| The Christian Life | July 1948 |
The Seal of the Spirit
“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, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory.”—Ephesians 1:13,14
THERE are two senses in which the word “seal” is used in the Bible: one is to make secret, that is, to seal up, or hide; the other is that of attesting, or giving full assurance, guaranteeing. It is in this latter sense that Paul uses the term in our text, and he explains that we are “sealed” by the Holy Spirit of promise, and that this constitutes an “earnest,” a pledge, a token payment as it were, given to us by the Holy Spirit to guarantee that we shall receive the promised inheritance. The apostle also explains that this sealing comes “after” we believe, in other words that it is not something we receive as soon as we accept Christ, but only when we consecrate ourselves to do his will, even as our Lord. did at Jordan.
The Holy Spirit is the holy power of God. In the case of God’s power operating in the Christian life, it is largely the power of his mind, his thoughts. These holy thoughts of God—his will for the Christian—are a potent guiding influence in our lives to the extent that we yield our hearts to him. We can resist his will if we desire, but in that case his Holy Spirit will not be a power in our lives. God’s thoughts—those which he intends to be a guide in our lives—were recorded under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and reach us through the Bible. Thus when we study the Bible and yield ourselves to the guidance of its precepts, we are under the influence of the Holy Spirit—in this case, the holy mind of God.
The Holy Spirit is a “begetting” power in our lives. We are said to be begotten of God through the Word. (James 1:18) This conveys the thought that under the influence of the Holy Spirit a new life is begun, a new life which will reach maturity in the “first resurrection” when all who are faithful unto death will be “born” of the Spirit. As we learned in a previous article, God’s Spirit bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God. This also is done through the Bible, and is real to each one of us to the extent that our lives are made to conform to the terms of the “narrow way” as they are laid down for us in the Word.
“The Holy Spirit of Promise”
In speaking of the Holy Spirit as a sealing power in our lives Paul describes it as the “Holy Spirit of promise.” What does he mean? The Holy Spirit came to the waiting church at Pentecost in fulfillment of Jesus’ promise, and in the very nature of things this contributed mightily to the assurance of the Early Church that all of God’s promises would be fulfilled, that they could depend upon them. Thinking of the “seal” as an attestation or guarantee, the coming of the Holy Spirit, which had been promised, would indeed go a long way toward sealing the earnest and fully consecrated disciples of that time.
But the “Holy Spirit of promise” means more than merely that the Holy Spirit was given to the church in fulfillment, of a promise. Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in Old Testament times as well as during the New Testament period, God recorded hundreds of precious promises, promises which have to do with every phase of the Christian life, promises which in their wide scope of meaning have to do with every situation including our every need and emergency. The united testimony of all these promises is to the effect that the follower of Christ who continues faithfully to lay down his life in the divine service in keeping with the Father’s plan will be kept by divine power and given strength to be an overcomer. Thus the Holy Spirit, through the Word of truth, attests to our victory through Christ upon conditions of our faithfulness, hence we are said to be sealed by the Holy Spirit—the Holy Spirit of promise.
When Is the Christian Sealed?
The “begetting” of the Holy Spirit occurs at the beginning of the Christian life. The “witness” of the Spirit becomes more and more manifest as the Christian conforms his life to the will of God as outlined in the Scriptures. But when can it be said that the follower of the Master is sealed with the Holy Spirit? In seeking the answer to this question we think it is well to remember that from the beginning of the Gospel age—or shall say from Pentecost—the Heavenly Father has made the Holy Spirit available to fill the life of the Christian, and to accomplish every part of his divine purpose in such. When, by God’s providences, we are brought in contact with the Word of truth, we accept it and it finds lodgment in our hearts, it remains only for us to fulfill the conditions attached to discipleship in order to enter into the fullness of all the blessings which are promised to accrue as a result of the indwelling of the Spirit in our hearts and lives.
We are not to think of the sealing of the Holy Spirit as something which takes place at a certain moment in Christian experience, and which is withheld by the Heavenly Father until he decides we are ready for it. The sealing is accomplished, the apostle explains, by the Holy Spirit of promise—or, to state the same thought in other words, we are sealed by the promises of God which have been recorded by the Holy Spirit. These sealing promises have been on record throughout the age. There is nothing which God needs to add to them to make them more complete or more comprehensive. They belong to us from the moment we enter into a covenant with the Heavenly Father by sacrifice. They are in fact a part of his, side of that covenant, and apply to every footstep follower of the Master from the beginning of his consecrated life.
