Maybe ‘the sealing with the Spirit” has been discussed here before at length, but perhaps not from this angle. I don’t propose that we try to prove what, according to the Greek, we believe Eph. 1.13 means for us today – I don’t think one interpretation can be show to be the accurate one beyond all doubt. Rather I propose, if any are interested in the theme, we open our hearts, as well as our minds, to the possibility that we Reformed folks are missing something very important. I once discussed this subject with a Reformed pastor who heatedly asserted that Lloyd-Jones doctrine of the Spirit was “dead wrong” and that the whole reformed movement today rejected it. I brought forward a quote by John Owen that seemed, at least to me, clearly to support Lloyd-Jones, at which he replied that Owen was “speaking about something else entirely different”, though the text appended to his statement was Romans 8.16 (a parallel passage to Eph. 1.13). It seemed he could not bear the thought that a great puritan held some view of important truth other than the reformed church of our day. I didn’t bother to share any more quotes with the good brother, but I post a few of them here for whomever might still care about it. I think we ought to look at it again. If nothing else it should lead us to pray and seek the God of our fathers anew. Blessings!

“in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise”
Now we are returning again to this great and vital and all-important subject because regarding it as I do as being of such supreme importance it is vital that we should be in no misunderstanding or under no misapprehension with respect to it. We have, first of all, considered the actual statement which is made, the words. We noticed that we are told that ‘after that ye believed’ or ‘having believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.’ It’s not something that happens automatically the moment we believe; it doesn’t happen of necessity immediately. It may happen almost exactly at the same time as conversion, but it may not. The two things are separate and are distinct. I am not postulating that there must be a long interval. I am saying that they do not happen at the same time, and that the two things are separate and distinct. We have also seen that this sealing with the Spirit is the fulfillment of a great promise. We’ve traced the promises as they are described in the old testament, and also by the preaching of John the Baptist and our Lord Himself. This sealing with the Spirit is the fulfillment of a promise that had been made by God the Father throughout the centuries – it is the promise of the Father; the thing to which these children of Israel had been looking forward, the thing which John the Baptist so emphasized – he said ‘I indeed baptize you with water, but He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire’- this tremendous thing. And yet as we’ve seen, there is an interpretation of it which would reduce it to something non-experimental, something of which we are not aware at all, nothing that comes into the realm of experience we’re told, doesn’t affect the feelings at all, it’s an act of God whereby he secures us, but we are not aware of it. Now we are trying to show that, surely, that cannot be the true interpretation.
D.M. Lloyd-Jones on Ephesians 1.13

Permit me to remark yet once more, there is one foretaste of heaven which the Spirit gives, which it were very wrong for us to omit. And now, I shall seem, I dare say, to those who understand not spiritual mysteries, to be as one that dreams. There are moments when the child of God has real fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. You know what fellowship between man and man means. There is as real a fellowship between the Christian and Christ. Our eyes can look on him. I say not that these human optics can behold the very flesh of Christ, but I say that the eyes of the soul can here on earth more truly see Christ, after a spiritual sort, than ever eyes of man saw him when he was in the flesh on earth. To-day, your head may lean upon the Savior’s bosom, to-day, he may be your sweet companion, and with the spouse you may say, “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for his love is better than wine.” I pray you, think not that I rave now I speak what I do know, and testify what I have seen, and what many of you have seen and known too. There are moments with the believer, when, whether in the body or out of the body, he cannot tell — God knoweth — but this he knows, that Christ’s left hand is under his head, and his right hand doth embrace him. Christ hath shown to him his hands and his side. He could say, with Thomas, “My Lord and my God,” but he could not say much more. The world recedes, it disappears. The things of time are covered with a pall of darkness Christ only stands out before the believer’s view. I have known that some believers, when they have been in this state, could say with the spouse, “Stay me with apples, comfort me with flagons, for I am sick of love.” Their love of Christ and Christ’s love to them, had overcome them. Their soul was something in the state of John, whom we described last Lord’s-day morning: “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead.” A sacred faintness overcomes my soul, I die — I die to prove the fullness of redeeming love, the love of Christ to me. Oh, these seasons! Talk ye not of feasts of mirth; tell us not of music, ye who delight in melodious sound; tell us not of wealth, and rank, and honor, and the joys of victory. One hour with Christ is worth an eternity of all earth’s joys. May I but see him, may I but see his face, but behold his beauties — come winds, blow ye away all earthly joys I have — this joy shall well content my soul. Let the hot sun of tribulation dry up all the water-brooks; but this fresh spring shall fill my cup full to the brim — yea, it shall make a river of delight, wherein my soul shall bathe. To be with Christ on earth is the best, the surest, the most ecstatic foretaste and earnest of the joys of heaven. Forget not this, Christian! If thou hast ever known Christ, heaven is thine; and when thou hast enjoyed Christ, thou hast learned a little of what the bliss of futurity shall be. – Spurgeon on Eph. 1.13,14

