Sealed by the Spirit
“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.”
For any of us who attended "Career Day" in our younger days, few of us considered "Law" as a career option. My best friend growing up was an exception to this rule. When we were 10 years old, I can remember my dad laughing when I told him that my friend planned on becoming a lawyer. He laughed because most 10-year-olds do not want to become lawyers, and yet he also admitted that it did make a lot of sense why someone would want to become one. My friend did end up becoming a lawyer, and he is now an assistant DA.
Many of us did not choose the field of work we currently occupy so that we could attend to the legal matters of that position, unless we’ve chosen to be in a position within the legal field. Perhaps there is a legal aspect within the field of work of which you are a part and in which you are required to take part. I work in the construction industry which is full of legal contracts and exhibits that govern project schedules, delays, change orders, notification requirements/documentation, right-to-terminate, liquidated damages, Force Majeure, and the list goes on and on. While these laws may seem petty and sometimes even harsh, they truly exist to bring order and clarity. Without a binding contract, the owner, contractor, subcontractor, and Architect could become subject to unlimited risk. So, clarifying what you are and are not held liable for is an important exercise.
How much more is this true for our salvation in Jesus Christ? There is an unlimited number of ways in which we could believe we are qualified or unqualified for salvation. Without any type of law, we are simply left to our own interpretation of what is right and good (of what meets God's perfect standard), and then our "truth" becomes subjective. Many people believe that all of their good works should qualify them for Heaven, while some others feel that their bad works are completely unredeemable. That is how man's reasoning would interpret how we are saved. But, think of the classic example often given that shows how the Gospel forgives a murderer who accepts Christ, but condemns the man who discovers a cure for cancer yet who rejects Christ. What we see in this passage, along with numerous other passages, is that when we come to Christ by faith, (and faith alone - or "sola fide"), our guarantee of salvation rests in the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit. We are then sealed with the promise of the Holy Spirit, and He is the guarantor of our salvation. Because of this, we can look back on our lives and see how the Holy Spirit worked in us, which gives us the assurance of the guarantee of our salvation in Jesus Christ. And just as you can bring a legal contract to a judge and explain to what you are entitled, we have the same reason to be confident before the Judge of the universe, because we are sealed by the Holy Spirit.
Now, some people will take this to mean that if you do not possess certain miraculous manifestations of the Holy Spirit, you are not saved. This belief is not true. The Holy Spirit works in ways both large and small, both distinguishable in the moment and indistinguishable. I believe the Holy Spirit makes Himself known to each of us in times of worship, prayer, fellowship, etc. And He may choose to perform the miraculous in ways we immediately recognize. He may heal sickness or pursue someone who is lost. He may choose to do any of these things, particularly when we ask for them in prayer.
However, miraculous evidence should not be a requirement for the confirmation of faith. Conversely, we also should not see a denial of things asked for in prayer as a lack of power on the part of the Holy Spirit, or a lack of faith on our part.
This is why Pastor Rob has chosen the current series on which he has been preaching. We are to take joy in the fact that our salvation is guaranteed by the Holy Spirit. But it is easy to place an incorrect emphasis on the output of what the Holy Spirit may or may not choose to do according to the will of the Father. We must wrestle with how a passage like this tells us to take comfort in our being sealed by the Holy Spirit, while also making sure we understand what that sealing looks like.
Prayer
Father, we thank You for the work of Your Spirit. We thank You for giving us the great Helper of the Church, Who lovingly prods, guides, and seals each one of us who, by faith, have accepted Your truths. Father, please make the Holy Spirit real to those who may be struggling with wondering whether or not their faith is genuine. Your Spirit’s interaction with everyone is different, just as we all are different, and while You never change, the way You choose to reveal Yourself to people often does. Please protect us from false teaching and give us sound doctrine. Guide Pastor Rob as he continues leading us through 1 Corinthians, and let us have peace in the knowledge that You continue to bring all things together for Your glory. Amen.
