The Church In Christ Series

EPHESIANS 1:13-14

God keeps a promise for His church in Christ. When God blesses us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, He seals His blessing with His Holy Spirit of promise. For hundreds of years before Paul wrote this letter, kings would write down their decrees. They would then seal the decree with a wax seal. The seal of the king signified four things. It signified security. When the king placed his seal on a document, it could not be broken. Even the king himself could not break it. It was the word of the King and could not be violated or revoked. It signified authenticity. Everyone that saw that seal instantly knew the decree was from the king, not from anyone else. Since the design was unique to the king, counterfeits were easily recognizable. It signified ownership. If the king placed his seal on a decree, it showed people who it belonged to. The king would use his seal to mark land and property deeds. If it had his seal, it belonged to him—forever. Finally, it signified authority. A decree with the king’s seal on it was as good as if the king himself was standing there commanding it. That was the kind of seal Paul had in mind when he wrote this. In verse 13, Paul says that after hearing the Word of truth and trusting in Christ, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Just like the king’s seal Paul was thinking about, God’s seal is one of a kind. It is instantly recognizable as His personal seal. The Holy Spirit’s seal cannot be broken. It cannot be violated or revoked. Counterfeits will quickly be found out. The Holy Spirit’s seal means we belong to the king. We are His possession, and as His possession, the things we say and do should represent Him. When we do represent Him and speak His Word, we speak it with the same authority as if it came from His very own mouth. But not only does God bless us with the Holy Spirit of promise for a seal, He blesses us with the Holy Spirit of promise for a guarantee. When we are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ and sealed by His Holy Spirit, God guarantees us a place with Him eternal in the heavens. Paul put it this way in Philippians 1:6: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of redemption.” God will finish what He starts in our lives. He’s promised it. He’s sealed it with His Holy Spirit of promise and He’s guaranteed it. Not for our glory--but as our passage says, “unto the praise of His glory.” We started off today talking about getting our focus back on Christ. Where is your focus? Is your focus on you and your feelings and your needs? Is it on how busy you are and how much stuff you’ve got to do? Is it on some personal disappointment or hurt you’ve gone through? Is it time you got your focus back on Jesus this morning? Is it time you praised God and thanked Him for the blessings He’s given you in Jesus Christ? Do you need to praise Him for His plan for you in Christ? For His provision for you in Christ? For His purpose for you in Christ? And for His promise for you in Christ? Jesus has a plan, provision, purpose, and promise for you today—all you have to do is focus on Him.