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The temptation to recede,
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the temptation to go back,
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the temptation just to, if not almost give up,
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then certainly progress towards that.
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The temptation to become disillusioned
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with the Christian life.
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The temptation to be disillusioned
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even with Jesus himself
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when things are not going so well
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in our lives generally.
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The temptation even towards thinking,
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is there any point to this at all?
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Remember how in Ephesians chapter,
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sorry, in Hebrews chapter 12,
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you find that there's an exhortation there
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to look to Jesus,
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the author and finisher of our faith.
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And in Hebrews 12 and verse 3,
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the writer there is actually looking
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in a similar situation
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to what you have here in Ephesians.
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Remember that Hebrews is very much
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an epistle given towards
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those who are tempted to
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give up following Christ,
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giving up the profession
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they've made of faith in Christ.
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And then he says,
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it was through 11,
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as you know, chapter 11,
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that great cloud of witnesses,
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as he calls it,
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in verse 1 of chapter 12,
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let us lay aside every weight
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and the sin which clings so closely.
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Let us run with endurance,
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the word which means perseverance.
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Let's not give up the struggle.
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Let's not give up the fight.
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He's saying,
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the race that is set before us,
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looking to Jesus,
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the founder and perfecter of our faith,
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who for the joy that was set before him
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endured the cross,
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despising the shame
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and is seated at the right hand
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of the throne of God.
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In other words,
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we are exhorted
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when the temptation comes
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to slacken in the race
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or to withdraw from the race,
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as Hebrews 12 puts it.
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We are encouraged to look to Jesus.
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And why are we looking to Jesus?
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Because he's not only the savior
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in the sense of being foundational
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to our faith,
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to our Christian life.
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He's also our supreme example
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of perseverance,
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of pressing on,
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of not giving up,
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of not giving up on the fight.
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That's why he said there,
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he endured the cross
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for the joy that was set before him.
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In other words,
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the saint Jesus
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was looking ahead of himself
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as he lived in this world,
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looking ahead even beyond the cross,
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looking at the reality of the cross
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and all of that would entail for himself.
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But for the joy that was set before him,
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for that which was promised him
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beyond this world,
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beyond the resurrection,
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beyond exaltation,
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beyond the cross,
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he endured the cross
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for the joy that was set before him.
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In other words,
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you could say
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there's a sense in which
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there's certainly an affinity
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with the hope
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that Christians,
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that is people have
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in looking beyond the current life,
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the current circumstances,
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the current situation,
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to the fulfillment of the promises
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at the coming
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of Jesus Christ himself.
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And when that takes place
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and that aspect of salvation
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is then actually realized
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and fulfilled,
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then the promises will be
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enjoyed by his people.
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So that letter of Hebrews,
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the letter of exhortation,
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is a letter that is
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very much in line with Ephesians here
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in terms of encouraging us
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to actually not give up.
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Remember,
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all the way through Hebrews,
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you've got references to Israel,
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references to the Old Testament
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and Israel in the progress
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that they made through
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the Old Testament
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in the desert.
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And so often in Hebrews,
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they are an example
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of not persevering.
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They are an example
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of giving up.
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An example of not actually
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pushing through
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and persevering
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into the land of promise.
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And that's why the writer
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is saying,
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we have them as our example
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so that we don't follow
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the same sort of path
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they followed
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because they all fell
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in the wilderness,
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is the writer's word for it.
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And apart from two,
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they did not enter
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into the land
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that God had promised them.
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And so,
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we actually have
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the helmet of salvation,
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the hope of salvation,
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the wilderness hardships
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that Israel experienced.
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And this is the contact point
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with ourselves.
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the wilderness hardships
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that they experienced
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actually gave the devil
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an entry point.
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An entry point towards
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just them giving up
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the struggles.
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An entry point towards
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them going back.
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They wanted back to Egypt.
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Remember how soon
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after leaving Egypt,
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they were saying to Moses,
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why have you brought us out here
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to die in this wilderness?
