Ephesians 1:13-14

Praise God for Our Salvation, Part 3: Praise to the Spirit.

Ephesians teaches that every spiritual blessing is from God, and the blessing of security comes by way of the Holy Spirit.

Every believer has been sealed in Christ by the Holy Spirit of promise (2 Cor. 1:22

). This is experienced permanently at the moment of salvation. Christians are warned not to grieve the Holy Spirit by whom they were sealed until the day of redemption (Eph. 4:30).

The sealing of the Holy Spirit secures our salvation, future, and ownership to the praise of God’s glory and grace.

Your Salvation is Secure (Ephesians 1:13)

Since we are sealed in Christ with the Holy Spirit of promise, our salvation is secure.

The sealing of the Holy Spirit happens after listening to the gospel of truth and believing. This necessary action of repentance and faith by the person who hears and considers the gospel leads to a secure salvation.

There is a direct connection between salvation and being sealed. It is God the Father who seals us with the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 1:22-23

Once saved from sin, a Christian can never lose his or her salvation (Romans 8:14-17

). God the Spirit affirms our position within our own hearts that we belong to Him. Adopted children of God the Father, the Spirit testifies with our spirit allowing us to cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’

The objective reality is that Christians can never lose their salvation. This is eternal security. The subjective reality is that “I can never lose my salvation.” This is the byproduct of the Holy Spirit in us personally, assuring each of us as individuals that we cannot lose our salvation and that we are secure in Christ.

Your Future is Secure (Ephesians 1:14)

Since we are sealed in Christ with the Holy Spirit of promise, our future is secure.

Sealing the believer, God the Holy Spirit is the first installment or guarantee of the future to come. The Holy Spirit points to the believer’s inheritance.

Ephesians 1:3-14

speaks of present realities with a future fulfillment in the life to come: spiritual blessings in heavenly places (v. 3), being holy and blameless in God’s sight (v. 4), adopted sons and daughters meeting their Father face to face (v. 5), all things in heaven and on earth brought together in Christ (v. 9, 10), our inheritance fully received (v. 11), our hope in Christ established (v. 12), and complete redemption from the penalty, power, and presence of sin (v. 13, 14).

Sealed by the Spirit, Christians can die in confidence knowing their inheritance awaits them, and their future is secure to the praise of God’s glory.

Your Ownership is Secure (Ephesians 1:14)

Since we are sealed in Christ with the Holy Spirit of promise, our ownership is secure.

Sealing something in ancient times showed authenticity from a legitimate, authoritative source. Something sealed was not to be opened by just anyone. It was meant to be opened by the intended audience or those given authority by the one who set the seal.

The Holy Spirit is the down payment or guarantee until the redemption of God’s own possession, the church. God seals us with His Spirit indicating that we belong to Him. This is significant because who God owns, He protects.

Ephesus was a very pagan place containing the temple of Artemis (Acts 19

). Because the Ephesians believed the spirits could harm them, they would often carry a type of seal, amulet, or talisman to ward off evil spirits.

Paul uses language in this letter to help the Ephesians understand that God’s sealing would protect them from the paganism around them. The Ephesians had nothing to fear from the demonic spiritual realm. Who God owns, He protects. This truth would have been a comfort to them and is a comfort to us now.

In salvation, God provides for the Christian a security that cannot be experienced any other way. This sealing of the Holy Spirit is settled and cannot be undone. We belong to God, His possession. For the Christian, to be sealed is to rest assured and to be secure in Christ.

The goal of the work of the Father is to the praise of His glorious grace (Ephesians 1:6

). The goal of the Son’s work is to the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1:12). The goal of the Spirit’s work is to the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1:14). God is the One to be praised in our salvation.

Application Points

Are you secure in your salvation in Christ Jesus? God does not want you wondering if you are saved, praying for salvation over and over. When you heard and believed the truth of the gospel, repenting and trusting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you were saved. At the moment of salvation, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit. Your salvation in Christ is secure.
Christian, are you afraid? You are redeemed, adopted, and sealed as God’s own possession. You belong to God and have His Spirit as a down payment of what is to come.

Tools for Further Study

Cross References to Explore

Acts 19; Romans 8:14-17; Ephesians 6