I would ask you to open your Bibles, please, to Ephesians chapter 1. Ephesians chapter 1. Well, we now return to our study of the doctrine of salvation. You remember the words ordo salutis, which is simply highfalutin Latin words for meaning the order of salvation. And in particular, we are now continuing our consideration of the gift of the Holy Spirit and his various ministries, especially Bible words that are used of the Spirit's work in our lives. We thus far have considered, for instance, the baptism of the Spirit and then the Holy Spirit's indwelling. Well, that which we come to consider now is the sealing of the Spirit. Familiar with that phraseology? The sealing of the Spirit? Can you define that? Have you been sealed yourself by the Holy Spirit? And if so, how can you tell? What difference has it made in you? Or have you ever thanked God for this blessing specifically? He has sealed you. Or even recognized that you should thank God for so doing. What practical outworking does this have or should this have in the Christian life? Well, it deserves Our attention, especially as three times in scripture, is clearly stated that we have been sealed as part of our salvation. Notice first Ephesians chapter one. We'll take up our reading at verse 13. In him, that is in Christ, you also trusted. after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory. You were sealed. Well, he comes back to that subject in chapter four. Notice verse 30. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. And then notice Paul's words to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians and chapter 1. 2 Corinthians chapter 1. Some were accusing Paul of being unreliable and of vacillating. He says one thing and it says, yes, yes, no, no. You can't take him at his word. Well, Paul has refuted that. But then, in essence, is saying, well, whatever they're saying, the gospel we declared to you is not yes, it's truth. Now, verse 21, he who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Holy Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. Well, as you can see, each of these passages sets forth this sealing as a great blessing of our salvation. But what exactly is it? Well, I want to begin by considering the meaning of this word sealed and the whole idea of sealing. Clearly, it's found at least in these three places in scripture, again, stated quite specifically. Have you ever seen a letter? Kids, maybe you've seen a letter on the back of it. There's this wax or plastic type substance that's got a special seal there on that. Well, it's done more now for the sake of decoration. ornamentation, I suppose. But it really, the basic idea, originally, it served to seal it as an important purpose, to make sure this thing stays sealed. Or have you seen an official document, a property deed or a marriage certificate or the like, and how it's embossed with this seal of the state? That's the idea. There's nothing new, actually. That goes back even, you can see it in the Old Testament, the ancient kings. You remember when Ahasuerus gave his signet ring to Esther and Amorkei by way of, you write the decree, here's my signet ring, you put the seal. There's the king's official stamp. Or in Daniel chapter six, when the king had to put Daniel in the lion's den because of the pressure put upon him by those scallywags. And so we're told how he was not only put in and the stone was rolled against the den and it was sealed. Well, it's the idea. Here's the king's official seal. In fact, the same word that's used there in the Septuagint, that Old Testament translation into Greek, that's the word that's used over here in Ephesians for sealed. Same word, same idea. And so we might think of it then as kind of an official stamp, backed by the authority of the one whose stamp or seal It is. Now, in order to appreciate more its purpose, I want to consider this family of Greek words with you and a number of quite unrelated New Testament texts, okay? For instance, we needn't turn there. I think you're familiar enough with it. In Genesis, sorry, Matthew, chapter 27, remember how they wanted the tomb made secure so that Jesus' disciples would not come and take the body. And so it is that Pilate gave them guards physically, but then the tomb was also sealed. And by that doesn't mean it was somehow welded there. It had this official stamp of the Roman governor. Here, the physical guards, but then you've got this stamp from the governor. Do not touch. As the commentator Melancton Jacobus said, this was the utmost security that could be given. So the idea of seals were used to keep things safe. In John 6, verse 27, it's used in a different way, where our Lord spoke of himself as being sealed by the Father. And by that he meant he was validated or he was approved or he was authoritatively set apart and certified and identified by the father as the Messiah. The father demonstrates, given his seal of approval as it were, that I am the Messiah. Now he was stating that as reason for his being able to make provision for sinners. and his reason for them to believe on him because he's been authorized, he's been equipped, he's been authenticated by the Father, and this way, one translation renders it the seal of approval from the Father. Notice 1 Corinthians 9, here's another use of it that is that kind of authenticating thing. 1 Corinthians 9, the Apostle Paul writing to the church In Corinth, we'll take up our reading at verse one. Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship. in the Lord. You're the validation or you're the authentication of my apostleship. You prove that this is indeed What I am. Validated, if you please. So that's another use. To authenticate or to validate or to certify. And then one more usage. Again, it's unrelated to what we're looking at, but it does demonstrate the idea behind steel. It's in the book of the Revelation. the book of the Revelation. You know, you've got these angels who were out to wreak havoc, to destroy. And yet before that was the case, well, we see this, verse two of Revelation seven. Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God, And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants or slaves of God on their foreheads. Now we know from later that seal is the father's name, Revelation 14. But the idea here is it's a proof of ownership. That seal, these are God's people. This is that they belong to him. Well, The reason I'm looking at these things is just to give you some idea what the idea of sealing is, how it was used, the significance of it. So we've seen it used for the sake of security or to authenticate or to mark out ownership. in which sense are we to understand it of the sealing of the Holy Spirit? Well, I can say that all three are possible, and quite honestly, all three apply, as we can see, throughout Scripture. So that's, firstly, then, we've considered the word, the idea of sealing. But now, secondly, what is this work of the Holy Spirit? It's sealing of, or with the Spirit, by the Spirit. What does that mean to be sealed with or by the Holy Spirit? Now, it clearly has to do with assurance one way or another. But there's difference of opinion as to exactly how that is so. For some of us, we have a large appreciation for Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones. Some appreciate the writings of Octavius Winslow. And there are other writers. good and godly men. But they speak of this sealing of the spirit or with the spirit as a subsequent blessing to believing. In other words, it's an experience giving assurance that comes sometime after faith. And they followed the King James wording of Ephesians 1.13, after that he believed, you were sealed after so sometime after you believe you were then sealed so after conversion maybe many years later after conversion that the spirit then seals by giving an experience that assures or some would say it's the Holy Spirit doing this increasingly and by measure or how he assures of a certain truth, of a certain promise, and seals that to the heart of the Lord's people. Well, let me say this, whatever the Holy Spirit might do by way of making promises more real to us or giving some experience of assurance, That is not what is meant here by this sealing that we see in Ephesians 1, 4 and 2 Corinthians 1. And that can be seen from these very texts that speak of it. From Paul's words in Ephesians, we must say it's the spirit himself who is the seal. In other words, it's not simply an experience that he gives or the like. It's the spirit. that is the seal and it's us that he seals. So again, not simply a certain promise or truth being authenticated or made powerful, nor is seeing some special operation of the Holy Spirit upon us like the witness of the Spirit would be that. but the Holy Spirit himself. Again, the language there in Ephesians chapter one, you were sealed with the Spirit, or Ephesians 4.30, by whom you were sealed. And John Owen says, in and by the receiving of whom you were sealed. So it's the Spirit himself. It's not so much an action, but again, the Spirit himself. Now, as such, It's a blessing that's given to all believers. In fact, notice the language again of Ephesians 1.13, where there we're told how you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. And to whom was the Spirit promised? Remember the words of our Lord Jesus in John chapter 7? You know, anyone thirst, let him come to me and drink. And he goes on to say those who come to him that out of their inmost being will flow rivers of living water. And John gives that editorial note. Well, that's the Holy Spirit that's promised to those who believe. Well, he's called the Holy Spirit of promise, meaning it's promised to all who believe and therefore Paul wrote here generically in both of these texts in Ephesians. He wasn't writing to, and some of you were sealed. No. Same thing when we look at 2 Corinthians. He's writing this to all those believers there in Corinth and he says, You were sealed, just as much as me. You were sealed with the Spirit as the guarantee. Even though they were having problems in the church at Corinth of various sorts, still, no, this is true of them. And therefore, it's not an experience that has been given to some, but not to others. This is true of some of you. not all of you. No, no. Paul wrote of this as a matter common to all true Christians. And further, he wrote of this in the past tense. You were sealed, not Some of you sometime maybe will be. No, all of you already have been. Okay, well, when? Well, the seal was given upon believing. I pointed out that the translation given in the King James about sealed after you believe, well, that's really not the best translation. It's better of New King James, which is similar to the New American Standard, the English Standard Version, having believed. you