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We wish we were back
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in Egypt with the food
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that we enjoyed in Eden.
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There's nothing in Egypt.
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There's nothing here
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for us in this wilderness.
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And that's what the devil
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is actually always setting out
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to tempt you towards
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thinking and concluding
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along those lines.
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That somehow or other,
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the struggles of the Christian life
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are not really worth it
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after all.
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So as you take up
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this helmet,
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you use it,
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first of all,
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against what we can call
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spiritual pacifism.
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You know that a pacifist
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in the ordinary sense
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is somebody who,
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because of their strong
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views against war,
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they exercise
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the liberty of not actually
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taking up the opportunity
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of engaging with an enemy
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in a time of war.
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There were pacifists.
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There were people
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who are pacifists
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in every generation.
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That was their liberty
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that they had
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to live like that,
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to have that conclusion.
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And so they withdrew
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from active engagement
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in times of war
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in army or navy
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or air force or whatever.
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Well, there's a kind of
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spiritual pacifism as well
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that the devil,
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these powers that are mentioned there,
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the schemes of the devil,
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wrestling not against flesh and blood,
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but against these present darkness,
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the spiritual forces of evil,
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need the spiritual helmet.
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You need this hope of salvation
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because he wants to persuade you
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that because life is so difficult
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as a Christian,
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is it really worth going on?
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There's a pacifism
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that really wants you to conclude
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that it's all right
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being a Christian
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in an ordinary sense,
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but if only we could take
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the struggles
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out of the Christian life.
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And really,
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that's what the devil
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wants to persuade you of,
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that the struggles
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of the Christian life
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really have no meaning
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or no purpose
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or little purpose
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or little value.
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Whereas when you go
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through the likes of Ephesians
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and Paul's other letters
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in the New Testament
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and the writings
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of the psalmist
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in the Old Testament,
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as well as the prophecies
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of some of the prophets
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and the struggles
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they had to endure,
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it becomes obvious
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pretty quickly.
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Not only are there struggles
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in the Christian life,
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but there are beneficial struggles.
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There are struggles
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which fit into God's program
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of their redemption,
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of their sanctification,
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especially.
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And that spiritual pacifism
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is something
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that the devil
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will seek to make
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very attractive to you.
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And you know,
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there's a form of it
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which maybe doesn't go
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as far as withdrawing
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altogether,
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but there's a form of it
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that we're very familiar with,
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of a kind of Christianity
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that just goes through
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the motions,
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as it were,
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or a nominalism,
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belonging to a church
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and saying,
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yes, I'm a Christian,
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but no real engagement
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with any of the spiritual
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enemies of the gospel,
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no real engagement
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positively for Christ
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in this world
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by way of witnessing for him,
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by way of confessing him openly.
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There's a kind of
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spiritual withdrawal
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in that sense,
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that pacifism.
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Well, here is the apostle saying,
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take up this helmet
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of the hope of salvation.
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And because of the wonderful
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certainties
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of what are set out
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at the return of Christ
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for you,
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encourage one another,
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strengthen one another,
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be involved
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in the way of
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giving each other
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the support
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and the encouragement
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towards that final return
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of Christ
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that all of us need.
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Every single Christian
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needs,
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at some point,
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encouragement
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from other Christians.
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That's one of the reasons
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we actually value
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the wonderful privilege
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of belonging
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to the body of Christ,
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of belonging
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to that church
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of Christ on earth.
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So it's an antidote
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against a spiritual pacifism,
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but it's also
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an antidote
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at what you can call
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defeatism.
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I mentioned some of that
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just in a few moments ago.
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When you see
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the state of things
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in the world,
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when you see
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the extent
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to which
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what we'll call
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the world
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has rebelled
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against God
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and rebels
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against the gospel
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and rebels
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against the law
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of God
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and rebels
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against the testimonies
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of history
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in the church,
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when you actually
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take a view
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of the church
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itself
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in the widest
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possible sense,
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well,
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the devil will suggest
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to you,
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is there really
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any point
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to being a Christian?
