The sealing of the Holy Spirit upon the life and person of every believer is one more divine gracious provision of God to instill a sense of comfort and security in the Christian. Few things increase our index of appreciation more than realizing our safety and security in Christ. God does not want us to serve or worship Him because we stand in abject fear and horror of being disowned by Him but because we are so grateful to Him for what He has done for us through Christ.
Another reason for our comfort and gratitude is the sealing of the Holy Spirit. To understand this sealing, we appeal to the meaning behind the word in that day. For instance, Matthew 27 refers to a sealing at the tomb of Christ. We are told that when Jesus was placed in the tomb, they went and made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone and setting a watch. The sealing of the stone did not involve mortar or plaster. They simply rolled the massive round stone, probably four or five feet in diameter and perhaps six to twelve inches thick, over the entrance to the tomb and, then, placed the signet seal of Rome upon it. The seal was an embossed emblem used and authorized only by the government of Rome. None could remove or tamper with the seal of Rome apart from serious penalty. All the power and authority of mighty Rome would be brought to bear upon anyone having the audacity to ignore this seal.
A similar placing of the royal seal by the Babylonian king in Daniel 6 expresses a similar usage. It is to this historical, cultural context we must appeal for understanding what was meant in Ephesians 1. The text reads, “After listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance with the view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.” Did you get the meaning and application of this? The authority behind the sealing is God Himself. The signet, or seal, that is applied is none other than the blessed Holy Spirit of promise. Himself, the Spirit, is the seal.
Later, in Ephesians also, chapter 4, we read, “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Again, the same inspired apostle tells us in 2nd Corinthians 1 that God has “sealed us, and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” In each instance, the sealing of the Holy Spirit, which seal is the Holy Spirit Himself, took place immediately upon believing on the Person and redemptive work of Christ on one’s behalf. It is one more amazing and gracious benefit applied by God to all believers upon welcoming them into the household of faith.
Many Christians live spiritually impoverished lives unnecessarily because they know so little of what God has provided for them as a part of the incomparable grace package that belongs to them. The truth of the sealing of the Spirit is often one of those provisions.
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