Ephesians 1:13-14

                                                                     Ephesians 1:13-14

 In him 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.

 

The Holy Spirit’s roll in our salvation is the final emphasis in this opening description of the Trinity’s glorious work.  The truths of our salvation are precious, but some may question if the work of God in salvation will truly be fulfilled for eternity.  Is it possible that those who have trusted Christ will end up falling away from the faith?  The Holy Spirit is given to assure that this will not happen.

 

WE ARE SEALED: When we hear the Gospel and respond to it in faith, the Holy Spirit “seals” us.  Perhaps the best way to understand this phrase is with the expression that we use: “sealed the deal.”  When we believe the Gospel, the Holy Spirit enters our life through what we call His indwelling.  That is like the “stamp of approval” on the reality of our salvation.  All that the Father did to bless, choose and adopt us as well as all the Son did to redeem, forgive, unite, and reward us; becomes a reality when we believe and the Spirit enters our life.  A seal is like a proof of authenticity or a guarantee that our salvation is real.  If a person does not have the Spirit indwelling them, it is because they are not saved.  The indwelling of the Spirit is “proof positive” that we are genuine believers and our sins have been forever forgiven by God’s grade to the Glory of our Lord. 

 

WE ARE SECURE: Salvation is not a temporary status.  When the Spirit enters the life of a believer, He guarantees that we will inherit eternal life with Christ.  We do not immediately enter our eternal state when we are saved.  We often speak of God’s work of salvation in our lives in three terms or phases: justification, sanctification, and glorification.  The Holy Spirit in the promise that assures us that all who are justified through faith in Jesus will be eternally glorified and perfectly conformed to the image of Jesus.  The Spirit living in us provides us with that security or assurance.  The natural result of the Spirit’s presence in our lives us that He begins the work of conforming us to the image of Christ in the present.  We will continue to struggle with sin as long as we live in our current fallen world with our fallen bodies and minds.  However, the Spirit will work in us to graciously help us grow closer to the Lord and progressively become more holy.  When the Holy Spirit comes into our lives, He starts working in us and we can be sure that He will complete His work.

 

APPLICATION: Thank the Lord Jesus for sending His Spirit to dwell in our lives.  Walk closely according to the Spirit’s leading in our lives especially through the Scriptures that He inspired.  Depend on the spirit to help us in every aspect of our walk with Christ.  Take great comfort and be hopeful in all circumstances because of the Spirit’s presence in our lives.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Isaiah 54:1-17

Hope is a wonderful blessing from God, without which we would be vulnerable to all kinds of destructive tendencies in our lives.  Today’s society is marked by depression, anger, fear, anxiety and self-righteousness, in large part, because of the sense of hopelessness that prevails in our culture.  Isaiah writes to a people who are about to be taken into captivity because of their sin.  God knows that they will feel rejected, threatened and hopeless so He reveals His future plans for the nation in order to give them hope in the midst of the coming trial.  Hope is the expectation of good based upon the promises of God.  Many times when our lives are marked by the sins mentioned above it is because we have forgotten or failed to focus upon the promises of God’s Word. THE PROMISE OF GOD: From the very first day that God revealed His plan for the nation of Israel, He promised numerous descendants.  God chose Abraham, not because he was more righteous than any of the other people of his
Read more

1 Timothy 2:11-15

Let a woman learn quietly   with all submissiveness.    I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.    For Adam was formed first,   then Eve;   and Adam was not deceived, but   the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.    Yet she will be saved through   childbearing—if they continue in   faith and love and holiness, with self-control. There is certainly controversy and confusion about this passage in many churches today.  The idea of a distinction between men and women and their roles in the family and church certainly goes against the flow of many cultures around the world.  Some would argue that the literal and plain teaching of this passage is no longer applicable to today’s culture.  However, it is always dangerous to discard biblical teaching or try to interpret Scripture based on the cultures in which we live.  Certainly, the Spirit who inspired this text was aware of the many changes that would occur in future cul
Read more

1 Timothy 2:1-7

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and   dignified in every way.    This is good, and   it is pleasing in the sight of   God our Savior,   who desires   all people to be saved and   to come to   the knowledge of the truth.    For   there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,   who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is   the testimony given   at the proper time.    For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying),   a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.   Prayer is one of the greatest privileges believers have and it should be one of our greatest priorities.  Too often our lives are more often marked by complaining about our circumstances and our political leaders than by prayers for them.  The government in Paul’s day
Read more