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Is there any point
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to belonging
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to a church?
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Look at the state
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of the world.
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It's not made
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any difference
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in your lifetime.
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Why should you
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actually go on
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with these struggles?
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It's not made
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any difference.
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Things are going on
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just as they were.
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People aren't at all
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interested in Christ.
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When you think
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of the struggles
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that people have
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for the gospel,
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struggles with regard
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to standing
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for the rights
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of Jesus,
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the devil will come.
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Well, the gospel
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is just not going
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to win anyway,
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so what's the point?
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Forget about evangelism.
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Forget about your own
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personal advancement
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and holiness
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of life.
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Forget about your
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own perseverance
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and looking onwards
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in hope,
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because when you
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focus on the present,
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as the devil will
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suggest to you,
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that's really all
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that matters.
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Just as 2 Peter
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would say,
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those who are facing,
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those the church
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was facing then
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were facing the idea
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of, well,
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where is the promise
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of his coming?
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Everything remains
22:10
just as it was.
22:12
There's a kind
22:13
of pointlessness
22:14
suggested and thrown
22:16
at you.
22:18
when you think
22:18
of what it is
22:19
to be a Christian
22:21
and the struggles
22:22
of the Christian life.
22:24
Of course,
22:24
what he's telling us
22:25
here,
22:26
and you find it
22:27
abundantly throughout
22:28
Paul's writings,
22:30
is that you counter
22:31
that with taking
22:33
an account
22:33
of eternity.
22:36
This is not all
22:37
about the present life.
22:38
The present life
22:39
is important
22:40
to the Christian.
22:41
The present life
22:42
is important
22:42
to the church.
22:43
The present life
22:44
is important
22:45
in many respects.
22:46
But what the devil
22:47
wants you to look
22:48
at is the present
22:49
life exclusively
22:50
and not actually
22:52
take account
22:53
of the importance
22:55
and the enormity
22:56
and the way
22:59
in which eternity
23:00
looms for the Christian
23:02
as the crowning
23:03
of their salvation.
23:04
And in a sense,
23:05
everything of this
23:06
present life,
23:07
however important
23:08
it may be
23:08
in its own right,
23:09
but everything
23:10
really moves forward
23:12
towards that crowning
23:13
moment of the coming
23:14
of Christ.
23:16
That's really what
23:17
the helmet of salvation
23:19
is about,
23:19
the hope of salvation.
23:23
Where the devil
23:24
would encourage you,
23:25
just focus on the present
23:27
and where he would say,
23:29
well, look at all
23:30
the differences of opinion
23:31
that are about the future,
23:33
anyone about the coming
23:34
of Christ.
23:35
Not all Christians
23:36
believe the same thing,
23:37
so that's another way
23:38
that he can get
23:39
into your mind
23:40
and say,
23:41
you know,
23:42
just don't be too serious
23:43
about it.
23:44
Be a Christian,
23:45
certainly,
23:45
just in a nominal sense,
23:46
that'll do,
23:47
that'll be enough.
23:49
Well, this is the hope
23:51
of salvation
23:52
to counteract that.
23:54
Where God
23:55
started the work,
23:57
as we saw in Philippians
23:58
some time ago,
23:59
just across the page
24:00
in your Bible,
24:01
I am sure of this,
24:03
that he who began
24:04
a good working,
24:05
you will bring it
24:06
to completion
24:06
at the day
24:08
of Jesus Christ.
24:10
At the day
24:11
of Jesus Christ.
24:14
Take up
24:15
the helmet
24:16
of salvation.
24:18
And just like you
24:19
find with
24:20
the sword
24:21
of the spirit
24:22
and with
24:23
the shoes
24:25
of the gospel
24:26
and all the other
24:27
parts of the armor,
24:28
they are actually
24:29
there ready to hand
24:30
to be used
24:31
on a daily basis.
24:32
You need
24:33
the helmet
24:34
of salvation
24:35
because your warfare
24:36
is a daily warfare.
24:37
You are facing
24:38
this enemy
24:39
every single
24:40
day of your life.
