Marked and Sealed

 

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:11-14 ESV).

 

It is certainly not as common today as it has been in past decades, but a wax seal has been used for centuries to indicate security. Documents and other important communications were often stamped and secured with seals in ancient times. Molten wax was dropped onto scrolls and a signet ring belonging to a king or person in high authority was pressed into the wax, resulting in an impression of the signet ring on the scroll.

 In the verse above, Apostle Paul stated that believers in Christ have been marked and sealed with The Holy Spirit. It has become more of a novelty today and perhaps has led to a lack of understanding of our reading today as the apostle says, “… sealed with the promised Holy Spirit” (v. 14).

 

God seals us with His Spirit demonstrating that we are His prized possession. We belong to Him, we are His children. Therefore, we can face life with faith and confidence knowing that our lives belong to The Almighty God who will lovingly watch over us and take care of us. It’s also a sign of Gods authority. It shows that we bear the emblem of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It also speaks of authenticity. An unbroken seal on a king’s edict was a sign that the enclosed message was authentic and genuine. In other words, it had not been manipulated or tampered with. And, it indicates that a contract has been signed and completed. Just like a down-payment is made by a buyer purchasing a house or piece of property assuring the seller that the rest of the money will be received, The Holy Spirit is a guaranteed pledge of our future inheritance in heaven with God.

 

He is “our deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.” There can be no doubt as to the end result. All of the promises of God are irrevocable, which includes so much more than heaven. We cannot be stolen away by anything or anyone (cf. Romans 8:31-37). What an awesome God! HE has marked and sealed us forever!