Austin Bible Church
In the ancient world, sealing was a signature guarantee on the document containing the seal. It was used on contracts, kings’ proclamations, orders, agreements, treaties, and invoices to authenticate them and establishes them as genuine. A seal indicates ownership. When a king sealed a proclamation, that became a law. When people signed a contract by using a wax seal, that was their guarantee from their integrity that they would fulfill their part.
The Holy Spirit takes the unbeliever's faith alone in Christ alone and makes it effective for salvation. The Holy Spirit puts His seal on the unbeliever's faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.
The sealing work of the Holy Spirit is the basis of our eternal security and occurs at the moment of salvation. The Holy Spirit guarantees the believer’s eternal life at the point of salvation. When God the Father imputes eternal life to the believer’s newly created human spirit, God the Holy Spirit seals that eternal life. There is nothing you can do or God can do to break this seal. We are in the plan of God. We belong to God. The Holy Spirit ratifies the New Covenant of salvation. The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our eternal security. Eph. 4:30; Eph. 1:13.
"Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." (Ephesians 4:30, NASB)
"In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise," (Ephesians 1:13, NASB)
God the Holy Spirit seals the believer in that He guarantees that blessings will be available in the spiritual life and in eternity to those that grow in the spiritual life and apply God's grace resources to grow and glorify Him by doing so. 2 Cor. 1:21-22.
"Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge." (2 Corinthians 1:21-22, NASB)
Sealing is a portion of our inheritance. In Ephesians 1:14, the Holy Spirit is “given as a pledge” or down-payment of our inheritance until the “redemption of God’s own possession” which will occur when Church Age believers’ bodies are resurrected at the Rapture of the Church. We are God's personal possession. Our position is in Christ. Eph. 1:14; Rom. 8:23; 1 Thess. 4:16-18; Rom 3:24, Eph 1:7.
“who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.” (Ephesians 1:14, NASB)
"And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body." (Romans 8:23, NASB)
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, NASB)
“who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.” (2 Corinthians 1:22, NASB)
"being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;" (Romans 3:24, NASB)
"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7, NASB)