Are we, then, sealed by the Holy Spirit from the very beginning of our Christian life? From God’s standpoint, yes, but there should be an ever-increasing appreciation of the sealing promises of God. We do not have the full assurance of faith, the full guarantee of victory through Christ, until we have been some time in the narrow way and have had opportunities to meet the conditions of those promises, and experience as a result how wonderfully true and trustworthy they are. To begin with, everything pertaining to the Christian life, while beautiful and soul-satisfying, is more or less theoretical. It is only as theory merges into practical experience and reality that the promises of God become yea and amen to us in Christ Jesus.
“Ye Have Need of Patience”
The Apostle Paul writes, “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” (Heb. 10:36) We are not to take from this that no promises are made to us until after we have proved worthy of them. But it is well to remember that all the promises of God pertaining to the Christian life are conditional upon our faithfulness in carrying out our part of the covenant. Not until through “patient continuance in well doing” we demonstrate our faithfulness in keeping covenant with God, can it be said that we have received his promises in the sense that we can take them wholly to heart.—Rom. 2:7
“After ye have done the will of God,” the apostle says. This is evidently a reference to our consecration. Consecration is the first step of obedience in doing God’s will, and after we have taken that first step God tests us, and when we have patiently endured some of these tests his sealing promises begin to take on a greater depth of meaning and give us a deeper sense of security in him. This progress of experience is outlined in Romans 5:1-5. Through faith in our Lord Jesus we have access, by consecration, into a wonderful position of favor with God—the “grace wherein we stand”—and while standing in this high position of favor we “rejoice in the hope of the glory of God”—that is, we have a hope of sharing the divine glory with Jesus, of being made like him, and seeing him as he is.
But there is more to the Christian life than merely rejoicing in this wonderful hope. Ere such a hope of glory can become a reality we must be tested, so Paul mentions the vital necessity of tribulations which the Heavenly Father permits to come into our lives for this purpose. The Apostle Paul says that we “glory” in these tribulations. We glory in tribulation when, by faith in the promises of God, and depending upon his strength for every time of need, we are able to use tribulation as a stepping stone to higher planes of grace and truth.
“Knowing that tribulation worketh patience,” continues the apostle. We have need of patience, Paul says, in order to obtain the promises—that is, in order that God’s promises may have their greatest power in our lives. Hence, when tribulation comes we endeavor to accept it as God’s arrangement whereby we might learn patience, that is, constant, cheerful endurance.
The King James translation states that patience works experience, but again the Greek text makes the point more understandable, for the translation should be “trustiness.” Patient continuance in faithfulness, even in tribulation, results in being trustworthy, and, as the apostle further explains, when we can be assured of divine approval based upon our faithfulness in living up to the terms of the narrow way, then we have a real basis for our hope—a “hope that maketh not ashamed”—a dependable, unfailing hope. At this point the Christian more fully appreciates the fact that he has been “sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise,” for it is here that he can realize more than before that the promises are truly his, that they apply to him because he has surmounted some of the “ifs” which are attached to them.
“Let Us Therefore Fear”
Hebrews 4:1 reads, “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.” All the promises of God to the Christian are, as we have seen, conditional. There is always the possibility of failing to meet the conditions, and to whatever extent we do, the promises are thereby nullified, not by God, but by us, by our unfaithfulness. Hence the apostle says that we should be fearful lest we are unfaithful—an expression denoting great concern over our position before the Lord, an earnest watchfulness of all that we think, and say, and do, lest we fail in any way and so “come short.”
We have in the Apostle Paul himself a wonderful example of earnest watchfulness lest in any way he might fail to measure up to all the conditions of the narrow way. In one instance he writes, “I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” (I Cor. 9:27) The Apostle Paul had already been “sealed” with the Holy Spirit when he wrote these words, yet he knew that there was still a possibility of his proving unfaithful.
To be sealed with the Spirit does not imply a position of grace from which it is impossible to fall away. It means only a deep-rooted assurance of victory based upon experience in the narrow way, experience which has given us an opportunity to “glory in tribulation” and thereby develop patient endurance which in turn becomes a foundation for a genuine hope, a hope that maketh not ashamed. Paul had already endured much, and God’s promised grace to help had been verified to him in many trying circumstances. He knew now that by God’s grace he could win the prize, but he also realized that he dare not slack his hand in rendering full obedience; for, if by his own carelessness he was unfaithful, he could yet become a castaway.