were sealed. That is to say, the language shows it's when you believe that you were then sealed with the Holy Spirit. And you notice the order there in Ephesians 1.13, when he talks about the word of the truth of the gospel of your salvation, it came, you having believed, you were sealed with the spirit. Boom, boom, boom, there it is. It's not like, and there was this large gap here. The wording does not allow for that, nor does it allow by degrees. Some were sealed more than others. You were sealed a lot. This guy, he was just sealed a lot. No, this happened to each believer upon believing and therefore nowhere Are we commanded to seek the sealing of the Spirit? There have been those who have taught that. Oh, you've got to seek the sealing. No, God hasn't told us anywhere to seek it because all Christians are sealed by God upon true faith right away, upon believing. Now, something to wait for, something to seek later, et cetera. And a further matter to note on this from the language in Scripture is this sealing is permanent, never lost. Notice the language again of Ephesians chapter four and verse 30. Ephesians chapter four, the 30th verse, and do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. When is that? Well, that's the end. That is, all true believers have the sealing with the Holy Spirit all the way up to that time. He sealed you for that end, to bring you to that end. Well, permanent. Now, having looked at these things, it begs the question, does this mean this is a blessing that's non-experiential, like justification? That takes place in the record books of heaven, right? We understand that. When you believed on Christ and you were justified, that is, God declared and now forever treats you as perfectly righteous in the righteousness of Christ. That's imputed to you, as it were credited to you. But that in itself makes no change. of necessity in you, right? That's all together, that's in the record books of heaven. Okay, is that how we're to think in terms of the sealing? It's just something that's kind of positional, but not experiential? Well, no, no, absolutely not, because it speaks again of the Holy Spirit having been given to us, and all of these verses that speak of it speak of something recognizable. You've been sealed. Sealed for the day of redemption. Sealed, the Holy Spirit is a guarantee. In other words, it was known experientially in each of these cases, and so it is always. So the point is, upon believing, all true believers are permanently sealed by God with the Holy Spirit himself. when you were given the Holy Spirit, Christian, God's Spirit, he was given as a seal. And it's recognizable. It's experiential. having seen something of what the wording means, and having seen then what this means with regard to our sealing with the Spirit, that leads to some big questions like, what is this all about, and how does it work, and how is it known? Or if I might put it another way, why has God given us the Holy Spirit as a seal? And what is the effect? of this, and that brings back to the purpose or purposes of sealing that I noted earlier. It was observed that seals were used as a mark of ownership, like there in Revelation chapter 7, how the servants of God were sealed. These people belong to God. Well, so it is with the seal with which we were sealed upon believing. The Holy Spirit was given as that mark of ownership. God gave us the Holy Spirit to mark us out as belonging to him. And so Ephesians 1.4 goes on to describe believers as God's purchased possession, and waiting for that day of redemption of that. But they were sealed. They're God's purchased possession. They're his. He bought them. You're not your own. You bought with a price. Therefore, your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Well, in contrast to the rest of humanity, he's saying by this, we now belong to God. Much like when John says, we are of God, and the whole world lies under the power of the evil one. We're not them. We're distinct. from them and therefore the Lord Jesus when he spoke of giving the Holy Spirit in John 14 and 17 he says the world cannot receive it, cannot receive him. They don't belong to God. But we have received him even as a mark that we are God's possession and gladly owned by him and this is manifested practically. It's seen visibly by his work in us. Remember how the Lord Jesus spoke of the spirit like the wind? You don't see the wind, you see the effects of it. Well, so it is with the workings of the Holy Spirit. He's been given as a seal to mark you out as belonging to God. And that is experiential, that is very visible. For instance, The fact that true believers do pursue holiness, notwithstanding their failures, notwithstanding their fallings before their own remaining corruption, they do pursue holiness. And even when they fall, they do get up. What's that? Well, that's the work of the Holy Spirit, marking you out as belonging to God. The fact that we are led by the Spirit in Romans 8.14, led by the Spirit, these are the sons of God, doesn't mean that we got some Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit's leading us about by the nose. What it means is those inclinations to pursue holiness, the inclinations and the desires to do that which is right and to please God, well, that's the evidence, that's the seal marking you out as belonging to God. Or that being empowered to mortify, if we through