Let Us Magnify the Lord Together, Part IV: The Work of the Holy Spirit--Sealing
- Ephesians 1:13-14
- Pastor Jerry Halbrook -PBC
- Mar 21, 2010
Sermon Proposition: We were sealed in union with Christ, by the Holy Spirit, as God’s possession.
Lead: The Spirit’s Sealing Should Be Evident.
Context Eph. 1:3 ¶ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Eph. 1:6 to the praise of his glorious grace (because of the Father’s electing),
Eph. 1:12 to the praise of his glory (because of the Son’s redeeming)
Eph. 1:14 to the praise of his glory (because of the Spirit’s sealing)
TDNT. Using seals is an ancient custom. They serve to identify things with a sign, figure, letter, or words, or a combination of these. A technical element is presupposed, namely, the making of an instrument by means of which the desired mark can be impressed or copied one or often on a suitable surface, thus producing the stamp or seal. “Seal” has two meanings. It can denote the instrument, the signet or ring. It can also denote the impression made by this.
Hoehner. In the NT it occurs fifteen times out of which eight are in Revelation and only four times are in Paul (Rom. 15:18; 2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13; 4:30).
(1) to seal in order to avoid tampering, denoting security (Matt. 27:66; Rom. 15:28; Eph. 4:30; Rev. 20:3);
(2) to authenticate (John 6:27);
(3) to certify genuineness (John 3:33); and
(4) to denote identification of ownership (2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 4:30; Rev. 7:3-5, 8).
In this context the sealing refers to ownership. This fits well with the previous verses because the believers are God’s heritage (v. 11) and thus belong to him.
Hughes. In regard to sealing, in the ancient world the owner announced his ownership by attaching his seal to his possessions. That is what God has done for us. He has tagged us, he has left his mark on us in our hearts, and we who have the seal know it (Rom. 8:16, 17). The seal not only assures us that we are his—it also assures us of his protection. Later in Ephesians we find the same word as we read that with the Holy Spirit of God we are “sealed for the day of redemption” (4:30). We are owned by our Lord and are under his protection until the great day of redemption.
Lenski. The secular uses of sealing are: for security, for concealment, for marking, and for authenticating. Here and in 2 Cor. 1:22 the idea is that of ownership: by means of the seal, i.e., by the bestowal of the Spirit, God marked us as his own, 2 Cor. 1:22 has the middle voice. The Spirit is a living seal, thus a mark that is proper for the divine life kindled in us.
Exegetical/Homiletical Outline:
I. Sealed “In Christ” (1:13a-c)
II. Sealed by the Spirit (1:13d-14a)
A. The promise of holiness
1. The “promised” Spirit
Hughes. Promised by the prophets (see esp. Joel 2:28-29) and by Christ. The former seems to speak of the Spirit promised when the new covenant was to be initiated (Ezek. 36:26-27; 37:14; cf. also 39:29) and the latter specifically refers to Christ’s promise to his disciples that he would send the Spirit (Luke 24:49; John 14:16-17; 15:26; Acts 2:33; Gal. 3:14; cf. also John 16:13; Acts 1:5; 10:47).
2. The “Holy” Spirit
B. The preview of heaven
Hughes. We understand from the Greek and Roman culture of that day that it was customary to make a deposit on the purchase of a possession. The down payment announced that more of the same would be coming – the first installment. Today we call it “earnest money.” Thus we understand that the spiritual life given to us by the Holy Spirit is a down payment of what is come. The celebrated Greek scholar Bishop Lightfoot of Cambridge says, “The actual spiritual life of the Christian is the same in kind as his future glorified life.” It is the same in kind, though immeasurably less in degree. It is a true foretaste.
III. Sealed for God (1:14b-c)
A. For His possession (1 Pet. 2:9; Eph. 4:30)
• with view to the redemption of God’s own possession (NASB)
• until the redemption of those who are God’s possession (NIV)
• until the redemption of God’s own possession (NET)
• until the redemption of the purchased possession (KJV)
• unto the redemption of God’s own possession (ASV)
Hughes. We are “God’s possession.” The huge significance of this statement can only be seen when we understand that in the Old Testament, Israel, and only Israel, is called God’s possession. Malachi, the very final book in the Old Testament, testifies to this: “ ‘They will be mine,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘in the day when I make up my treasured possessions’” (Malachi 3:17; cf. the same word in the LXX of Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 6:7; cf. also Deuteronomy 14:2; 26:18; Isaiah 43:21). To have these words applied now to Gentiles is one of the most stupendous things in the New Testament (cf. 1 Peter 2:9; Acts 20:28). This places Jews and Gentiles on equal footing in regard to the benefits of election and salvation.
B. For His praise
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Conclusion: Your “sealing” should be evident.
A. It should be evident to you that you are in Christ (Rom. 6:11-13)
B. The Holy Spirit’s effect should be evident in your life (Gal. 5:19-25).
C. The evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence in your life should clearly indicate that you belong to God (1 Cor. 6:19-20)