Paul Had Not Apprehended
Still later in his Christian experience Paul wrote to the church at Philippi and said that he did not count himself to have apprehended. (Phil. 3:13) The setting of this expression of humility is interesting. The epistle was written from Rome when Paul was in prison there. He was uncertain whether or not he would be released and have the privilege of visiting the brethren again. Chapter 1:20-24 tells about the uncertainty of the apostle’s position. In reading these verses one can’t help but realize that he was certain of his standing before the Lord. He knew that up to this point he had been faithful. His position in the divine family and in the body of Christ had been attested by the Holy Spirit of promise—he had been sealed.
Nevertheless Paul wrote in this same epistle, “I count not myself to have apprehended”; so he continued to “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:14) There was one point of uncertainty with Paul at this time, which was that he did not know whether he was to be executed soon, or whether he was to be released. Had he known definitely that his sacrifice would be completed within a matter of days, he might have written to the Philippian brethren as he later did to Timothy, “I have fought a good fight, … I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.” (II Tim. 4:7,8) But since he might be released and have time to continue serving in the flesh, there also might be time to become weary in well-doing and become a castaway.—Gal. 6:9; II Thess. 3:13
Paul was released from this prison sentence and given his freedom for a time, but was re-imprisoned later, and executed. Just before his execution he wrote a farewell letter to Timothy, and in reading this epistle one can’t help but notice the changed viewpoint. In chapter 2, verses 11 and 12, Paul reiterates one of the fundamental conditions of discipleship, and calls to mind the faithfulness of God in carrying out his part of the covenant. He says, “It is a faithful saying”—that is, a saying, or promise, which can be depended upon—“for if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: if we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us.”
Paul had now reached the end of the way, the way which from the very beginning he had understood was to be one of suffering. At the time of the apostle’s conversion God commissioned Ananias to go and tell him what great things he must suffer for the name of Christ. (Acts 9:16) And from then onward Paul did suffer for Christ’s sake. He had suffered perils of the sea and perils of the land. He had suffered imprisonment. He had suffered stripes on his bare back. He had suffered weariness. He had suffered perils among false brethren. He had suffered in many, many ways for the cause of Christ, and because he was a follower of Christ. And he never had shrunk from suffering.—II Cor. 11:23-30
Now he had reached the end of the way. All of God’s promises of forgiveness and grace and strength had been verified to him during his journey toward the kingdom. He had learned to know his God more intimately by realizing the wonderful way he had always made good his promises. Now there could be no doubt that the most important of all these promises would also come true; that is, that wonderful promise that if we suffer with Christ, we shall also reign with him. This was a faithful saying; a faithful promise, Paul says. He knew it was, because he had learned that ALL of God’s promises were true and faithful. They could all be depended upon.
Paul had suffered, and through it all he had been faithful. Not once did he desire to turn back. Not once had he denied his Lord in order to escape suffering. Now he was at the end of the way. He was still suffering, and triumphing in it. Probably he had already been notified of the day of his execution. In any event, he knew now that he WAS to be executed; and having received that information his heart had responded in a triumphant Amen. So he knew that under this final and most crucial of all tests he was still faithful, still rejoicing in his privilege of suffering and dying with Jesus.
Hence, knowing that it was a faithful saying that if we suffer and die with Jesus we shall live and reign with him, and knowing now that he had passed the final test and there could be no turning back, Paul was able to write with assurance, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there IS laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord; the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”
The question is often asked as to whether all Christians can expect to have this full assurance of victory and of a coming reward before they die, as realized by Paul. Probably not, for the reason that it is not given to many to have the same sequence of experiences. But all mature Christians should enjoy this advanced witness of the Spirit, this assurance of sealing, or guarantee of God’s blessing with respect to their day by day walk in the narrow way. No Christian should boast about tomorrow, but all should be living so near to the Lord, and so faithful to all the terms of their consecration that each night they might be able to say, “This day, by the Lord’s grace, I have done the best I could. I have not denied my Lord, and have accepted whatever privileges of sacrifice and suffering have been presented to me. I will endeavor to do the same tomorrow. I know that I can depend upon his promises, because in every time of need he has helped me, strengthened me, and when I have erred, I have been given the assurance in my heart that he has forgiven me. So I will press on in the narrow way, and will endeavor to be more faithful tomorrow than I have been today.” Should there come a day in our Christian experience when, as in the case of Paul, we know that it is the last day, hence that there will be no opportunity to fall away, the seal of the Holy Spirit of promise should be so well impressed upon our hearts that we, like him, will know that there is a crown awaiting us in the first resurrection.