24:42
I know that
24:43
I'm saying
24:44
these things
24:44
to people
24:45
who already
24:45
know that.
24:47
But think of
24:48
how often
24:48
in the New Testament
24:49
itself you find
24:50
the likes of Peter
24:51
and of Paul
24:52
reminding Christians,
24:55
reminding myself,
24:57
reminding yourself.
24:58
And reminding
24:59
just means
25:00
going back
25:00
to the basic things,
25:02
to the foundational
25:03
things,
25:04
to the building
25:04
blocks of our
25:05
redemption.
25:07
Because the devil
25:08
will, again,
25:09
these powers
25:09
of darkness,
25:10
schemes,
25:11
the wiles,
25:12
the way
25:14
in which
25:15
temptation
25:15
is shaped
25:16
so as to
25:17
draw you in
25:19
and take
25:20
your attention
25:20
and suck you
25:21
into its
25:22
workings.
25:25
It's there
25:26
counteracted
25:27
so often
25:28
by the apostle
25:28
by bringing
25:30
before us
25:31
the importance
25:31
of eternity
25:33
and bringing
25:33
before us
25:34
how God
25:35
will not
25:36
stop short
25:37
of finishing
25:37
the work
25:38
that he has
25:39
begun.
25:40
When you go
25:40
back to
25:40
Romans
25:41
chapter 8,
25:42
that great
25:43
chapter,
25:44
we could have
25:45
read that one
25:45
tonight.
25:46
It's very much
25:46
in line with
25:47
some of the
25:48
thoughts in
25:48
this chapter
25:49
in Ephesians
25:50
as well.
25:51
But Romans
25:52
chapter 8,
25:53
and remember
25:53
Romans chapter 8
25:54
is certainly
25:57
a very strongly
25:58
theological
25:59
chapter.
26:00
It's got some
26:00
of the most
26:01
wonderful
26:02
theology,
26:03
both of
26:03
our foundational
26:05
salvation in
26:06
Christ and
26:07
the work of
26:08
the Spirit
26:08
of God
26:09
in us,
26:09
but it's
26:10
also got some
26:10
of the most
26:11
wonderful
26:11
teaching on
26:12
sanctification,
26:14
on God
26:15
actually working
26:16
in his people,
26:17
bringing them
26:18
onwards towards
26:18
the time when
26:20
they will
26:20
finally be like
26:21
Jesus in the
26:22
image of God's
26:23
Son, what they
26:24
are predestined
26:25
to.
26:26
So yes,
26:27
there's all
26:27
that wonderful
26:27
theology in
26:29
chapter 8 of
26:30
Romans, but
26:32
it's a chapter
26:33
for encouragement.
26:35
It's not there
26:36
just to be
26:36
studied by
26:37
theologians.
26:39
It's not just
26:40
there for those
26:40
who are skilled
26:41
in following
26:42
out theological
26:43
arguments.
26:44
It's there for
26:44
you and it's
26:45
there for me.
26:46
It's there for
26:46
every Christian
26:47
because it's a
26:48
chapter to do
26:49
with Christian
26:51
encouragement,
26:52
which is why
26:53
Paul winds up
26:57
that chapter
26:57
if you like.
26:58
You can put it
26:58
that way from
26:59
verse 31,
27:00
especially what
27:01
then shall we
27:02
say to these
27:04
things?
27:04
He's saying,
27:05
here's the
27:06
theology,
27:07
here's the
27:07
wonderful teaching,
27:08
here's the
27:08
doctrine,
27:10
here are the
27:10
things that are
27:10
foundational to
27:11
our belief,
27:13
to our faith,
27:13
to our salvation.
27:14
So what's our
27:15
reaction?
27:16
What are we
27:16
going to say?
27:17
Why is that
27:18
there for us?
27:19
What are we to
27:19
make of this?
27:21
What shall we
27:22
then say to
27:23
these things?
27:24
If God is for
27:25
us, who can
27:27
be against
27:27
us?
