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Doctrinal pointers by Gerald B. Stanton, Th.D. Prof, of Systematic Theology, Talbot Theological Seminary
The Sealing Ministry of the Spirit
Q f the seven primary ministries of w the Holy Spirit in this age, four are accomplished for the believer in Christ at the very moment of salva tion. At the new birth, the believer receives the gift of eternal life and position in the family of God. This is by the regenerating work of the Spirit. His body becomes a temple of God as the Spirit takes up His abode within Him. This is His indwelling. By the selfsame Spirit he is baptized into the true Church, the “body of Christ.” How important these minis tries are in our behalf! Entirely un earned and undeserved, they are gifts from the gracious hand of God. Less well known than these three ministries, but also accomplished at the very moment of receiving Christ as Saviour, is the “ sealing of the Spir it.” Three primary verses set forth this teaching, th e m o s t important of which is Ephesians 4:30: “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemp tion.” The two additional passages on the same theme are 2 Corinthians 1: 22 and Ephesians 1:13. A two-fold purpose is apparent in the sealing ministry of the Spirit, the first of which is ownership. A seal is a mark of identification or of posses sion. We do not place our seal of ownership upon that which belongs to another, but only upon that which is our own peculiar possession. Even so, God marks those that are His. The Christian has been released from the bondage of sin (Rom. 6:16-22) and of Satan (Acts 26:18). Redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, he belongs to the Lord and is no longer his own (1 Cor. 6:19-20). Evidently the Spirit Himself is the seal of God upon the believer. His abiding presence within setting him apart as one who belongs exclusively and eternally to the Lord. “Nevertheless the foundation of God
standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his” (2 Tim. 2:19). It is possible that Christ alluded to this same truth in John 6:27: “ Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.” A second purpose suggested by the sealing ministry of the Spirit is secur ity. The believer is sealed “ unto the day of redemption.” Paul records in Romans 8:23: “ . . . even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” Either at death, or at the rapture of the Church (1 Thess. 4:13-18), the true Christian shall be caught up into the presence of his Saviour and be transformed by the very act of beholding (Phil. 3:20-21). This is the consummation of our re demption. This is glorification! Since the Christian is sealed against that day, he finds within this fact further evidence of eternal salvation. While from God’s viewpoint the sealing of the Spirit means ownership, from the viewpoint of the believer it means security. Some may be led to believe from the King James version of Ephesians 1:13 that the sealing ministry of the Holy Spirit is an action which takes place subsequent to salvation. The thought of the Greek, however, is not that of sealing after believing, but rather that “ upon believing ye were sealed.” Having believed, you have also been sealed. This mark of owner ship does not await the attainment of victory or a certain degree of maturity in the Christian experience. It should, however, encourage every earnest Christian to walk worthily of his high calling and to rejoice that the seal of his God is upon him. END.
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The King's Business/April 1958
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