Why Spiritual Sealing Matters

Again the sealing of the Holy Spirit refers to His ministry of marking the children of God as His own possession and guaranteeing their complete salvation. Having discovered from Ephesian 1:13-14, that this holy sealing transpires at conversion and primarily signifies that believers belong to God, it is vital that we explore the significance of this divine act further. In this article we will consider how spiritual sealing refers to spiritual authority, security, and protection. So, not only does the sealing by the Holy Spirit denote ownership, but it further signifies power and safeguarding for every genuine child of God. These are blessings afforded by the Heavenly Father to every believer without a single exception. They are not privileges earned through obedience, but given as pure acts of grace through the Holy Spirit. Note once more what the insightful Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 1:12-14,

That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. ¹³ In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.^[1]

DIVINE PROTECTION

Spiritual safeguarding is afforded because the true Christian is sealed by the Spirit. This is God provided protection and security—it is unparalleled and without equal in potency. The Roman seal on the tomb of the Lord Jesus carried this meaning of security and protection rooted in governmental authority (Matt. 27:66). The tomb was under the protection of Roman authority and was to remain secure and the seal unbroken. This was the Jewish rulers and Roman officials’ effort to insure the disciples of the Lord Jesus did not come secretly to steal his body to then make a false claim that Christ had risen from the dead. Likewise, the believer belongs to God, and is spiritually safe because he or she is under divine authority and protection—we are “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation” (1Pet. 1:5). According to the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit will abide with the believer forever—He will not break this seal nor forsake this ministry of safeguarding God’s people (John 14:16-17). Certainly, it is possible for Christians to grieve the Spirit and thereby lose the blessings of His ministry (Eph. 4:30). But He does not leave them; in fact, this a far cry from forsaking believers because of some area of unfaithfulness in the believer.  The Spirit keeps each believer safely and securely in God’s grace and love as He promised (Rom. 8:26-39). The result is life-long eternal security and spiritual protection that will never expire! The truth highlighted here is that the Christians can never…ever…ever be lost again.

Anders (1995, Chapter 3) gives one commonly used story picturing the power and significance of a seal through an emissary that Alexander the Great once sent to Egypt. This representative of the most powerful man on earth at the time traveled to Egypt without weapons or military escort. He carried only the seal of Alexander, possibly a signet ring bearing Alexander’s official seal.

The emissary met with the king of Egypt, who stood with his army behind him, and communicated to him that Alexander wanted him to cease hostilities against Alexander’s interests. The king of Egypt, wishing to save face, said that he would consider Alexander’s request and let him know later what his response would be. At that, the emissary drew a circle in the dirt around the king of Egypt and said, “Do not leave the circle without informing me of your response.” Think of that! The king of Egypt was standing there in full military array, with his army instantly ready to obey his commands. The emissary was unarmed. Yet the king dared not harm or defy the emissary without defying Alexander. Whatever he did to the emissary, he did to Alexander. Realizing that he was facing, by extension, Alexander himself, after a long, tense moment he said, “Tell Alexander he has his request,” and stepped out of the circle.

That is the power and significance of a seal. It carries the full weight of the one who owns it. Christians have God’s seal, the Holy Spirit, which carries the full weight of God the Father behind it (2Corinthians 1:22). The entire power and authority of Almighty God stands behind the believer’s security in Christ! The seal signifies that believers are God’s possessions; God is for them guarantying their security. If God is for them, who can successfully stand against them.

BELIEVERS’ ASSURANCE

It should also be reemphasized that the Spirit’s seal in the believer’s life is meant to be experiential. The Spirit grants inner assurance that a repentant believer is indeed justified before the Lord God because of their faith in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Though a believer is sealed but once, the spiritual blessing can be experienced continually. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1997 p. 260) in God The Holy Spirit taught that this is part of the value in God communicating this truth to the child of God. The truth is given that Christians might have assurance, enjoyment and blessed security in the salvation of the Lord. They are secure until the ultimate complete redemption and perfection in Christ. There is no need to fear being abandoned by God for whatever reason. We are blessed with the assurance that we belong to the Lord and that He belongs to us!

