THE CHILD OF GOD IS SAVED, SANCTIFIED, AND SEALED FOR THE DAY OF REDEMPTION

So far, we have seen that in Christ, we have been CHOSEN, ADOPTED, REDEEMED, GIVEN AN INHERITANCE, and today we will see that in Him we have been SEALED WITH THE PROMISED HOLY SPIRIT. [In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. EPH 1:13-14] PURPOSE OF THE SEAL: In Biblical times, seals were important. Roman seals carried great authority. If something was sealed, and you were to break that seal, the punishment was death. In Matt 27:65-66, we see an excellent example of a seal. [Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.] The seals of men is only as strong as men can make it. Pyramids in Egypt were built as tombs to make the bodies of the kings secure. But the pyramids were raided by robbers. Man cannot make anything completely secure. When our God makes something secure, it is completely secure, as we read in Rev 3:7. [“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.] What God opens, no one can shut. And what God shuts, no one can open. This is the God who seals believers with the promised Holy Spirit. When they heard the word of truth, the gospel of their salvation, they believed, they were sealed by God with the Holy Spirit. This is a seal of security for the believer—eternal security in Jesus Christ. God says: You are mine for eternity. According to Eph 4:30 [Do not grieve the Holy Spirit by whom you were sealed for the day of Redemption], the sealing is already done. It does not say “you WILL be sealed,” but says, “you HAVE BEEN sealed.” We have been sealed for the Day of Redemption. But have we not already been redeemed and adopted? The soul has been redeemed. But there is a great DAY OF REDEMPTION coming, mentioned in Luke 21:26-28. [people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”] We are already redeemed in one sense, but in another, our redemption is drawing near. When Jesus comes, all the bodies of those who have died will be raised. All the bodies of believers will be like Jesus’ glorious body.  [And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. Rom 8:23] So we are redeemed, bought, and sealed. But on the Day of redemption, we will have bodies like Jesus’ body, and the redemption will be complete. That body will be perfect—no old age, no Covid, no pain, no aches, and no death. That is why Paul writes that nothing can separate us from the love of God. [No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Rom 8:37]. Death is momentary. With our new body, we will live for all eternity. So this is the purpose for the sealing. The Lord is saying: These are my people. PERSON OF THE SEAL:You were sealed by the promised Holy Spirit, but what is the seal? This is not a mark or brand like you put on an animal. It is not like a tag on the ears of cattle. The seal of the Holy Spirit is not like that. You will not see any mark on the believer. But you will see the result of new life in Jesus Christ. This seal is a Person. This is the third person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit. [And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. . . John 14:16-17] When they heard the gospel of salvation, they believed, and that is when they received Him. Who is the guarantee? The Holy Spirit is the guarantee. What is guaranteed? Without the sealing, there is no adoption, redemption, or inheritance. Some erroneously speak of a second work of grace, and this has caused so many to be discouraged. [Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. Rom 8:9] We are familiar with this quote of J I Packer: “Why, were it not for the work of the Holy Spirit there would be no gospel, no faith, no church, no Christianity in the world at all.” And no hope of the resurrection. [And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. Rom 8:11]. So the person and work of the HS is a very important teaching. [Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You[d] must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:5-8] The Spirit comes to dead sinners, gives them eyes to see and ears to hear, gives them faith to believe, so that they flee to Christ. The Holy Spirit convicts and then converts. We see this on the day of Pentecost too. [Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38] Salvation comes as a great and wonderful package. [And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. John 16:8] The Holy Spirit enables them to turn their back to sin and run by faith to the cross, and they become a new creation. And the blessed Holy Spirit comes to take up residence within that heart. The Holy Spirit is God’s seal of ownership on men and women who are in Christ. This is why Christianity is not turning over a new leaf, but rather it is a new creation. So the Father sent the Son, as a propitiation. The Son purchased us by His death on the cross,  sacrificing Himself. Then the Holy Spirit convicts, converts, indwells and seals all the chosen in Him. So we have been chosen, called, adopted, redeemed, and sealed. This is truly wonderful. That sons and daughters of Adams race can sit here this morning with this great sense of security. Does this passage in Ephesians 1 describe you?