27:28
He who did
27:29
not spare his
27:30
own son but
27:30
gave him up for
27:31
us all, how
27:32
will he not
27:33
also with him
27:34
graciously give
27:35
us all things?
27:36
You notice the
27:36
with him is
27:37
important.
27:39
How will he
27:39
not also with
27:41
him, with the
27:42
son, with
27:43
Jesus, united
27:44
to Christ, give
27:45
us all things?
27:46
And then he
27:46
says, who
27:47
shall lay any
27:48
charge against
27:49
God's elect?
27:51
You see, that's
27:51
the same context,
27:52
the same atmosphere,
27:54
if you like, as
27:55
Ephesians 6, in
27:56
the armor of
27:56
God.
27:57
Charge is brought
27:58
against God's
27:59
elect.
28:00
That's the devil's
28:01
business.
28:01
That's his
28:02
purpose.
28:03
That's what he's
28:03
busy at.
28:04
That's what his
28:05
scheming is about.
28:06
Who shall lay
28:06
any charge or
28:07
bring any charge
28:08
against God's
28:09
elect?
28:10
It is God who
28:11
justifies.
28:12
So who is to
28:13
condemn?
28:15
Where is there
28:16
condemnation for
28:17
these people who
28:18
are in Christ
28:19
Jesus?
28:19
Paul is saying,
28:21
there can't be.
28:21
There's just no
28:24
possibility.
28:25
It's an impossibility
28:26
that the devil is
28:28
true about your
28:29
condemnation when
28:30
you're united to
28:31
Christ.
28:32
Because he says,
28:34
Jesus Christ is the
28:35
one who died, more
28:36
than that, who was
28:37
raised, who is at
28:38
the right hand of
28:39
God, who indeed is
28:40
interceding for us.
28:42
Who shall separate
28:43
us from the love of
28:44
Christ?
28:45
Shall tribulation, or
28:47
distress, or
28:48
persecution, or
28:49
famine, or
28:50
nakedness, or
28:51
danger, or
28:52
sword, all of
28:54
which are things
28:54
that the devil has
28:56
access to, to
28:58
bring you to be
28:59
discouraged, to
29:00
bring you to take
29:01
steps back?
29:03
No, he says, in
29:04
all these things, we
29:06
are more than
29:07
conquerors through
29:08
him who loved us.
29:09
For I am sure that
29:10
neither death, nor
29:11
life, nor angels,
29:12
nor rulers, nor
29:13
things present, nor
29:14
things to come, nor
29:15
powers, nor height,
29:16
nor depth, nor
29:17
anything else in all
29:18
creation, will be
29:19
able to separate
29:20
us from the love
29:22
of God in Christ
29:22
Jesus, our Lord.
29:24
You see how
29:25
wonderfully
29:26
practical Paul is
29:29
in applying his
29:30
theology.
29:31
That's what is
29:32
there for you and
29:33
for me, too.
29:34
And as you go to
29:35
Ephesians 6, and
29:36
go through these
29:37
parts of the
29:37
armor, and you
29:38
come to what we're
29:39
looking at tonight,
29:40
this helmet of
29:41
salvation, the hope
29:42
of salvation, it's
29:43
really saying to you,
29:44
think of your future.
29:46
Think of what's
29:47
already secure.
29:48
Think of what's
29:49
there waiting for
29:50
you to enjoy in
29:51
eternity.
29:52
Think of all that
29:53
for your present
29:54
life, so that you
29:55
be encouraged in
29:56
it, so that you
29:57
don't slacken, so
29:58
that you don't
29:58
give up, but
29:59
rather that you
30:00
persevere.
