Tagged By The Holy Spirit

The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

Tagged by the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 1:13-14

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Tag is a game that just about everyone has played. It goes like this, the person who is “it,” runs around trying to tag someone who isn’t “it” in order to make them “it.” Everyone else, that is, everyone who isn’t “it,” tries to stay away from the one who is “it.”

And it’s interesting to see how a person changes once they’ve been tagged and are now “it.” Prior they were prey, running, and hiding, doing whatever it took to avoid being tagged.

But once they were tagged, it became evident to all. Everyone knows who is “it,” because their whole demeanor changes. Instead of being the prey, they become the predator. They now look and act differently. Instead of running away, they’re running after.

The same thing happens when someone becomes a Christian. Prior they ran away from God, hiding, and trying to avoid Him and the truth of His word. But once God tags them, their life changes, and everyone around them sees the change.

But how does the tag occur? Our text from the book of Ephesians reveals the process. First they heard the truth, that is, the good news of their salvation. They heard that Jesus Christ came to die upon the cross to be that perfect sacrifice for sin, and by the blood He shed upon the cross, their sins can be now be forgiven, and they can now become brand new creations.

Next, upon hearing the truth, they came to believe, that is, they trusted in the saving work of Jesus Christ for their lives. And by this act of faith, they received the Holy Spirit as the seal and guarantee from God.

We might say it this way, God tagged them with the Holy Spirit, and they began to transform, and the difference became evident to all. And so, being tagged with the Holy Spirit is the evidence of their salvation.

“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 until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14 NKJV)

And so, in our time together I’d like to unpack these two verses. And to do so, two questions need to be answered, and that is what we’ll be spending our time upon.

(1) What does it mean to be sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise?

(2) How is the Holy Spirit our guarantee?

So, let’s take a look at our first question.

What is Meant by Being Sealed?

Actually there are three main functions and purposes of a seal, which reveals what happens when we are sealed with the Holy Spirit.

1. To Authenticate as Genuine and True

“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” (Romans 8:9 NKJV)

In ancient days, seals were used for a variety of purposes. A seal was a carved or engraved device that made a distinctive impression in clay or wax, or a signet ring. What you would have is a nobleman or Roman officer seal letters by pouring a dab of sealing wax on a letter then pressing his signet ring upon it indicating that he was the one who authorized it.

It would be similar to our signature at the bottom of a letter or on a document, authenticating that it was indeed from us. We could also liken it to a sales receipt where we sign the bottom line indicating that we have indeed purchased and picked up a particular product.

Being sealed with the Holy Spirit, therefore, is God’s way of authenticating the fact that we are now His. It’s His signature at the bottom of the receipt that He has indeed purchased us through the sacrifice Jesus made upon the cross.

This is what the Apostle Paul brings out in his first letter to the Corinthians church. He said, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NKJV)

It’s the presence of the Holy Spirit in us activating His gifts and talents, producing within us the fruit of the Spirit, which are out-workings of the Holy Spirit in our lives. And their presence certifies and confirms to others that we are indeed Christians, that is, believers in Jesus Christ.