Toggled Back On
By Anthony Casperson
7-16-22

In a number of video game RPGs there’s a setting that allows the player to toggle off the image of their character’s helmet. We see it especially in fantasy or sci-fi games where fighting with a helmet is a good idea.

The reason behind this switch is to allow the player to see the face of their digital creation as they play, while keeping the benefit of whatever helmet they’re using. After all, many of these gamers have likely spent hours on the character creation screen, tweaking every square inch of the character’s face to be just right. (And trust me, game developers love to make the more powerful helmets look ridiculous.)

Such players feel cheated if they spent—wasted?—all of that time on getting the face to not look funny at any angle, only to have it immediately hidden under a helmet as soon as they find one. There’s a sense of wanting to have it our individually-created way while still gaining the benefits.

It’s interesting to think about this perspective as we reach the helmet of salvation in our blog series looking at the armor of God in Ephesians 6. Especially since many people who claim to follow Jesus want to have the benefits of salvation without needing to see evidence of it in our daily lives.

We’ve toggled the switch off.

See, we love the benefit of salvation. Eternal life? Getting to go to heaven? Escape from unending punishment of hell? Sign me up. Those benefits sound like a good thing.

A place where we see salvation as a helmet—other than the Isaiah 59:17 passage we looked at when we discussed the breastplate of righteousness—is in 1 Thess. 5:8. (Again with a breastplate, though this time that chest piece is stated to be of faith and love. I guess Paul really liked Isaiah.)

The context of this passage in the letter to the Thessalonians even points to the Day of the Lord. Jesus’ return. (However the particulars of that event look, based off of your view of the end times.) And verse 9 tells us that God didn’t destine us for wrath, but for salvation through Jesus. It points to salvation in a future sense. Destiny of things to come. Salvation with a perspective on the future.

And we sit back, happy to not have to think about that helmet right now.

Except…this readiness to keep the helmet toggle turned off forgets the rest of the context of this passage. Earlier verses in chapter 5 speak to the unexpected nature of the Day of the Lord. We don’t know precisely when it’s coming.

And while the children of darkness might be pleased to sit back, resting in presumed peace and supposed security, we—the children of the light—are told to keep awake and stay sober. We’re to be ready for the return, whenever it happens. Just like how no warrior marching to battle would want to be caught unaware by a shot to the head that could’ve been prevented, had they just not wanted a little time away from the thing that was supposed to save them from this event.

Salvation isn’t just a future thing that we can think about later. It’s something that should make a difference in our daily lives. Something that is meant to be seen even today.

In Titus 2:11-15, the Apostle again speaks of salvation. The grace of God appeared and brought it to us. And while there is an aspect of this salvation that looks forward to our blessed hope—the appearing of our Lord, Jesus—Paul shows us directly that there’s also need to have the helmet toggled back on in this present age.

Verse 12 tells us that salvation should show itself as it trains us to disown any ungodly actions or lusts common to this fallen world. Our deeds should look different from the un-helmeted people who don’t fight this spiritual battle. We should live like the self-controlled, godly, and righteous people that our salvation brings to us.

We have a responsibility, as a result of receiving our salvation, to let the helmet show. To not just receive the benefits, while we expose our self-designed appearance to the world around us. Our salvation isn’t meant for only the future benefit. It’s meant to be seen in our daily lives. Right now.

Toggle the switch back on.