We are continuing to work through the first two chapters of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, looking for the promises God gives us regarding who we have become in our relationship with Jesus. This week’s post could be divided into several distinct characteristics; however, they all point to one important truth. When we choose to accept salvation through faith, God promises that we are now citizens of his eternal Kingdom. This is a promise on which we can depend. God has done all he can to assure that we are secure in this relationship.
Because this passage is so rich with guarantees, I am going to print it here so we can refer to it. 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.
These verses begin with the promise that we are included in Christ. In Romans 8:17, Paul says it this way, “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” So, what does this mean? It means when we, by faith, accept the truth that Jesus’ paid the penalty for our sins through his death, and we ask for forgiveness of that sin, all that Christ attained for those who believe in him is applied to our account. All the power and majesty demonstrated through his incarnation, life, death, and resurrection, all of it becomes ours. This spiritual blessedness is all ‘in Christ’ and that is precisely where the genuine believer stands, in Christ. When we stand before God, he sees nothing but Jesus because we are in him.
To assure our remaining in Christ, we were marked with a seal. This seal is the Holy Spirit of God. In the first century, the ruler of a nation often had a ring engraved with his own image. When he pronounced an edict, the scroll was held closed by a dab of melted wax. The king would press his engraved ring into the wax signifying the edict could not be changed.
God does something similar by sealing us with his “image” of the Holy Spirit. However, this is not an external seal that could be stripped away. Instead, the Spirit lives in us. This not only provides protection from the enemy’s attempts to snatch us away but gives us a moment-by-moment access to the heart and mind of God.
The Holy Spirit is defined as a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance. A deposit is a downpayment that comes with the promise of payment in full. As co-heirs with Christ, our full inheritance will be a perfect existence in the presence of our Lord for all eternity. This is an inheritance that cannot be fully fathomed by our finite minds. It is too glorious to comprehend. God promises that we have this waiting in the vaults of heaven for that day when he returns, or we are swept into his glory through death.
Because we live in a fallen world where Satan has access to us, there are days we do not feel very rewarded by God. Jesus tells us that there will be persecution and trouble in this life. He will use this to teach us to persevere, but it still hurts. This is where the seal of his Spirit is so vital to remember. This life is just a vapor compared to the length of eternity and our eternity is guaranteed to be perfect. When we focus on this hope and the assurance of God’s promise, it provides the strength we need to hang on and stand strong until the ultimate reward is received.