Do you want to know what are the holy spirit seals? This study guide on Ephesians 1:13-14 it is the seal of the Spirit that all believers receive when they believe in Jesus Christ. It is the mark of God placed on them giving them the assurance of eternal inheritance. We invite you to stay with us to learn more about this wonderful experience of being part of the heavenly city.
Ephesians 1 – Seals of the Holy Spirit
The Spirit of God is present everywhere, it is at work everywhere in creation, but it works in a very special way in our hearts and in our lives.
The work of the Spirit in our hearts is like a multifaceted diamond. The Bible describes to us the many facets of his work, which allows us to know his richness. One of these facets is described in our text in verse 13 of Ephesians which says: “You have been sealed with the Holy Spirit“.
You may also be interested in reading about:
We talked about two other New Testament passages. A little later, in the same letter, Paul says: “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:40).
In 2 Corinthians 1.22, Paul adds: “He marked us with his seal and put the advance of the Spirit in our hearts”. We have received some special mark, we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of God! This work of the Spirit in our lives is important and full of richness. Let’s see the seals of the holy spirit
What does the seals of the Holy Spirit mean?
Receiving the seal of the Holy Spirit is part of such a great salvation that we have in Jesus Christ. Our text emphasizes three important aspects of our salvation. The first aspect is our choice.
- “In him God chose us before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy and blameless before him. In his love he predestined us through Jesus Christ for adoption, according to the benevolent purpose of his will ”(Ephesians 1:4-5).
- Election is the source of all our salvation. The second aspect is our redemption. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7).
- Redemption through the blood of Christ is the foundation of our salvation. The third aspect is described in our text, verse 13: “In him you believed and were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. “
The Holy Spirit is the means by which salvation is communicated to us. The choice is a decision that is made for all eternity. Redemption is a work done on the cross 2000 years ago. They are two works external to us. The seal of the Spirit is different, it is a work that is done in us, in our hearts. We experience it on ourselves.
The work of the seals of the holy spirit
This job is very important. It should not be minimized. Without the Holy Spirit in our hearts, eternal election could never bear fruit, and redemption through the death of Jesus would be of no use to us. The action of the Holy Spirit in our hearts is needed for these riches to be delivered to us personally.
“You were sealed with the Holy Spirit that was promised. “This is an essential work for our salvation. But what exactly is it? The Apostle Paul uses an image that helps us understand the nature of this work of the Holy Spirit. He uses the image of a seal.
what are stamps
Seals are well known from ancient times to the present day. What is a stamp? It is a brand, an imprint that guarantees the authenticity of something. The function of a seal is to remove all doubt and give certainty.
In the past, for example, a document or envelope was sealed by pouring hot wax marked with a ring or seal. The seal guaranteed the origin of the document. You could be sure that the document was true and authentic, written by the right person, without any modification.
Today, medicine bottles are sealed to guarantee their contents. On Election Day, the ballot boxes are sealed to ensure the validity of the ballots. When the body of Jesus was deposited in the tomb, the Roman soldiers came to seal the stone that closed the entrance to the tomb.
They used a Roman seal (probably holding a string) to try and ensure that no one would come and steal Jesus’ body. A seal is a mark of authenticity that gives us certainty.
How do we know we have the seals of the holy spirit?
“You have been sealed with the Holy Spirit.” We have received in us, in our hearts, a fingerprint, a whole special mark. We do not see this mark, but God sees it and confirms that it is there.
That mark is the same Holy Spirit. He is the proof that we are genuine children of God. The seal of the Spirit gives us the certainty that God is our Father. The Adopted Spirit makes us pray:Abba, Father!”
Isn’t that fascinating? The purpose of this mark is to give us the certainty of our salvation. By faith in Jesus Christ, I can be sure that I have been chosen from all eternity. I can be sure that the Lord Jesus died for my sins.
You are guaranteed to be saved forever thanks to him. You were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit! A magnificent work in our hearts!
The seals of the holy spirit are the guarantee of salvation
No human being can give us the guarantee of our salvation, the pastor cannot give it to you, neither can your parents, I myself cannot give it to myself. It is the work of the Spirit, a free gift.
