Ephesians 1.13-14
“In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, which is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”
*Update on my health status. Had a checkup at The James last Monday, and my markers look good. All indications are that the treatments have been successful. My oncologist said, “So far you are beating the odds.” Big challenge now is getting my strength back. Chemo, hormone therapy, and surgery all within 10 months is hard on the body! Thanks for all of your prayers and support!
The passage identifies three things fundamental to the Christian faith: First, you “have heard the word of truth.” Second, you “have believed in Christ.” Third, you “were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” Those are essential realities for those who have come to know Jesus Christ.
“You have heard the word of truth.” The world in which Paul lived and wrote was a world like ours today—cluttered with all kinds of deceptions, distractions, and distortions that lead people astray. The message of the gospel breaks into the world, cuts through the noise, and speaks truth about who God is, who we are, who Jesus is, and what God has commissioned us to do. In the midst of lies and deceptions, the gospel speaks truth.
As John said in his gospel, “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1.4-5).
“You have believed in him.” Christians are those people on planet earth who have heard the gospel message, repented of their sin, and trusted in Christ. Christians are those people who have turned away from the deceptions and seductions of the world and made the decision to follow Jesus. “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (John 5.24)
“You were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” When someone gives their life to Christ, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in that person’s life and seals that person as a child of God. The sealing of the Holy Spirit signifies that we are God’s divine possession. When God gives you the Holy Spirit, he marks you and says, “You belong to me.”
“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” (Romans 8.15-16)
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Galatians 4.4-6)
You have heard the word of truth, you have believed and trusted in Jesus, and you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit. What an amazing and incredible blessing!
