We can do all this studying and learn all this information and forget why we are doing it. What is this helmet of salvation for? Let’s say you are taking a class that is going to give you a final exam at the end of the course. But, suppose you fail to understand the purpose of the class and study all the wrong things. You would learn a lot of things; but, you would take your final exam and fail the class. A lot of Christians are going through all their life-classes, through all their studies, and through all their life, but, many don’t know what Jesus is going to put on their final exam.

In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus TELLS us what our final exam will be based on. Wouldn’t it be wise for us to take advantage of this information and base our studies, life-classes, and goals on what Jesus will be testing and grading us on? The helmet of salvation is to protect our command center. It protects those things that make us who we are. Our command center makes all our decisions; and, the helmet of salvation is designed by God to help us make all the right decisions. Let’s take a quick look at why we are alive, why we were put on this planet, and what Jesus’ purpose is for us.

Mat 25:31-33 (NIV) WHEN the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He WILL sit on His throne in heavenly glory. All the nations WILL be gathered before Him, and He WILL separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He WILL put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. This is going to happen to you; you will be placed on one side or the other. So, we are spending some time here making sure you are placed on Jesus’ right side with the rest of His sheep. AND, the way for us to make sure this happens is to see, understand, and cooperate with the criteria Jesus sets for His sheep.

Mat 25:34 (NIV) Then the King WILL say to those on His right, “Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” This will be your reward for having lived your life based on Jesus’ test requirements. However, it is your responsibility to live your life in such a way that Jesus will say this to you. So, let’s allow Jesus to lay out what kind of life and activity He is looking for in you.

Mat 25:35-36 (NIV) For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in, I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me.’ At first glance this can look like Jesus is telling us that physical service will get us into heaven. However, as we study the Bible we can see that Jesus requires us to teach His commandments.

Mat 28:18-20 (NIV) Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” There are Christians who only work on people’s physical needs and there are others who only work on people’s spiritual needs.

The vital questions we all have to look at is,

• If we help one person one time with this requirement in Jesus’ final exam, did we pass the test? No!


• If we help one person for the rest of their life, did we pass? No!


• Is Jesus requiring that we do this for everyone for the rest of their lives? Yes!

BUT, don’t panic; Jesus has a way for us to be able to meet all the needs in everyone’s life for the rest of their life.

The world has a saying that kind of helps us understand this Jesus-principle. They say, If you give a person a fish, you feed them for a day. If you teach them how to fish, you feed them for life.

Mat 25:37-40 (NIV) Then the righteous will answer Him, “Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?” The King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for ONE of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.” Jesus wants to so transform our lives with His truths that we get to a place where we have things to share with others. Eph 4:28 (NIV) He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

This helmet of salvation is trying to do something special to our brain, mind, heart, and will that will transform us, train us, and empower us to fulfill the requirements of Jesus’ final exam. With the helmet on, principles, ideas, concepts, truths, and wisdom will flow into us. They will turn us into a person who will SEE how to take care of the whole world’s needs for the rest of their lives. Whatever you did for ONE of the least of these brothers of Mine: Some will listen to your good news message and some won’t. But, all who do, will find out how Christianity and Jesus work. Phil 4:19 (NIV) And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Mat 25:41-43 (NIV) Then He will say to those on His left, “Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite Me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after Me.” A lot of people think people will be judged on all the bad things they did. However, Jesus doesn’t even mention what these people DID; He just lists off all the good things they DIDN’T do.

If a person rejects Jesus, they lose their opportunity for training and power to be able to do good things. John 15:5 (NIV) I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. People fail Jesus’ final exam because they don’t have the ability to feed the whole world for the rest of their lives. If they don’t have Jesus, they don’t accept His principles, His transformation, and His power to do the good He requires of them. Phil 4:13 (NIV) I can do everything through Him (Jesus) Who gives me strength.

Mat 25:44-45 (NIV) They also will answer, “Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help You?” He will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.” If we keep our helmet of salvation on, Jesus can teach us how to do all kinds of good things to people. But, without the helmet on, all kinds of misinformation will get into our brain, mind, heart, and will. That will confuse us, cheat us, lie to us, and cause us to fail our final exam.

Mat 25:46 (NIV) Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. As you can see, the helmet of salvation and all the other pieces of armor are very important to us. If we are willing to understand why we are on this planet, it will help us properly apply ourselves to those things Jesus says are important. That will get us ready for all of eternity as well as give us an incredible life here on earth.