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The Sealing by The Holy
Spirit
Introduction: Christ had to ascend into heaven
to take His rightful place at the Father Right hand.
When He left He promised to send the Holy Spirit as our Comforter.
How better to Comfort the believer
than to Seal him. Give the believer assurance they we belong to
the Lord Jesus Christ for eternality.
Being at God's right he is our medation the man Jesus Christ. Romans
5:15; 1 Tim 2:5
John 6:26 KJV Jesus answered them and said, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me,
not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves,
and were filled.
27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth
unto
everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you:
for him hath God the Father sealed.
28 ¶ Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work
the works of God?
29 Jesus answered and said unto them,
This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom He hath sent.
This is Jesus Speaking. He is talking about Food and then Food the
endureth unto everlasting Life.
Jesus continues to tell about God doing the sealing.
John 6:26-29 NIV
26 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me,
not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and
had your fill.
27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal
life,
which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his
seal of
approval."
28 Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"
29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has
sent."
The NIV Says it even Clearer. The only thing that is mention is
Believing.
[Bible in Basic English] (John 6:27)
Let your work not be for the food which comes to an end, but for the food
which goes on for eternal life,
which the Son of man will give to you, for on him has God the Father put
his mark.
Here are three translation that all seem to agree. All 3 three in
verse 27 mention food for eternal life or
endures for everlasting life.
Endureth -- [Grk. 3306] meno (men'-o)
a primary verb; to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy):--abide,
continue, dwell,
endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry (for), X thine own.
Everlasting--[Grk. 3306] meno (men'-o)
a primary verb; to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy):
--abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry (for),
X thine own.
If you Notice that the word endureth and everlasting (eternal) are
translated from the same Greek word meno.
Life-- [Grk. 2222] zoe (dzo-ay')
from 2198; life (literally or figuratively):--life(-time). Compare 5590.
Sealed-- [Grk. 4972] sphragizo (sfrag-id'-zo)
from 4973; to stamp (with a signet or private mark) for security or preservation
(literally or
figuratively); by implication, to keep secret, to attest:--(set a, set
to) seal up, stop.
The words-- used
endureth means to last, second by the words everlasting or eternal giving
the
expression meaning to go on and on, forever and ever, never
ending. To further the meaning The word
Life is used. Then who comes and does the sealing?
God Comes and does the sealing. When a King sent
out a Law or a decree The law or decree was sealed by the
king. this meant the it had the kings approval.
The King himself could not undo the law or decree. It was
said to Last. The people of Jesus' time understood
what he was talking about. If God Sealed or approved it, it
was for ever for God is for every.
Rev 1:4; John 1:1.
There are
three passages that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is presented as God's
seal on the
believer. In ever respect God sealing of the Holy Spirit is entirely
the work of God. This sealing is as
universal as the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Both the indwelling
and the sealing of the Holy Spirit occur
at the time of Salvation.
Universal== 1. of, for, or including all of
the whole; not limited.
2. of the universe; present; present or occurring everywhere.
3. whole; entire.
4. broad in knowledge, interests,ect.
5. that can be used for all kinds, forms, sizes, ect.
6. used, intended to be used, or understood by all.
7. in logic, predicating something of every proposition.
Is this writers intended us of the word universal to mean that all
believers everywhere receive
both the seal and indwelling of the Spirit the same way and
time.
All believers in the age of Grace are saved the same way by the
Work of Jesus Christ.
2 Co 1:22 KJV Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit
in our hearts.
23 Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came
not as yet unto
Corinth.
24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your
joy: for by faith ye
stand.
2 Cor 1:21- 22 NIV
Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed
us,
22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as
a deposit,
guaranteeing what is to come.
In the NIV I Like the use of
the word ownership.
Eph 1:12 KJV That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted
in Christ.
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,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the
purchased
possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Many Scholars Believe that "After
ye believed, ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise."
If literally translated it should read " Having believed, ye were
sealed with the holy Spirit of promise."
In other words the believing and receiving occurred at the same
time( simultaneous) .
The next two translations seem to bare
this out.
Eph 1:13-14 NIV
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth,
the gospel of your
salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised
Holy Spirit,
14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of
those
who are God's possession --to the praise of his glory.
Eph 1:13 ISV You, too, have heard the word of truth, the gospel of
your salvation.
When you believed in him you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of God's
own possession,
to his praise and glory.
The Promise.
John 14:26 KJV But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father
will send in my name,
he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 14:16 KJV And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another
Comforter,
that he may abide with you for ever;
Again in Jesus words that he may abide with you forever.
Eph 4:30 KJV And grieve not the holy Spirit of God,
whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Since The Godhead is made up of God
the Father, God the Son, And God the Holy Spirit all one God
coequal. We come back to the age old problem of who Plan is the
Plan of Salvation? Who does the saving?
Of course from this and these scriptures God the Father sent the
Son, God the Son Died as the ultimate
sacrifice on the cross, And God the Holy Spirit (Ghost) Seals (keeps)
(John
10:27-30) the believer at the time
the believer repents ( the moment the believer
changed his mind). The moment the believer realizes they
need Jesus. The moment that a soul sees that they are going to Hell
( The Lake of Fire that never consumes)
Without Jesus as their personal Saviour.
The believer is exhorted not to grieve
the Spirit. There is an expression that says don't bite the hand
that feeds you. I am a dog lover big and small. Once the Big dogs
learn that I am feeding them the big will
take treats out of my hand gently not wanting to hurt my hand, Because
that is the hand that takes care of them.
Even if we sin we will still be sealed
by the Spirit of God unto that day. But if we sin we will grieve the
Spirit. This sealing of the Spirit is not an experience but
a fact accepted by faith. The sealing plays a
very important part of a believers Salvation. In this sealing there
is security, safety, the believers ownership
by God ( 1 Cor 6:19; 1 Cor 3:16; Rom 8:9 )
and
the likeness of God ( 2 Tim 2:19-21).
The seal of the Spirit is a symbol of the finished transaction.
This seal brings great assurance and comfort to
every believers heart ( Gal 4:6; Rom 8:14-16
). The believer is sealed until the day of our bodies redemption
and the believer presentation in glory. Not man can call Jesus Lord
except by the Holy Spirit. ( 1 Cor 12:3 ).
God formed man,
Sin deformed him,
Education informs him,
Religion may reform him,
Only Jesus can transform him.
- author unknown
The Glory of God, and, as our only means of glorifying Him, The salvation
of souls, is the real business of life.
- C. S. Lewis
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