Sealed and Sure!
The Holy Spirit is the seal of God that guarantees the salvation of believers and proves their belonging to Christ.
Theodore Epp emphasizes the significance of being sealed by the Holy Spirit, highlighting that this sealing is a divine assurance for all who trust in Christ, regardless of their spiritual maturity. He explains that the Holy Spirit serves as both the seal and the earnest of our inheritance, affirming that even carnal believers are sealed by God. Epp references key scriptures, including Ephesians 1:13 and 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, to illustrate that the sealing is based on belief in the Gospel. The sermon reassures believers of their identity in Christ and the permanence of their salvation through the Holy Spirit.
Text
2 Corinthians 1:18-22
A key verse related to the sealing of the Holy Spirit is Ephesians 1:13: "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise." This truth is also stated in 2 Corinthians 1:22: "Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts."
God the Father has anointed us and sealed us, according to 2 Corinthians 1:21. The seal, however, is the Holy Spirit Himself. The persons sealed are those who have trusted in Christ. This is clear from the Scripture verses already quoted. The basis for this sealing is belief in the Gospel of Christ. When a person trusts Christ, the Holy Spirit indwells the believer and God seals the believer by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is given to us as the earnest, or down payment, of our further inheritance.
The Word of God does not say that the Spirit is given only to the spiritual Christian. Believers can, and sometimes do, become carnal; nevertheless, they are sealed by the Spirit of God. Paul told the Corinthians that he could not write to them as spiritual believers but had to treat them as "carnal, even as ... babes in Christ" (1 Cor. 3:1). Yet to this same group he wrote: "Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts" (2 Cor. 1:21,22).
"Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his" (Rom. 8:9).
Sermon Outline
- The Sealing of the Holy Spirit
- The Holy Spirit as the Seal
- The Sealing of the Holy Spirit in Believers
- The Importance of the Holy Spirit
- The Holy Spirit as the Mark of Belonging
- The Holy Spirit as the Proof of Salvation
- The Nature of the Sealed
Key Quotes
“Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” — Theodore Epp
“Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” — Theodore Epp
“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.” — Theodore Epp
Application Points
- Recognize the Holy Spirit as the seal of God that guarantees your salvation.
- Understand that the Holy Spirit is given to believers as a down payment of their further inheritance.
- Realize that even carnal believers are sealed by the Holy Spirit and are still children of God.