Sealed

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Thursday, June 12, 2014

 

SEALED

In Him 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 and the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of His glory.

                                                                                                                                     Ephesians1:13-14 

 

The word sealed, as used in the New Testament, is a powerful word.  It, also, is the powerful vocal point of Paul’s message. 

In Ephesians 1:12 and 15, we see that Paul is talking about the Lord Jesus, who is the person we trusted and believed.  And, because we trust and believe in Jesus, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit. 

Sealed by the Holy Spirit means that we belong to God.  Ephesians 4:30 tells us that the Holy Spirit of God sealed us for the day of redemption.  And I Corinthians 23:16 tells us that the Spirit of God dwells in us.  Paul tells us that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God…

Paul used this analogy because the word sealed was well known and understood.  When something was owned that had to travel from one place to another – by ship or by a caravan through the desert – the shipped property was loaded into a basket or large earthen jug. The container was sealed, usually, with wax or clay. The owner would press his signet (identifying mark) into the wax or clay.  Then, when the container reached its destination, the owner would look for his seal on the shipped containers to claim his possessions. 

That’s us.  We’re the precious possessions bouncing along on a camel caravan or a ship with the seal of the Holy Spirit as the guarantee of our redemption.  And, when it is our time to be claimed at the end of the journey, we can be assured that the blood of Jesus has redeemed us and the seal of the Holy Spirit is the signet proof that we belong to God.