Let's take our Bibles and turn
with me to the book of Ephesians. Ephesians chapter one. Ephesians
one. I'd like to look at verses 13
and 14. Ephesians one, verses 13 and 14. The scripture says, in whom ye
also trusted, after that you heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation, in whom also after that you believed,
you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the
earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased
possession under the praise of His glory. Let's pray together. Our Father, this evening, we
ask Your blessing. Lord, I ask You to bless the
Word to our heart. May we hear, teach us by Your
Holy Spirit, and Lord, forgive us of our sins, for Christ's
sake. Amen. As we've considered this first
chapter of the book of Ephesians, we've considered the work of
the Father to elect us. God the Father chose
a people before the foundation of the world. The Lord Jesus Christ redeemed
all that the Father chose. And this evening we are going
to try to consider the work of the Holy Spirit in the application
of that which the Father purposed, which the Lord Jesus Christ actually
procured, accomplished. The scripture says that we have
in verse 11 obtained an inheritance, a lot, being
predestinated. God the Father set the limit
in advance according to His will, according to His purpose, who
worketh, the scripture says, verse 11, all things after the
counsel of His own will. He's doing everything Everything that happened today,
Almighty God is working that. Even those things that we would
consider evil, Almighty God is working all things together for
good. Now I can't see, and you can't
see how, certain things are for our good nonetheless. The scriptures
reveal that he worketh all things after the counsel of his own
will. The earth is the Lord's, the fullness thereof. the world. Psalm 24 1 says, and they that
dwell therein. Almighty God is doing that which
he is doing according to his purpose. Let me read you this
out of Isaiah 46. Isaiah 46 9 to 11. The scripture
says, remember the former things of old, for I am God and there's
none else. I'm God and there's none like
me, declaring the end from the beginning. You know when I think
about how men speak of the Lord wants to do this or He wants
to do that, if you'll accept it or if you'll, you know, and
it's like, it's all kind of hinging, you know. It's kind of just uncertain
whether or not a man will accept Him. You know, whether or not
a man will give the Lord his heart, here's what Scripture
says, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient
times the things that are not yet done, saying, my counsel
shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. calling a ravenous
bird from the east. Historically speaking, he was
talking about Cyrus, historically. A king that didn't know God. I'll show you this in just a
second. A king that didn't know God. A king that the Lord ordered
providentially, you come in and you get my people out of Babylon. calling a ravenous bird from
the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country. Yea, I have spoken it. I will
also bring it to pass. I have purposed it. I will also
do it. Let me just read you about King
Cyrus. This is in Isaiah 45, 1 to 4. Thus saith the Lord to
his anointed, to Cyrus. Now listen to this. My anointed,
Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden to subdue nations before
him. I will lose the loins of kings
to open before him the two leaved gates, and the gates shall not
be shut. I will go before thee, make the crooked places straight. I will break in pieces the gates
of brass. I'll cut and sunder the bars
of iron. I will give thee the treasures of darkness and hidden
riches of secret places that thou mayest know that I, the
Lord, which call thee by thy name, and the God of Israel,
for Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have
even called thee by thy name, I have surnamed thee, though
thou hast not known me." Now Cyrus there is a picture of the
Lord Jesus Christ, the ravenous bird, the winged bird, the bird
of power. who comes and accomplishes. There was Cyrus, though historically
speaking, this man did not know God. And Almighty God moved and
ordered him. He said, Cyrus, mine anointed,
you go in here, you get my people out. God Almighty is in control. And the Lord has done all of
this that we should be to the praise of His glory who first
trusted in Christ. Now, here we are tonight. God
the Father was the first one that trusted in the Lord Jesus
Christ. Saw Him from before the foundation
of the world. Saw the Lamb slain. Chose all
of His elect in Christ and trusted Him. the Redeemer, in whom ye
also trusted, expecting that finished work of redemption and
salvation of his people, trusted him The one in whom all God's
elect names were written. Trusted Him for our salvation. Now there's security. There's
some hope right there. In whom ye also trusted by faith. Faith that was given. It's given
unto you in behalf of Christ. Not only to believe on Him. This
is our gift. Not only to believe on Him, but
also to suffer. for His namesake. God's people
are going to go through this world through much tribulation,
trials, that God's grace might be proven sufficient. Now, verse 13 says, in whom ye
also trusted after that you heard the word of truth, the gospel
of your salvation, in whom also, after you believed, you were
sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. Now there's two things
set forth here. Number one, in whom you trusted
after you heard the word of truth. There's a word, the word after
here. It's a word that is really, as
far as our understanding, would be hard to perceive. But the word actually means according
as. According as. In whom you trusted,
according as, You heard the word of truth. Now we know this. You know that we must hear the
