Day 478: Sealed and delivered – Ephesians 1 vs 13 -14

13-14 In him (Jesus) 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, who is the guarantee of our  inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. English Standard Version

When I was younger I sometimes heard the phrase “signed, sealed and delivered”. It usually meant something had been fully sorted out. It may’ve been a legal matter, or simply for when all the plans of a project had been completed. In a way, that's similar to what the apostle Paul said about the people in the city of Ephesus who'd become Christians. They had believed the gospel message they heard (which was like signing the deal) and were sealed with God's Holy Spirit; and they were going to be delivered from this world's sorrows at Christ's return.

One Bible dictionary says that a seal in biblical times was used to guarantee security, or indicate ownership. Even slaves could be sealed with the seal of their owner. Seals for documents were often made of wax in which the imprint of the owner’s ring could be made. Paul's word about God's people being sealed with the Holy Spirit probably takes us back to the words of the man called John the Baptist who said: “After me comes He who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 1:7-8)

On the first celebration after Jesus had risen of the Jewish festival called Pentecost, and then again in the city of Ephesus itself, the Holy Spirit had given visible signs of His coming into the lives of believers. One of those signs was speaking in a language not their own. Sadly, this led some Christians to teach that all Christians should have such an experience. But in his letter to the Corinthians Paul said that not everyone spoke in an unknown language, and to the Galatians he clearly taught that the evidence of God's Spirit living in us isn't some miraculous sign, but showing the fruit that the Holy Spirit produces in our lives through obedience to Jesus Christ. The gospel of John tells us that “all who receive Christ, who believe in his name, are given the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12) That's what being sealed by the Holy Spirit shows.

Apart from showing Jesus' ownership of our life, what else does Paul say the sealing with the Holy Spirit does?

He says the Holy Spirit is ‘the guarantee of our inheritance’. When Paul was on his way to Jerusalem (where he would be arrested and eventually sent to Rome) he stopped over in Ephesus for a final time with them. In the course of his farewell he said: “I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (Acts 20:32) And Jesus Himself said: “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will  inherit eternal life.” (Matthew 19:29) 

This is the wonderful assurance Christians are given that they will be among those whom God has set apart for eternal life, and who will one day see the glory God has given to Jesus Christ. We will reach our destination. In the eyes of the world we may look feeble and even foolish. In our own eyes we may look weak and full of failures. But in God's eyes we are sealed as belonging to Him and made spotless through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

How should we respond to this wonderful truth? Well, from Ephesians Chapter 4 Paul begins to tell them just that. In vs 1 he says: “I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.” And in vs 29 he adds: “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion; that it may give grace to those who hear. And don't grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”