Intro: Our passage is a great picture of God’s grace and workings in the believer. Today we study biblical truths which relate to our salvation. We have different experiences – some good and some bad. If you are a true believer in Christ, you must be able to personally testify of the reality of what we are about to study - the Christian experience.
1. Ye Heard the Word of Truth, the Gospel of Your Salvation (v. 13). The Gospel is found in I Cor. 15:3-4. It is the good news of Christ’s love and redemption. To hear the Gospel is an open and direct invitation into the blessing, forgiveness and reconciliation with God. God’s invitation can either be accepted or rejected.
2. Ye Trusted After That Ye Heard the Word of Truth (v.13). It is not enough to just merely hear the Gospel. There must be deep personal conviction and faith (Rom. 10:17). A sinner must realize his need for Christ and His word in the same way a hungry and thirsty man realizes his need for food and water! (Gal. 3:26)
3. Ye Were Sealed With That Holy Spirit of Promise (v.13). The Holy Spirit was given as an “earnest” in our hearts of all that God has promised and laid in store for His children (II Cor. 1:22). You are stamped, reserved and later claimed by your true owner – God (Eph. 4:30). That is why a New Testament believer cannot lose the Holy Spirit and his salvation. God Himself guarantees it!
4. Ye Have Redemption Through His Blood (v.7). Like a great contract the price of our redemption was paid for by God through Christ’s shed blood and death upon the cross. It was sealed by the Holy Spirit, guaranteeing the eternal redemption of all who truly believe in Christ (Heb. 9:12; Tit. 2:14). Those redeemed by the blood of Christ will sing of Redemption in Heaven (Rev. 5:9).
5. Ye Have the Forgiveness of Sins (v.7). The Christian is not only redeemed but all his sins have been forgiven through the blood of the Lamb (I Pet. 1:18-19). This is God’s most infinite mercy and amazing grace! MERCY is not getting what we deserve. GRACE is getting what we do not deserve! By nature we are all hell-bound sinners but the precious blood of Christ has made it possible for us to be heaven-bound! God redeemed, forgave and adopted us as sons of God (John 1:12; I John 3:1).
6. Ye Are Accepted in the Beloved (v.6). Note the term “accepted” - in spite of all our foolishness, failures, sins, and rebellion! Such is divine love for it loves even the unlovable and accepts even the unacceptable! God, our Heavenly Father is pleased in accepting the return of his wayward sons even as He is similarly pleased with accepting condemned but repentant sinners!
7. Ye Have Obtained an inheritance (v.11). Cf. I Pet. 1:4-5. The Bible declares that since we are now the sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus, we have also been made joint-heirs with Christ in the future. There are two types of inheritance for the believer: (1) Inheritance that is instantly given as a “bonus” in the form of a Mansion and a new Glorified Body (John 14:2; Phil. 3:20-21); (2) Inheritance in the form of real estate and dominion earned by SUFFERING and SERVICE for Christ (Rom. 8:17; Col. 3:24). You have so much to lose if Christ is not true to you and you are not true to Christ! On the other hand, you have so much to gain if you trust Christ!
Conclusion: The Holy Bible is very clear about the Christian experience. First, the sinner hears the Gospel of Christ; then he puts his faith and trust in Christ; is sealed with the Holy Spirit; is redeemed, forgiven and accepted by God through Christ. He then becomes a joint-heir with Christ. Friend, can you honestly say that this is your actual first-hand spiritual experience? If not, it is not too late yet for the Bible says that NOW is the day of salvation. You too can experience it!