gospel. You must hear the gospel. There's
no salvation apart from the gospel of God's grace. 2 Thessalonians
2, 13 and 14 passage we read. real often. I love this passage
of scripture. Second Thessalonians 2, 13, 14,
but we're bound to give thanks all the way to God for you, brethren,
beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen
you to salvation through sanctification, through being set apart, a common
vessel set apart for God's use. That's what it means. through
sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth. Almighty
God takes that which is from the same lump, one vessel under
honor, another vessel under dishonor, and God Almighty says, this one's
mine. That's sanctification. Set apart
for God's use. Whereunto He called you by our
gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. We must hear the truth. It is the truth by which a man
is called out of darkness. It's the truth by which we're
taught and settled and comforted. Listen to this. 1 Thessalonians
2.13. 1 Thessalonians 2.13 the scripture
says for this cause also thank we God without ceasing because
when you received the word of God which you heard of us you
received it not as the word of man but as it is in truth the
word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
Two words in that passage right there. Two words. Received. You say, well I thought it was
the same word. The scripture says, For this cause thank we
God without ceasing, because when you received the word of
God which you heard of us, you received it not as the word of
men. Two different words. The first
word received, I had to look this up, make sure I get it right.
First word received, it means learned or received from another. Something that was given from
another. So, for this cause also thank
we God without ceasing because when you received, when you got
from another the Word of God, which you heard
of us, you received it, that one means accepted readily. Almighty God gives His people
something, the Word of God, and gives them a heart to readily
take it. They have no heart apart from
Him to take it, to believe it, to accept it. So here, in whom
you trusted after you heard the Word of Truth, the Gospel of
your salvation. in whom also after that you believed
you were sealed with that Holy Spirit, back in Ephesians, Holy
Spirit of promise. Now, in whom you also trusted
after according as that you heard the word of truth, the gospel
of your salvation in whom also according as that you believed
as you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. The reason
that we must understand the word after is because if you believe
that the word after means as we think something that took
place after the fact That word right there would indicate that
this was like a second blessing. You know there's a religion that
thinks that the reception of the Holy Spirit is a second blessing.
You know that you're converted but then there's a second blessing
where you actually receive the Holy Spirit after. No. This word after, get it out of
your mind that it means something that took place post. post-regeneration. No. The word means according
as. Here's the literal. In whom also
you having, I'm sorry, hearing the word of truth, the gospel
of your salvation, in whom also believing you were sealed with
the Holy Spirit of promise. So what he's saying is you're
believing evidences that you were sealed with the Holy Spirit
of promise. In other words, you're believing
is the evidence that the Spirit of God has sealed you, regenerated
you. Now, a seal. What does it mean
to be sealed by the Holy Spirit? A seal in scripture sets forth
a pledge a signet, a stamp, a token whereby something or someone
is confirmed or certified or assured of being genuine. If you go out and, let's say
you want to go buy something. I'm going to buy more. What kind of mower are you looking
for? Well, I'm going to get a craftsman. No, I don't want a craftsman. What do you want? I want a skag. I want a skag mower. Well, you
know what you're looking for? You're looking for that mower
to be orange. But there's an emblem on that
mower. And it says, Skag. You're looking
for that token. You're looking for that emblem
right there. If I want something and I want
it to be GE, I want to see the GE. I want to see the emblem,
the token. That's the seal that we're talking
about. It's that emblem or that token
of being genuine. That right there, that's a genuine
GE appliance. That's the one I want right there.
I'm looking for that emblem. So I, Lord, sets forth here,
in whom you trusted after you heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation, in whom also, after that you believed,
you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. So, the Spirit of God is the
seal of God's people. Our precious Savior, he had a
seal. The scripture sets forth concerning
his seal in John 6.27. John 6.27 sets forth that the
Father has sealed him. John 6.27, labor not, for the meat which perisheth,
but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which
the Son of Man shall give unto you, for him hath the Father
sealed." The Father has sealed him. What was he sealed with? What was the emblem? What was
the token? Well, we find that seal in John
17, chapter 2. Here's the seal. John 17, 2,
as thou has given him power over all flesh that he should give
eternal life to as many as thou has given him. What is the seal? What is the emblem? What's the
token? of Him who is sent of the Father,
all power in heaven and earth was given unto Him. So the signet,
the emblem, the confirmation to the Father was that Almighty
God is able to do that which He said. So now we consider this
seal, this signet, this emblem of almighty God to us. We've
been given a certification. We've been given some assuredness.