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine

Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine

Heir of salvation, purchase of God

Born of His spirit, washed in His blood—Fanny Jane Crosby (1820-1915)

BELIEVER’S AUTHENTICITY

Another use for the seal is as a mark of authenticity (Wiersbe 1989, Vol. 2. p. 13) (John 6:27; 3:33). When the Lord Jesus said that God the Father had set His seal on Him, He meant that God had sent Him and approved Him as the genuine Giver of eternal life (Jn. 6:27). Christ’s power to give life rested in the authority which God the Father had vested in him. Thus Christ’s offer of eternal life is legitimate and real; we are free then to trust Him…to believe any claim He makes…to regard ourselves safe under His influence and care. The Father set his seal of approval and authenticity on the Son at his baptism when the Holy Spirit came upon him and the Father spoke of him. When one sets his seal to something, it means that they promise that it is true or genuine. God sealed the Son of Man in the sense that He endorsed Him as the authentic Giver of eternal life, and the One who spoke the truth. Such clear declarations of the authenticity of the Lord Jesus connects deeply with our need to trust Him...believe Him…commit ourselves to following Him. Christ and His message are confirmed by God; He is real about what He promises. Jesus is free of mere clever manipulations! 

Just as a signature on a letter attests to the genuineness of the document, so the presence of the Spirit indwelling believers proves the believer is genuine. There is more here than a claim to believe…more is involved than participation in religious meetings, something far weightier is of interest than meager assertions about being serious about our faith. Paul said, “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His” (Rom. 8:9). It is wise to permit that biblical statement to persist with the intended strength with which it was given! Wiersbe (1996, Vol. 2. p. 13) taught it is not simply our “lip profession, our religious activity, or our good works, but also the witness of the Spirit that makes our profession of faith authentic” (Rom 8:14-17).  This reality should be well understood and never diminished. Romans 8:16 says, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God”^[2] Denney says…Our own spirit tells us we are God’s children, but the voice with which it speaks is, as we know, prompted and inspired by the divine Spirit itself.”^[3] So the significance of the seal is that it declares divine ownership, provides eternal security, and testifies to an authentic conversion experience.

EARNEST

The second observation of the apostle Paul reveals the Spirit’s seal is the “earnest of our inheritance” (Eph. 1:14). Consider Paul’s affirmation, “…ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory” (Eph. 1:14). Therefore, receiving the Spirit was only the ‘first installment’ of the spiritual inheritance. This can be seen through a study of the word “earnest.” And one can be certain “earnest” is a fascinating word!  McGee (1997) indicated in his Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee commentary that in Paul’s day, it meant the down payment to guarantee the final purchase of some commodity or piece of property.

Even today one will hear a real estate agent talk about earnest money to secure a property interest. Naturally speaking, earnest has to do with the deposit one puts down when making a sizable purchase.  It means one is contracting that they will certainly pay the rest; they is putting down on account; it is the first installment, paid as a kind of security (Anders 1995, Chapter 3). It’s a pledge that one will follow on with something more.  Basically there are two other passages of Scripture that communicate this concept of the Spirit’s ministry in the believer and they are 2Corintians 1:22 and 5:5.  This seal, the presence of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling believers, guarantees the final and full redemption of believers (Richards & Richards 1987). It intimates that the present activities of the Spirit foreshadow the type and quality of ministry He will do more fully in the new creation, and so the Spirit with whom God marks them with his stamp of ownership is also appropriately called the “earnest” meaning “caution-money deposited by a purchaser in pledge of full payment,” ‘guarantee’, even ‘first installment’ of believers inheritance (Rom. 8:23; 2Cor. 1:22; 5:5)  according to Wuest’s Word Studies in the Greek New Testament (Wuest 1997, Vol. 1, p. 49). Max Anders (1995, Chapter 3) in The Holy Spirit: Knowing our Comforter adds yet another valuable insight to the concept of “earnest” by saying, The word earnest also means “engagement ring.” In Greece today you would find this word being used that way. But, after all, isn’t an engagement ring an assurance—a guarantee—that the promises made will be kept? Our relationship to God through Christ is not simply a commercial one, but also a personal experience of love. He is the Bridegroom and His church is the bride. We know that He will come and claim His bride because He has given us His promise and His Spirit as the “engagement ring.” What greater assurance could we want?

