Ephesians 1:13. In [Christ] you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
Ephesians 1 begins by declaring that in Christ we have every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. These are not future blessings when we get to Heaven. And, these are not earthly blessings like health and wealth. These are the blessings of the new creation that we are able to experience right now, this moment. Why? Because they are Christ’s blessings and we are united to him.
What is the proof of these blessings? How do we know that this great promise is true?
The Holy Spirit. God himself in us. Sealing us.
Beginning at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit took on this new ministry – sealing. When a believer trusts in Christ, they are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. This is the greatest of our spiritual blessings in Christ, the living, active, powerful presence of God the Spirit securing us in our salvation until the day of redemption.
Have you ever doubted your salvation? I have. And I’ve had numerous conversations with other Christians about the security of their salvation too.
Am I really saved?
What about now?
What about now?
And so we’ve prayed the prayer over and over again, re-inviting Jesus into our hearts over and over again.
The problem is that this salvation security is rooted entirely in ourselves. Our performance. Our behavior. Our feelings. It is not found in Christ alone. We are quite convinced that if we faced judgment today we would never pass the examination. But we have failed to realize once again that our judgment is no longer based on us. It’s based on Jesus. His work. It’s based on the Father. His faithfulness. It’s based on the Spirit. His seal.
In Paul’s day the seal of the emperor might be placed on a document or an item signifying that it truly came from the king himself (Jesus’ tomb was sealed shut by the Romans – same word). Or when a slave was purchased he or she might be branded in some way (sealed) to show ownership. It’s hard to know exactly which metaphor Paul has in mind (earlier in the chapter he did say we have been redeemed from slavery). Either way the seal signifies an extremely important truth for us.
We belong to God.
Say it with me – “I belong to God.”
“I will never be alone.”
“My future is secure.”
God has written his name on you. You’re his. No one can steal you. No one can snatch you away. No one can hide you from God. In fact, God has hidden you in Christ. Think about a king writing a letter and putting it into an envelope and then sealing the envelope shut. OK, you’re the letter. Christ is the envelope (in him). And the Spirit is the wax seal. No one dares to open that envelope and remove that letter without permission. If they do the full wrath of the empire will come crashing down on that person. No force of Hell, no Satan, not even YOU can remove yourself from the envelope of God.
Yes, you sin. Yes, you have doubts. Yes, your faith is weak. Yes, your life is hard.
But do you see what you’re doing? Who you’re focused on? It’s YOU. When it should be HIM. Christ is the envelope. The Spirit is the unbreakable seal. God sent the letter. The full power of the Trinity is on your side in this. God’s salvation of you is unstoppable.
Oh, and you being sinful and messing up all the time?
Well that’s actually kind of the point of this whole chapter. We’re blessed to the praise of his glorious grace (Eph.1:6, 12), not to the praise of our glorious good behavior.
For many, Christianity is a life of doubts while striving to maintain a status that was earned by righteous deeds and repeated recitations. But this is not “to live is Christ.” Union with Christ is a seal. A possession. An unbreakable presence. God himself, the promised Spirit, is the seal of our salvation. Not a creed and not a deed. He seals us with his very own life. A life given to us as a gracious gift, earned by the forsakenness of Christ on the cross. Because he was forsaken and shunned we never will be.
Pentecost has given to us an eternal salvation that nothing can destroy. Not even death. We are and forever will be God’s own possession, secured forever by his unbreakable seal, himself. What glorious grace!
“When I look at myself I don’t see how I can be saved. But when I look at Christ I don’t see how I can be lost.” – Martin Luther
You: Have you ever doubted your salvation?
You in Christ: The Spirit seals us in Christ. How should this give us an assurance of salvation?
Christ in you: How does knowing that you are sealed by the Spirit in God and in Christ allow you face each day with all the spiritual confidence of Jesus himself?
Prayer: Father, I am sealed in Christ by your Spirit, and possessed by you forever. Help me to have confidence in your salvation and your sealing. Keep me from the doubts that come from focusing on myself. Thank you for the promised Spirit that secures my life in you. Amen.
To Live is Christ 