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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
The Holy Spirit is referred to as the "deposit," "seal," and "earnest" in the hearts of Christians (2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30). The Holy Spirit is God's seal on His people, H...
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Jennifer Rothnie
Supporter
The seal of the Holy Spirit is mentioned in several passages: "... When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit." Eph 1:13 "...the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." Eph 4:30 "Now He who establishes us together with you in Christ, and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge." I Cor 2:21-22 This seal is the Greek term sphragízō, which means literally to seal or affix, such as with a signet ring or other stamping instrument, and figuratively to attest ownership and authorize/validate what is sealed. Sealing is a legal term which can show a number of important things: #1 - Ownership #2 - A guarantee of security by the owner against outside tampering #3 - A guarantee of the sealed promises or terms to be fulfilled in the future #4 - A locking away of a document until later revelation/fulfillment (such as a will, to be read only after death, or a sealed prophecy) #5 - Certified agreement Context will generally supply which of these is meant. For example, in Jn 3:33, "Whoever has accepted it has set his seal to this, (certified) that God is truthful," only the last legal sense of certified agreement is meant. When it comes to the seal of the Holy Spirit, however, other scripture shows that it is the first three legal concepts which are highlighted, with an implication of the fourth in Rom 8:19 and I Pet 1:4. Ownership: The seal of the Holy Spirit is a mark of God's ownership of us. "...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..." Eph 1:13-14 "...having been set free from sin, you have become slaves to righteousness." Rom 6:18 "...you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" I Cor 3:16 "...you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” Rom 8:15 Slaves, sheep, children, possession, own body, temple - these are all metaphors that scripture uses to show believers that they are owned by God. Guarantee of security from tampering Seals were often used to mark 'force of arms' or power and authority. In Dan 6:17, the king marks the stone over the lion's den with a seal, showing that his edict cannot be broken regarding Daniel. In Matt 27:65-66, Pilate orders that the stone over Jesus' tomb be sealed and a guard posted to show the might of Rome is behind the seal. Here are some of the verses showing the force of God's protection, far greater than that of any Earthly ruler, that is shown by the seal of the Spirit: "...you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him..." I Cor 3:16-17 "...If God is for us, who can be against us? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one...Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?...neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Rom 8:31-39 Guarantee of promises/terms "...into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, who through faith are protected by God’s power..." I Pet 1:4 "The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ — if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him." Rom 8:16-17 In summary, God seals believers to show we are His possession, to guarantee His protection, and to guarantee His promises.
Michael Mitchell
It is my opinion concerning on being sealed unto redemption. I'm going out on a limb on this question. The Bible speaks on being sealed unto redemption. This implies that not only does the Holy Spirit indwell in us while we are alive, He is also with us until we are in gods presence. Why, Through some of my experiences, I believe that this seal or markput upon us is a mark by our Lord that we are His property and that the evil one cannot torment our soul in anyway. I feel that this is not the case with unsaved folks, that their souls are subject to evil even after their deaths. Saten may or can use these unrepentant souls in his work on the earth to terrorize the living. If we as Christians are marked or sealed, the unmarked soul is just as evident to its owner.
James Kraft
The gospel. First Corinthians 15:1-4 That Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures, that He was buried and rose again on the third day, according to the scriptures. Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also AFTER ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. 1:14 Who is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory. Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit in whom ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Hebrews 13:5 And be content with such things as ye have, for He hath said, I will never leave you or forsake you. What if we lose our faith, and forget all about God? Second Timothy2:13 If we believe not, He abideth faithful, He can not deny himself. First John 3:9 Whosever is born of God doeth not commit sin, For His seed, (the Holy Spirit) remaineth in Him, and He can not sin, because He is born of God. When we receive the free gift of the Holy Spirit, We also received his righteousness. Romans 4:6-8, and He will no longer impute sin to our account. It is only our soul/ Spirit that is saved. Not our flesh or our old nature which is still with us. First John 1:8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us We can not be made perfect in the flesh. We all still sin. Second Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless, the foundation of God is sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. It is far more important that HE knows us than that we know Him. He knows us because we have believed. John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, HATH EVERLASTING LIFE. John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the children of God, even to them that believe on His name. Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. John 10:28-29 And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. And my Father who is greater than all, no one can pluck us our of His hand. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, and we all sin and we all die, but the GIFT of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace ye are saved, Though faith, (when we believe) and that not of yourselves, it is the GIFT of God, not of works, what we do or do not do, lest any man should boast. We have nothing to boast in because we did nothing for it. Jesus paid it all and we paid 0, It is free. First John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that BELEIVE on he name of the Son of God, that ye may KNOW YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. John 3:18 All believers can never be condemned again, unbelievers are condemned already, because they have not BELEIVED on the name of the Son of God. Acts 11:16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how He said, John indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized by the Holy Spirit. Repentance for salvation is the Greek word metanoeo, which means to change your mind from what ever you were trusting in, to trust in Jesus finished work on the cross plus nothing. Meta means change, oeo means mind. Change your mind and believe the gospel. Repent, go from unbelief to belief. Acts 16:31 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. First Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned.
Jack Gutknecht
Believers are sealed with the Spirit, as God's mark put upon them (Eph. 1:13; 4:30). God by His Spirit indicates who are His, as the owner sets his seal on his property; and just as documents are sealed up until the proper moment for opening them, so Christians are sealed up by the Holy Spirit "unto the day of redemption" (Eph 1:13; 4:30; 2 Cor 1:22). Ownership, security and authentication are implied in the words, "The firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his" (2 Tim 2:19). The seal of God on the foreheads of His servants (Rev 7:2-4) marks them off as His own, and guarantees their eternal security, whereas those that "have not the seal of God on their foreheads" (Rev 9:4) have no such guarantee. Fill in the blank, readers!: Ephesians 1:13,14, and 4:30 say that the Holy Spirit __seals_________ us until the day of __redemption_________________________. He becomes the signet of divine ownership by the Father. He has promised to _____________________, Philippians 1:6. The seal stands for two things: ownership and likeness. Wiersbe cites only 4 passages as Biblical Images of "Ownership": 2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13; 4:30; 2 Tim. 2:19. "you were sealed" -- In the ancient world, a seal indicated ownership and protection (compare Dan 6:17 and note; 2 Cor 1:22). The notion of sealing in this context is related to the Day of Judgment: Sealed believers will be kept for their ultimate inheritance—redemption at the end of the age (Eph 1:14)—by the gift of the promised Spirit (Ezek 36:26–27; Joel 2:28–30), which is given to Jews and Gentiles alike. "The sealing of the Holy Spirit is indicative of: ownership, security, authenticity, authority." (Jill Briscoe)
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