Sealed with Promise

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

I was asked not too long ago how the Holy Spirit “seals” us for protection. The one asking the question was a fairly new convert and thought the Holy Spirit wrapped us up in a spiritual bubble-wrap, keeping us safe in the world. 

I spent a little time explaining that being sealed by the Holy Spirit speaks of ownership, authenticity, security, and authority. In times past, nobles placed an official seal on documents or other possessions to guarantee inviolability. If anyone were to break that seal, they would immediately incur the wrath of the one it represented (see Daniel 6.17; Matthew 27.62-66]. 

That kind of an official seal was put on documents, deeds, and wills when they were finalized. Not only that, but anyone holding a decree from a sovereign, which had his seal on it, had the sovereign’s authority to act on it. 

Everything I just said is a picture of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. He is the Sovereign’s guarantee of salvation. He proves that you are an authentic child of God. You are the Sovereign’s possession, purchased with His Son’s precious blood [1 Peter 1.18-19]. You are the Sovereign’s ambassador, given authority to act on, proclaim, His message of salvation [2 Corinthians 5.20]. 

There’s one more thing to be added. Paul told the Ephesian Christ followers that the Holy Spirit was the “pledge” or “guarantee” of their eternal inheritance. He used an interesting Greek word to convey it, arrabon, which literally means, down payment or earnest money. A down payment is the promise to secure a purchase. The Holy Spirit is the pledge that God will keep His promise, that you are His for eternity—the first installment of your eternal inheritance.

In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation — having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1.13-14