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NASB | Ephesians 1:14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Ephesians 1:14 The Spirit is the guarantee [the first installment, the pledge, a foretaste] of our inheritance until the redemption of God's own [purchased] possession [His believers], to the praise of His glory. |
Subject: The Pledge of Our Inheritance |
Bible Note: "To seal something is to impart the image of the seal to the thing sealed. The character of the seal is stamped on the things sealed. In this sense, the effective communication of the image of God to us should be our sealing. The Spirit in believers, really communicating the image of God in righteousness and true holiness to the soul, seals us. To have the stamp of the Holy Spirit as an evidence to the soul that He has been accepted by God is to be sealed by the Spirit. In this sense, Christ is said to be sealed by God (John 6:27). He had impressed on Him the power, wisdom and majesty of God. "'Sealing' confirms or ratifies any grant or conveyance made in writing. In such cases, men set their seals to make good and confirm their grants. When this is done, the grants are irrevocable. Sealing also confirms the testimony that is given by anyone of the truth of anything. This is what the Jews did. When anyone had given true witness to any thing or matter and it was received by the judges, they instantly set their seals to it, to confirm it in judgment. So it is said that he who receives the testimony of Christ 'sets to his seal that God is true' (AV) or 'has certified that God is true' (John 3:33). The promise is the great grant and conveyance of life and salvation in Christ to the souls of believers. That we may have full assurance of the truth and the irrevocability of the promise, God gives us the Spirit to satisfy our hearts of it. So the Spirit is said to seal us by assuring our hearts of those promises and the faithfulness of the God who promised. But though many expositors take this line, I do not see how this accords with the true meaning of the word. It is not said that the promise is sealed, but that we are sealed. And when we seal a deed or grant to anyone, we do not say the man is sealed, but that the deed or grant is sealed. "Sealing denotes possession and assurance of being kept safe. The object sealed is separated out from unsealed objects. Men set their seals on that which they possess and desire to keep safe for themselves. So quite clearly, in this sense, the servants of God are said to be sealed. They are marked with God's mark as His special ones (Ezekiel 9:4). So believers are sealed when they are marked for God to be the heirs of the purchased possession and to be kept safe to the day of redemption. Now if this is what is meant, it does not denote the giving of assurance in the heart, but of giving security to the person. The Father gives the elect into the hands of Christ to be redeemed. Christ having redeemed them, in due time they are called by the Spirit and marked for God, and so they give themselves up to the care of the Father. "We are sealed for the day of redemption when, from the stamp, image and character of the Spirit upon our souls, we have a fresh awareness of the love of God given to us, with an assured persuasion of our being accepted by God. "So the Holy Spirit communicates to us His own likeness, which is also the image of the Father and the Son (2 Corinthians 3:18). In this work of His, the Holy Spirit brings us into fellowship with Himself. Our likeness to Him gives us boldness with Him. We look for His works. We pray for His fruits [Galatians 5:22-23], and when any effect of grace, any awareness of the image of Christ implanted in us persuades and assures us that we are separated and set apart for God, then we have communion with the Holy Spirit in His work of sealing." --Dr. John Owen (1616-1683), from his book "Of Communion with God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost" (http://www.ccel.org/ccel/owen/communion.html) |
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