the Spirit put to death the deeds of the body, well, again, visible progress being made there. The fact that we have power to live the Christian life and that we do live it, even though we must say as Paul, in me that's in my flesh, there dwells no good thing in me. But it shows that we're not just in our flesh. God, the Holy Spirit has been given to us. The fact that we are in some clear sense, as Jesus said, more like him than we are the world. He prayed that twice in John 17, that high priestly prayer. The fact that the world can see that we are the Lord's people and that we are different. In fact, that they don't like it. That's why there's persecution and the like. Well, how do we account for all of these things? Well, is it because we're just nice people? You know, we're just so wonderful and we get along so well. No. Is it only because of our convictions we believe certain truths and that's why, well, that plays a part, but no. All of this is the result of the Holy Spirit's presence and work in you, right? Right? Your pursuit of holiness and the like. Making us very different from the world. The Bible uses the word sanctification. Well, it's as such that God has sealed us with the Holy Spirit. He's given us, he's been given to us as God's mark of ownership, again, marking us out as different, affirming that we are not of the world. Rather, can I say it reverently, it's God's way of saying, they are mine, they belong to me. Some writers have, pointed out that some of those seals of old, they would have the king's image or the owner's image on those stamps. Well, the Holy Spirit, as a seal, certainly impresses God's restored image on us. This is later dealt with Ephesians chapter 4, Colossians 3. In this sense, as a mark of ownership, it finds parallel in 2 Timothy chapter 1. Sorry, 2 Timothy chapter 2. Please come there. 2 Timothy chapter 2. 2 Timothy and chapter 2. In contrast to those who had fallen away, false professors and heretics, Paul writes this, 2 Timothy 2 and verse 19. Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal, having this inscription stamped upon it, And then he says, the Lord knows those who are his and let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. Here you got these who have fallen away, but God's foundation stands because it's got God's seal on it. It's got God's inscription. These belong to the Lord and they pursue that holiness. So the idea is by the Spirit's presence and work, God has sealed us. He's marked us as His purchased possession. It's in that sense the Holy Spirit's been given to us as a seal. And as such, the other matter, the Holy Spirit, is a seal that authenticates. I mean, we've seen, that's what a seal does. These believers in Corinth, they were converted under Paul's ministry. He says, you then are a seal. You're the validation or the proof that I am genuinely an apostle. And so the Holy Spirit has been given to us as proof that we're truly saved. that were genuine Christians. Remember, Jesus said the world can't receive, but well, we have received. Not only proving this to a watching world that we are the Lord's people, but proving especially to us. Come to 1 John 3. 1 John 3. The Holy Spirit given as the seal to authenticate or to assure us that we belong to the Lord. 1 John 3.24. In fact, John tells us this twice. Now he who keeps his commandments abides in him and he in him. And by this, we know that he abides in us by the spirit whom he has given us. And then notice the language of verse 13 of chapter four. By this, we know that we abide in him. First, we know he abides in us by the Holy Spirit being given us. But here he says, we know that he abides, sorry, that we abide in him. and he in us, because he has given us of his Holy Spirit. So the Holy Spirit, his presence, his operations, is given to us as a seal, as God's seal of approval, as the validation that we're in this way authenticated that we do indeed belong to God. Notice this in Acts chapter 15. Though it's not using the word seal, it is that illustration of the idea. Acts chapter 15. This is when you remember they were saying, what are we going to do with these Gentiles who have been converted? Do they need to be Jewish proselytes? Do they need to be circumcised and keep the whole law? And of course, then you've got Paul and Barnabas. They've been sent there from Antioch. And Peter, he's standing there saying, look, through me, my mouth, God chose for the Gentiles to hear and believe. And it's in that connection we read. Let's take up our reading at verse 8 of Acts 15. So God, who knows the heart, acknowledge them that is these Gentiles who profess faith by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us and made no distinction between us and them purifying their hearts by faith. What's he saying? God authenticated these people. They were Gentiles. This was back in Acts chapter 10. But as they were hearing the gospel, the Holy Spirit was given to them, they believed on Christ. And now here they are, authenticated, given this assurance of God's saving work, of God's favor. And in fact, it's no small part of the Holy Spirit's ministry to give assurance of our salvation. Romans 5.5, how the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who's been given to us. Or Romans 8.16, the Spirit himself bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God. Or Paul's prayer for the believers in Rome later, Romans 