The Sealing Promises
Paul said concerning the Christian’s privilege of suffering with Christ with the hope of reigning with him, that “it is a faithful saying.” All of God’s promises are faithful sayings. And it is by the, sum total of all of them which apply to the Christian’s life in the flesh, that he is sealed. They constitute a very important part of the present inheritance of the saints. And what are some of these promises? In the order of application and need there are first of all those many promises of forgiveness, the forgiveness of all the imperfections which are attached to us because we are members of a fallen and dying race. All of these promises are faithful sayings, and because of them we can rejoice in the hope of glory despite the imperfections of our flesh. Yes, in a very important way God’s promises of forgiveness through Christ constitute a part of the seal of the Spirit, the assurance of sonship despite our inherited weaknesses and sins.
At the beginning of the Christian way, we made a consecration to do God’s will. But what is God’s will? Surely we need guidance in this respect, and God has promised to give it to us. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God,” says the apostle, “that giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not.” (James 1:5) Then we have the promise, “The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.” (Psa. 25:9) Again, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine”—the teachings concerning the plan of God and his part in that glorious plan. (John 7:17) And the prophet wrote concerning the Christian, “Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it.”—Isa. 30:21
The enemies of the Christian are very formidable. In our own strength we would surely quail before them, and go down in defeat. But the Holy Spirit of promise has assured us that greater is he who is for us, than all who be against us. (Rom. 8:31; I John 4:4) If the enemy would defeat us through discouragement with respect to our imperfections, the Holy Spirit of promise reminds us that “it is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth?” (Rom. 8:33,34) If the enemy threatens spiritual disaster, the Holy Spirit of promise reminds us, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1) The “secret place of the most High” is that condition represented by the “holy” of the tabernacle, which, so far as the Christian’s privileges are concerned, is the condition of full consecration to the Lord. The Holy Spirit of promise testifies, therefore, that if we are faithful in carrying out the terms of our consecration—if we “abide in the secret place of the most High,” the Almighty shall protect us from all harm which might come to the new creature, either from the world or from the Adversary, the devil.
By nature we are weak, unable to do the will of God as we should. We leave undone the things we should do, and through weakness and lack of wisdom, do the things we should not do. But the Holy Spirit of promise has assured us of the availability of divine help, that the mighty power which raised Jesus from the dead and highly exalted him stands back of us to see us through to victory and to glory. (Eph. 1:17-20) Paul realized he was handicapped in his service by the fact of his near blindness, so he petitioned the Lord to remove this “thorn in the flesh.” The Lord did not do this for Paul, but reminded him, “My strength is made perfect in weakness.”—II Cor. 12:7-9
So it is with us. It is God’s grace, God’s strength, God’s power, God’s wisdom, made available for us, that guarantees our victory through Christ. Thus does the Father seal us by his Spirit, thus does he attest to us, his sons, that if we carry out the terms of our consecration as best we can, he will do the rest; that he will accept us through Christ; guide us through his Word, and strengthen us by his might in our every time of need. And finally, if we are faithful even unto death, that he will awaken and exalt us to glory, honor, and immortality, and make us a part of his inheritance in the saints.
The apostle writes, “Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption [deliverance].” (Eph. 4:30) To “grieve” the Holy Spirit means to be unfaithful in living up to the terms of our consecration to do God’s will—terms which have been set forth in the Word of God through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. This text indicates clearly that it is possible to become unfaithful even after we have been “sealed.” So again we are reminded that it is not enough to be faithful for a little while, but rather that only those who endure unto the end, who are faithful even unto death, shall receive the crown of life.—Matt. 24:13; Rev. 2:10
Let us, then, be faithful. Let us gird up the loins of our minds for a long and difficult journey, even the journey of the narrow way. (I Pet. 1:13) God wants us to be faithful and has given us every needed assurance, that he will help us to be overcomers, but it is necessary for us to lay hold upon those promises and faithfully to live up to the conditions which are attached to them. Failing in this, we “grieve” the Holy Spirit, which in effect would be grieving God. May we ever, then, seek the smile of our Heavenly Father’s approval through faithful continuance in well doing, knowing that in due time we shall reap, if we faint not.—Gal. 6:9