And this, this signet of our personally belonging to the Lord
is this. We have the spirit sealed. We have our person sealed by
the Holy Spirit and Almighty God alone sees it. Now we've got a good indication.
We know in whom we have believed and we rest in Him and look at
Him, but I'm telling you there's one that knows His own. God Almighty 2 Timothy chapter
2. 2 Timothy 2. 2 Timothy 2, 15 to 19. The scripture says, study to
show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to
be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane
and vain babblings, for they will increase unto more ungodliness,
and their word will eat as doth a canker, of whom is Hymenas,
Philetus, who concerning the truth have erred, saying that
the resurrection is past already, and overthrow the faith to come. Nevertheless, the foundation
of God standeth sure, having this seal, Now here's the seal. Here's the assurance. Here's
the stamp. Here's the certification. You
take a notary and he stamps that piece of paper, you sign it,
he stamps it, embosses it in that piece of paper and there
it is. You just can't erase it. You're not going to erase your
name. Here's the seal. The Lord knoweth them that are
his. That is the seal. and let everyone that nameth
the name of Christ depart from iniquity." What is the proof? What is the token? What is the
emblem of our hope and peace in the Lord Jesus Christ? Here
it is, the Lord knows. The Lord knoweth them that are
His. That's the certification. kept
by the power of God, sealed by that Holy Spirit of promise. That Spirit that bears witness
with our spirit that we are the children of God. The Lord is
going to give his people the Spirit of promise. That Spirit
will teach us who we are in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the
certification to our heart. I need some assurance and by
the Spirit of God we're taught that salvation is all of grace. We're taught by the Spirit of
God that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. We're taught by the Spirit of
God that those sins were put away, cast as far as the east
is from the west, behind the back of God. And we're assured
that we have been effectually called by God's Spirit and kept
until the day of salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. So here we are. We've trusted
the Lord Jesus Christ, the one that the Father trusted. When? After we heard the word of truth,
the gospel of our salvation, in whom also, according as you
believed, there's the proof that you were sealed with that Holy
Spirit of promise. Verse 14, which is the earnest
of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession
under the praise of His glory." Now, an earnest, and you know
what an earnest is, it's the down payment, it's the promise,
it's from the same, it's of the same essence that
all the rest that is to come, it's of the same essence of that.
The Spirit of God is the earnest of our inheritance. We have an
inheritance. We have a lot. We're predestinated
according to the purpose of God. Sons of God. The Spirit of God
is given unto us. We're sealed with Him. We have
That which is absolutely holy living within us. The earnest
of our inheritance that is given to the purchased possession.
Now what is the purchased possession? It's God's people. Here is the
purchased possession. that is kept, sealed, promised
to until the day of redemption, until the praise of His glory.
We've got an incorruptible, undefiled inheritance. It does not fade
away. It's kept by God in heaven and
it is reserved for us. This inheritance belongs to God's
sheep and the only merit of it is the blood of the Lord Jesus
Christ. We've not earned it, in ourselves
we did not deserve it, and the pledge of that inheritance is
the Spirit of God. The very one that confirms to
us that we are the Lord's. This earnest is what answers
the certainty of that which God has promised. Paul the Apostle
says, I know in whom I have believed. And I'm persuaded that he is
able to keep that which He has promised, that which He has purposed,
that which He has willed unto me. The Spirit of God is part
of the totality. That promise is sure. God's people are secure. The Spirit of God confirms to
our hearts that we have that which we can enjoy right now.
Now I know we see through a glass darkly. One day, we're going
to see Him as He is. We know in part, but we know. We are a purchased possession
by the Lord. Almighty God, the Father, chose
us Christ redeemed us, the Spirit of God effectually has called
us and sealed us, stamped us. And until that day, the Spirit
of God who has been given us abides with us and teaches us
and assures us that we are the Lord's. The Spirit himself is
the earnest He's the promise of our inheritance until that
day when we're called out of this world to ever be with Him. Lord Jesus, come quickly. Amen.