15 and verse 13, that they would have joy and peace in believing and that they would abound in hope, abound in confident expectation by the Holy Spirit who was in them. And both Ephesians 1 and 2 Corinthians 1 go on to speak of the Holy Spirit as the guarantee. So the point is it's the Spirit's work to give assurance. And especially so as He and His work in our lives is the authenticating seal, the Holy Spirit's presence having been given you as evidenced by His work in you, that's as it were authenticating seal Here is a true Christian, validated, assured. Remember how Paul would write in Romans chapter 8 about those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But then he quickly says, verse 9 of Romans 8, but you're not in the flesh, but in the spirit. If so, be that the spirit of God dwells in you. Meaning, it's been authenticated. You've got an assurance here because you're not what you were. You're not of the world, rather as the authentication of your conversion, the Holy Spirit's been given. So when we see the Holy Spirit's presence in us, by his many operations, like putting to death the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit's empowering, or being led on in holiness by the Spirit's working, or the Spirit being that spirit of adoption, giving us that sense of the Father's love and that filial relationship being made real to us. Or 2 Corinthians 3, as we're conformed to the same image more and more to Christ by the Spirit through the Word. When we see these workings of the Holy Spirit in our lives, the convictions and so forth. We'll see it for what it is. This is God's seal. He is God's seal given to prove that you are the Lord's. Authenticating, assuring you of full salvation. Here's how we know we know him, because the Holy Spirit. Here's how we know we abide in him and he in us, because he's given us the Spirit. It's proof that all of those spiritual blessings in Ephesians 1 are yours. Remember how he starts off, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who's blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heaven and place in Christ. And he goes through this list, about half a dozen or so as samples. What's in that connection, he says, and you've been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. But that means that all of those blessings then, it's not just, well, you got this one, but you didn't get the other. No, all of these blessings given us by God. even eternal glory itself. Be assured of it. By the Holy Spirit's presence, it's God's seal. But that brings us to another way in which the Holy Spirit is a seal. And please come to Ephesians again, chapter four. We've seen that those seals are designed, those official stamps, are designed to secure or for safekeeping. Therefore, when Daniel's put into the lion's den, they didn't simply roll the stone, but rather, here's this official seal, don't mess. Or when our Lord was in the tomb and Pilate said, okay, make that secure so nobody can come and steal. Here you got the stone, you got the guards, and then this official seal, don't mess. It's for safe keeping. Well, so it is with the person and work of the Holy Spirit in the Lord's people, as Paul there says, Ephesians chapter four, and again, verse 30, where, and do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of judgment. of redemption. Now the day of redemption is called the redemption of God's purchased possession earlier in Ephesians. As Avori pointed out, that means the end. That is when God will have all that he has purchased safe and secure in glory. Even our bodies will be redeemed. So it's talking about our full and our final deliverance from sin and all of its consequences when we will be glorified together with Christ. And he's saying that full redemption, that salvation is absolutely secure and sure because we're kept safe all the way to the end. The Holy Spirit has been given us as the seal. He has sealed us for that day. His presence and His work. And so it's the idea of the Holy Spirit guarding and protecting us. of by his grace working perseverance in us, resting us when we fall. He continues that work of our mortifying and leading us on in holiness, turning, as I've said, when we stray by convicting us, bringing truth to bear, showing us Christ, reviving us in the way. These are all ministries of the Holy Spirit. You see this kind of thing going on in your own life, don't you, Christian? arresting you, convicting you, turning you about, reviving you in the Lord, even when you feel quite unspiritual, or when you're facing some vehement temptation, or you're just spiritually cold and dull. That's the Holy Spirit's work, sealing you for that day of redemption, securing it, making sure that that is yours. Do all true believers persevere to the end? Even though they're so weak in themselves? Even though they're perhaps severely tried? Even though they've got all these struggles? Well, how so? How is it that Christians, true Christians, persevere all the way to the end, even against all earthly odds? Well, Paul's telling us. It's the work of the Holy Spirit. Even sealed. He's no quitter. God has given us that seal to safeguard and keep us secure all the way to the day of redemption. Brother, that's no small work. In light of what we know about ourselves and about our remaining corruption, you know the struggles. You know remaining sin. Like Paul, when I would do