30:02
I mentioned
30:02
2 Peter a few
30:04
moments ago, and
30:05
you'll find similar
30:06
emphasis there as he
30:07
deals with what was
30:09
in his own day,
30:11
some critical times
30:12
as well, and you
30:14
recall there in 2
30:15
Peter chapter 3, how
30:16
he is facing the
30:18
idea that there
30:20
is actually just no
30:24
such thing as the
30:25
return of Christ,
30:27
where he's saying
30:28
in chapter 3 there,
30:32
he said, I'm
30:32
stirring up your
30:33
sincere mind by way
30:35
of reminder that
30:37
you should remember
30:38
the predictions of
30:39
the holy prophets
30:40
and the commandment
30:40
of the Lord, knowing
30:41
first of all that
30:42
scoffers will come in
30:44
the last days, and
30:46
the last days are
30:46
from the time that
30:48
Christ came and
30:50
went back to glory
30:52
until he returns,
30:53
these are the last
30:54
days.
30:55
And he's saying in
30:56
chapter 3 here of
30:57
2 Peter, they will
30:58
say, following their
31:00
own sinful desires,
31:02
they will say, where
31:03
is the promise of
31:04
his coming?
31:06
For ever since the
31:07
fathers fell asleep,
31:08
all things continue
31:09
as they were from
31:10
the beginning of
31:11
creation.
31:12
And so all the
31:13
way through, he
31:14
then goes to deal
31:15
with the Lord, not
31:16
slack, concerning his
31:18
promises being
31:19
fulfilled, and how
31:20
he's patient towards
31:21
us, and how one day
31:23
with the Lord is like
31:24
a thousand years, a
31:25
thousand years like
31:25
one day.
31:27
Therefore he said,
31:28
beloved, since you are
31:30
waiting for these
31:31
things, be diligent to
31:33
be found by him
31:34
without spot or
31:37
blemish and at
31:38
peace, and count the
31:40
patience of our Lord
31:41
as salvation, just as
31:43
our beloved brother
31:44
Paul also wrote to
31:45
you, according to the
31:46
wisdom given to him.
31:49
Know you therefore,
31:50
know you therefore
31:51
beloved, in verse 17,
31:52
knowing this beforehand,
31:56
take care that you
31:58
are not carried
31:59
away with the
32:02
error of lawless
32:03
people and lose
32:04
your own
32:05
stability.
32:07
What is the
32:07
antidote to being
32:09
carried away and
32:10
losing your
32:11
stability?
32:12
What's the
32:13
antidote to
32:14
slackening off or
32:15
just giving up or
32:16
saying what's the
32:17
point?
32:18
It is this, but
32:20
grow in the grace
32:21
and knowledge of
32:23
our Lord and
32:24
Savior Jesus
32:24
Christ.
32:26
To him be glory
32:27
both now and to
32:28
the day of
32:29
eternity.
32:29
In other words,
32:30
you can say,
32:31
speaking into
32:31
Ephesians 6 as
32:32
well, that the
32:34
antidote to the
32:37
temptation to go
32:38
back or to give
32:39
up is to grow.
32:43
Spiritual growth
32:44
is the only
32:45
adequate response
32:48
or answer to the
32:49
temptation of the
32:50
devil to go up.
32:51
to give up.
32:53
And instead of
32:54
succumbing to
32:56
that temptation,
32:58
what we are
32:58
encouraged to do
32:59
by God himself
33:00
through his word
33:01
is to say in
33:02
return, not only
33:04
am I not going
33:05
to give up,
33:06
but I'm
33:07
determined to go
33:08
on growing in
33:09
my Christian life,
33:10
in my relationship
33:11
with the Lord,
33:12
in my relationship
33:13
with my fellow
33:14
Christians.
33:15
I'm determined
33:16
not to give up,
33:18
but instead to
33:19
actually take all
33:19
the encouragement
33:20
I can from
33:21
being with my
33:22
brothers and
33:22
sisters in
33:23
Christ, so that
33:25
together we will
33:26
grow in the
33:28
grace and in the
33:29
knowledge of our
33:31
Lord Jesus Christ.
33:33
May God bless
33:34
these thoughts on
33:35
his word to us.
33:36
now we're going to
33:40
conclude.
33:40
Thank you.
33:40
Thank you.
33:40
Thank you.
33:40
Thank you.
33:40
Thank you.
33:41
Thank you.
33:42
Thank you.