"Sealed by the Holy Spirit"
(written by Dr. Theodore Epp)
"Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." (2 Corinthians 1:18-22)
"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:13-14)
God the Father has anointed us [chosen us] and sealed us [marked us as His own possession forever!]. The seal...is the Holy Spirit Himself. The persons who are sealed are those who have trusted in Christ [put their faith in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation]. This is clear from the Scripture verses quoted above. The basis for this sealing is belief [faith] in the Gospel of Christ. When a person trusts Christ [who died and rose for us], the Holy Spirit indwells the believer and God seals the believer by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is given to us as the earnest, or down payment, of our further inheritance [He is the guarantee that we will remain in God's family for all eternity! He is the guarantee that we can never be lost!].
The Word of God does not say that the Spirit is given only to spiritual Christians [those who are walking by faith and obedience]. Believers can, and sometimes do, become carnal [sinful and selfish]; nevertheless, they are sealed by the Spirit of God.
Paul told the Corinthians that he could not write to them as spiritual believers but had to treat them as "carnal, even as ... babes in Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:1). Yet to this same group he wrote: "Now He who established us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, is God; who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts" (2 Corinthians 1:21,22).
"Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His" (Romans 8:9). [Each and every believer has the Holy Spirit within them. This is why it is not necessary to ask for the Holy Spirit, plead for the Holy Spirit, or even pray for the Holy Spirit. He already indwells us! Our part is to yield to Him by faith. As we live in dependence on our Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit produces His miraculous fruit in our lives.]
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit..." (Galatians 5:22-24)
[Note: The sealing of the Holy Spirit, which takes place the moment we first trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior, is God's guarantee that we will never be separated from Christ. We are His permanent possession!]
"I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)
(written by Dr. Theodore Epp)
"Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." (2 Corinthians 1:18-22)
"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:13-14)
God the Father has anointed us [chosen us] and sealed us [marked us as His own possession forever!]. The seal...is the Holy Spirit Himself. The persons who are sealed are those who have trusted in Christ [put their faith in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation]. This is clear from the Scripture verses quoted above. The basis for this sealing is belief [faith] in the Gospel of Christ. When a person trusts Christ [who died and rose for us], the Holy Spirit indwells the believer and God seals the believer by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is given to us as the earnest, or down payment, of our further inheritance [He is the guarantee that we will remain in God's family for all eternity! He is the guarantee that we can never be lost!].
The Word of God does not say that the Spirit is given only to spiritual Christians [those who are walking by faith and obedience]. Believers can, and sometimes do, become carnal [sinful and selfish]; nevertheless, they are sealed by the Spirit of God.
Paul told the Corinthians that he could not write to them as spiritual believers but had to treat them as "carnal, even as ... babes in Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:1). Yet to this same group he wrote: "Now He who established us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, is God; who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts" (2 Corinthians 1:21,22).
"Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His" (Romans 8:9). [Each and every believer has the Holy Spirit within them. This is why it is not necessary to ask for the Holy Spirit, plead for the Holy Spirit, or even pray for the Holy Spirit. He already indwells us! Our part is to yield to Him by faith. As we live in dependence on our Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit produces His miraculous fruit in our lives.]
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit..." (Galatians 5:22-24)
[Note: The sealing of the Holy Spirit, which takes place the moment we first trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior, is God's guarantee that we will never be separated from Christ. We are His permanent possession!]
"I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)