good, evil present with me. The good I would, I don't do. The evil that I hate, I actually do. When you see your own perseverance, when you see yourself withstanding temptation, when you experience revivings in the way, maybe you've gone through a period of declension and dullness, and yet God the Holy Spirit has revived you. Well, see why. You've been given the Holy Spirit as the seal to keep you safe. all the way to the day of redemption, to bring you to that day. Well, as you can see, then, the sealing of the Holy Spirit is very experiential. We might not recognize what's going on. We might not think in terms of, oh, that's, but it's very experiential, not just positional. It's his presence, his work, in our hearts and lives. marking us out as belonging to God, authenticating or assuring us that we are truly his work of grace, and that we will be preserved all the way to the end, secured by the work and the presence of the Holy Spirit himself, who's been given you as the seal. Well, one more matter that we'll take up. before we close. How should we respond to this? We've described you, Christian, by God's blessing, your salvation. Well, how should we respond to all of this? What effect or what practical application should we draw from this truth of Scripture, the sealing of the Holy Spirit. Well, it should give you blessed assurance. Do you see the Holy Spirit's presence? And do you see Him active in you? In your life? You're not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. If so, be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. There's a difference. mortifying the deeds of the flesh, as the Spirit convicts, inclines you, leading you in that way, and then empowers you to do that. Or at least some occasions of knowing God's love being shed abroad in your heart, at least some occasions of that filial relationship with God, a sense of His love, and He is your Father, that crying out, Abba, Father. Or the word comes, and albeit it seems to us so slowly, yet there is increase in likeness to Christ. Second Corinthians 3, 18. I think it was Newton that said something about, you know, I'm not what I want to be, but I'm not what I once was, and I'm not what I will be. It's God's grace. I got the order wrong there, but that's something of what he said. It's God's grace. Yeah, it's like when your kids are growing up, right? And you see them day by day, and you don't think, whoa, he just shot up. Well, sometimes when they get to be teenagers, that does happen, right? But the growth is more steady. It's not necessarily perceptible to you. Now, you let grandparents come for a visit and say, whoa, hold on. This kid's getting big. This kid's growing up here. Brethren, we may not perceive, but it is the Holy Spirit's work who's growing us, more and more conforming us to the image of God's Son. 2 Corinthians 3 in verse 18, transforming us from glory to glory into that same image that is the image of Christ. Well, when you see that, how do you account for it? Well, that's the work of the Holy Spirit. Yes, yes, you're reading your Bible, you're praying, but wait a minute. See this, see him as God's seal, as proof that you are God's purchased possession and that you will be forever. You know, this is Paul's point in 2 Corinthians. I know we looked at it earlier, but let's come back there. 2 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians in chapter one. Now he who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. Here's what God has done. Here's the proof of our present and our final salvation. God's established us, and he didn't stop at that. But now, though, you'll be assured of it, and then it will be sure, you've been given the Holy Spirit. Therefore, he assures you of God's favor. Here, he's been given us that seal of approval. And how safe and secure we are, then, as he's sealed us, even to the day of redemption. Do you have problems with assurance? You have struggles? Or could it be that you're fearful about persevering? You understand, Scripture says that not only true Christians will persevere, but they must persevere, and yet you see your own instability and the like. See God's seal. See the presence and the ministries of the Holy Spirit at work in you. It is God's seal, authenticating, assuring, of his work and that it will be brought to completion on the day of redemption. Don't explain yourself in terms of just you. Recognize what's going on, why you as a Christian are continuing on, why you as a Christian are concerned about holiness and are pursuing holiness, notwithstanding your failures and your fallings before remaining in corruption. We must say with Paul, in me that is in my flesh knows good thing. We got that. Well, how can there be any good thing? Because we're not just us. You're not in the flesh, but in the spirit. If so, be the spirit of God dwells in you. We'll see that. God's seal. It's his mark. Be assured. Well, that's one way that we should respond to this truth of Scripture. But that leads then to something else that should characterize us. It's really Paul's response to it there in Ephesians 1. Come back there, please. Ephesians 1. Why did Paul mention this sealing in 1.13? Well, this is part of a broader context, but what's that context? Well, as you well know, go back to verse three. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. It's a doxological statement. In fact, it's the longest single sentence, I believe, in the Greek New Testament. Paul is talking about every spiritual blessing. He gives just a sample, about half a dozen. But that's just a sample. And it's such that he here broke out in praise to God. And in that connection, he's giving praise, verse 13, In him, Christ, you also trusted after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Among all the blessings that are ours in Christ in the heavenly places, he says, so is this. And in recognizing this, in believing this to be so, in seeing it for what it is, well, he recognizes that God is to be praised. and therefore that's exactly what he's doing. Intelligent, doctrinal praise tracing out at least some of the many spiritual blessings as he's seeking to honor God. He traces it all back to him. Well, have you ever praised God that you've been sealed by the Holy Spirit? Well, shouldn't we? You know, biblical warrant here, the pattern. Is he God's mark of ownership? The authenticator of our salvation and keeping us secure all the way to the end? And isn't that a wonderful part of every spiritual blessing that is ours in Christ? Well, Paul teaches us here, recognize what is ours. See what is yours. All of these blessings, including this. And to know that you're sealed, and to truly value that you are sealed, and that in order to respond in this way, overflowing praise for our salvation, even every facet of that salvation. Is that not what we see here in Ephesians 1? Brethren, it teaches us to know about our salvation. You know, that's part of the aim of this protracted series on the ordo salutis, on our salvation. We're looking at these various words that are used and these various facets that are included in Christ's saving work. Well, we're to know these things, but we're to know them so as to thank God for them. that we have some understanding and therefore give intelligent worship and praise. Well, to that end, then, we should recognize what is ours in Christ and our great advantages and our blessedness, even that we should be familiar with them, that we should preach, so that we see what's going on here in our life. Ah, there's the Holy Spirit as the seal that's been given, even seeing it in such a way as we break forth in praise. See what is true of you in Christ and really believe it. Sometimes all we see is our failures, all we see is our remaining corruption, our sins. Well, we need to see those and repent of them. That's true. Wait a minute, is that all there is? Is that all there is? Is there not God's work of grace in us? Is there not God's Holy Spirit in us and operating? and leading us on, notwithstanding our tendencies, our remaining corruption, we'll see it, believe it, recognize it, and not simply be assured, but in seeing the Spirit's presence and work for what it is, that seal, then give him praise. Praise God. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. How are we doing, brethren? Are we praising God for our salvation, even the specifics of it? Not just, yeah, thank you, God, I'm saved and going on, but focusing on these things. Well, that's what we're taught here in Ephesians. If you're here without Christ, you have only sinned against God all your life. You've lived for you and hated him. What do you deserve? Well, it's that which sinners forever receive, as Jesus says in Matthew 25, 41. Depart from you, cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. But see God's grace to you. You know, even hearing the gospel is called the grace of God. Even hearing good news to sinners, that they can be forgiven and they can be saved, that's called grace, undeserved, ill-deserved. 2 Corinthians 6.1, don't receive the grace of God in vain. God now lets you hear good news. In fact, all these blessings of salvation are held out to you in a person. It's not like, well, you gotta go get this and that and that and that, like you go into the grocery, no, you go to this person. He came into this world to save sinners and saves them all with that same full and glorious salvation forever and ever. You've sinned against God, lived for you and hated God all your life. You deserve to be damned forever and yet, lo and behold, here's good news from God. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, you'll be saved. God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son. Whoever believes in him, not perish, have everlasting life. Repent and believe the gospel. Believe on him who is the gospel. Go to Christ. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. He's rich to all who call upon him. Well, call, cry out to him. Lord, save me. Trust him. So to do. My God, grant it to be so. Let's pray. Father in heaven, we do thank you for so great salvation. And oh, forgive us that we are not more grateful, that we're not more mindful. Lord, that we can be easily distracted and dull. And we thank you for giving us the Holy Spirit. And we thank you for the Holy Spirit himself being that seal that marks us out as your people, that assures us indeed that we are yours and you will keep us to the end. We ask to know more of the Spirit's presence and more of the Spirit's obvious workings in our lives. Ah, make us more and more like Christ, being changed from glory to glory, that same image by the Spirit of the Lord. Please, Lord, grant that it would be obvious to us and to others, and help us to live to the praise of the glory of your grace. In Jesus' name, amen.