GUARANTEE

Then notice the phrase the “redemption of the purchased possession” (Eph. 1:14); it refers to the full inheritance. The seal guarantee to believers the Spirit will finish His work and eventually bring them to glory. Note what Paul stated in Romans 8:23, which says, “And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” The “redemption of the purchased possession” refers to the redemption of the body at the return of Christ in the Rapture (Rom 8:18-23; 1John 3:1-3). It speaks of a finished transaction. Even today when important legal documents are processed, they are stamped with the official seal to signify the completion of the transaction. The fact that Christians know the Holy Spirit is living in them is a perfect guarantee of their ultimate salvation—the redemption glorification (1Cor. 1:30). The Holy Spirit has been given to them in order that they might have some kind of idea of what awaits them when they arrive in glory.  God has given them the first fruits.  

One also should view the earnest of the Holy Spirit as having some experiential value for the believer in Christ Jesus.  It seems correct to think that this is afforded to them to give comfort and encouragement.  Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1997, p. 260-262) observed in God The Holy Spirit, that life can be hard and trying and filled with certain temptations and uncertainties, but God affords Christians these assurances to help them through this pilgrimage. What they have experienced of the Spirit is but a foretaste, it is but a sample, a kind of first fruits of the tremendous heritage God is preparing for them.  Again believers not only take these truths by faith, they are moved by them and their emotions are touched deep within, their entire being is influenced and stirred by this truth. Their conduct is curtailed and their actions are guided by this wonderful guarantee. 

The seal and earnest of the Spirit provide assurance of a finished transaction and a guarantee the believer will receive the entire inheritance as an heir of God. Finally, Max Anders (1995, Chapter 3) provides another helpful insight into the seal of the Spirit by noting how the trucking industry provides an interesting illustration of the sealing of the Spirit. For certain types of loads, when a truck is fully loaded and ready for its run, plastic seals are placed around the lock on the door. Breaking this seal before the truck reaches its destination will have at the least the appearance of thief and will mean the loss of one’s job. This is similar to the sealing of the Spirit. The seal of the Spirit cannot be broken before the Christian reaches his heavenly destination. It is the believer’s guarantee of reaching the destination God intends for them.  

Again, the blessings Christians receive now are just a foreshadowing: according to Paul, they still await their “inheritance” in the final and total redemption of the world by God at the end of time. Ephesians 4:30, re-emphasizes this truth, reminding them that they are sealed with the Spirit “unto the day of redemption” to come. Then God’s purpose, initiated in Christ, will be brought to consummation, and seeing it from beginning to end will evoke all creation’s praise of the Creator.

So then regarding the Spirit’s sealing, believers can know they belong to God, is secure in salvation, and their profession of faith is genuine. Then regarding the earnest of the Spirit, believers are assured of a finished transaction. They are guaranteed all the inheritance provisions will be realized fully for each child of God. If the ‘down payment’ was God the Spirit, what in eternity will the full payment be! Clearly, these are important matters to the people of God. 

One other truth should be realized. All these ministries of the Holy Spirit to Christians are simultaneous at the moment of conversion. While the conviction process may be long and drawn-out previous to salvation, people are not saved without it. It is still present at the moment of salvation, convincing sinners to repent, to turn from their previous attitudes about Christ, and to accept Him as their personal Savior. Regeneration, indwelling, and sealing all happen the moment one says “yes” to the invitation of Christ. Then a whole new and wonderful work of God begins in the life of the new convert. Sanctification and spiritual growth are the next natural considerations following such discussions. 

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^[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Eph 1:12–14). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[2] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Ro 8:16). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[3] Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Vol. 2, p. 135). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.