The verb is passive: “you have been sealed with the Holy Spirit.” It was not me who produced this action, it was the Holy Spirit. It is he who authenticates, who guarantees, who attests that we are children of God.
The seal of the Spirit is a protection that prevents us from losing our salvation. God will not allow the personal mark he put on us to be erased. No force can break the seal of the Spirit.
- “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30).
Our sins can grieve the Holy Spirit, unfortunately, but they can never remove or erase that mark. It’s guaranteed. It is a permanent and indelible mark that we will never lose.
The seals of the holy spirit produce peace
This mark produces in us peace, joy, rest, certainty, confidence, the certainty of having eternal life forever. Because of this mark, we can wholeheartedly say with the Apostle Paul:
- “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ” ().
We can say: Praise God! He has chosen us from all eternity! Praise God! He redeemed us in Jesus Christ! Praise God, I am saved forever! Yes, thank God for having sealed us with his Holy Spirit. It is such a rich and precious gift.
How do we know when we have the seals of the Holy Spirit?
Some Christians claim that it is not when we become Christians that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, but only later. They understand verse 13 this way:
- “… first you believed and then you were sealed with the Holy Spirit…”
We would first experience regeneration and conversion, and only later, sometimes even years later, would we be sealed with the Holy Spirit. It would give us the assurance of salvation that we would not have before. As if it was normal to have doubts. After much doubt, much research and much effort, this experience would finally give us the conviction that we are saved.
Therefore, the seal of the Spirit would not be given to all Christians, but only to a certain category. We could be Christians without necessarily being sealed with the Holy Spirit.
This way of thinking creates a division between Christ and his Spirit. It also creates division in the Church and encourages us to look for all kinds of emotional or mystical experiences to try to detect how we can confirm that we have received the seal of the Spirit in our hearts.
Is this the teaching of the Scriptures?
No, the Bible teaches us that all Christians have been sealed with the Holy Spirit. From the context, it is a blessing given to any believer. It is part of that beautiful series of spiritual blessings that we have through faith in Jesus Christ and for which the apostle Paul blessed God with all his heart.
We were all chosen for salvation before the foundation of the world, we have all received redemption, the forgiveness of sins through the blood of Christ. We have all been sealed with the Holy Spirit. All believers are blessed together by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
When do we receive the seal of the Spirit?
In verse 13, the tenses of the Greek verbs are precise:
- “… having believed in him, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit…”
The two verbs indicate two actions that occurred at the same time. “Having believed, then, at that precise moment, you were marked with the seal of the Spirit.
The seal of the Spirit is not given later to give us more confidence; it is attached to us when we put our faith in Jesus Christ for our salvation. For those who convert as adults, this happens during their conversion.
For children growing up in the pact, this can happen from a very young age, without their remembering the moment. The important thing is to believe in Jesus.
How could we believe in Jesus Christ if the Holy Spirit were not doing His work in us?
It is the Spirit who prepares hearts, it is he who convinces us of our sins and our need for Jesus to be forgiven. It is the Holy Spirit who opens our hearts to make us attentive and receptive to the Word of God.
- We know Lydia’s story. “She listened, and the Lord opened her heart so that she would cling to what Paul said” (Acts 16:14).
This story shows us that the preaching of the Word is necessary, the Holy Spirit that prepares hearts is also necessary. The time it takes to produce a conversion can vary from person to person, but faith and the sealing of the Spirit occur at the same time.
It is impossible to have a Christian who is not marked with the seal of the Spirit. If someone asks you, “Have you received the seal of the Holy Spirit?” “, Here is the answer to give:” Yes, since I believe in the Lord Jesus. “
We do not receive the seal of the Spirit after much searching or some strange mystical experience. We receive this gift by hearing the gospel and by our faith in Jesus Christ. This is a free gift, according to God’s promise. And God is faithful to his promise. A gift that keeps us humble because it does not come from us. Let’s be thankful for this great gift!
Why must we have the seals of the Holy Spirit?
The answer is found in verse 14. Summary of verse 13:
- “You have been sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the pledge of our inheritance, in…