1 Thessalonians 5:8 Commentary and Bible Study

Paul now puts before us the Christian armour. Of course it is not going to be dealt with at length like it is in Ephesians 6. There are only three pieces of armour here; well two in a way, but three in another way. The breastplate refers to the breastplate at the front and the plate at the back, it is a double breastplate here. It is the breastplate of faith and love. It protects the heart, if you like. The breastplate – you need to be exercising faith and love.And for a helmet to protect the mind: the hope of salvation. That is when the Lord returns and at death the great anticipation of final deliverance. The apostle here does not mean salvation as in being saved at the beginning of the Christian life. He means salvation as in being transported into glory at the end of the Christian life: the ultimate salvation, the hope, the anticipation of salvation.