The blessings which we receive through Christ are innumerable. Many are mentioned in the preceding part of this chapter. One of the last and greatest blessings which we receive in this life is the sealing of the Holy Spirit. This was vouchsafed to many of the saints at Ephesus. We shall show,
1. What the sealing of the Spirit is. The metaphor of sealing conveys no inadequate idea of the Spirit’s operations (A seal stamps its own image on the was that is impressed by it, and marks the thinbg sealed to be the property of him that sealed it and the Holy Spirit forms all the lineaments of the Divine image on the soul that is sealed by him and shows that it belongs to God.) But the text affords us the best explanation of this term: the future inheritance of the saints consists in a perfect conformity to God’s image, and a perfect enjoyment of his love. The sealing of the Spirit is an earnest of that inheritance, or, in other words, a part of that inheritance already vouchsafed to the soul, and a pledge that the remainder shall in due time be given to it. This gift of the Spirit is to be continued to the church till the final consummation of all things. The experience of individuals may vary with respect to it, but there shall always be some in the church who possess and enjoy it.
We are also informed respecting,
2. The manner in which it is effected. The agent is none other than the Holy Ghost. It is not in man’s power to sanctify his own soul nor can any one assure himself that his is the Lord’s. To impart these blessings is the prerogative of God alone. The subjects of this work are true believers (an unbeliever cannot possibly be sealed because the Holy Spirit would never mark those as God’s property, who do not really belong to him, nor are persons usually sealed on their first believing in Christ. This higher state of sanctification and assurance is reserved for those, who, after having believed, have maintained a close walk with God. They must first be in Christ, and then for Christ’s sake this benefit shall be vouchsafed unto them.
The means by which it is effected, are the promises (we do not presume to limit the Spirit’s operations, but his usual method of sealing is by applying the “promises” to the soul. Of themselves, the promises can accomplish nothing, but, through his divine power, they have a comforting and transforming efficacy.
The Apostle further specifies,
3. Its proper tendency and operation. The sealing of the Spirit will never elate a man with pride. It may seem indeed that such distinguishing mercies would puff us up; but their invariable effect is to humble those who receive them. All the saints of old abased themselves in proportion as they were favoured of God. Nor can there be any stronger evidence that a work is not of God, than its producing a contrary effect upon us. It is intended solely to honour and glorify God – every work of grace should lead the mind to God as the author of it, and the more exalted the mercy, the more powerful should this effect be. Now this, above all, administers to us the greatest cause of thankfulness, and will certainly incline us to love and serve him from whom it has be derived.
To those who are ignorant of this sublime subject – to many, alas! the sealing of the Spirit is mere foolishness, but those who account it so, speak evil of things that they understand not. Let us seek to experience it ourselves, instead of censuring those who do.
To those who desire to be sealed – God is willing to bestow this blessing on all who seek it. If we possess it not, we should inquire what there is in us which has occasioned God to withhold it from us. We should beg of God to take away from us that hardness of heart which incapacitates us for it, and should live more on the promises, that by them it may be imparted to our souls.
To those who are sealed – what a mercy is it, that you, who might long since have been sealed for condemnation, have, according to the good pleasure of God, been sealed for heaven. Be thankful to God for his unspeakable gift. Be careful too that you grieve not him by whom you have been sealed, but improve the promises yet further for you progressive advancement in true holiness. – Charles Simeon on Eph. 1.13


You that believe are to wait for this promise. As the Jews waited for the coming of Christ, so are you to wait for the coming of the Holy Ghost into your hearts. It is said that the fathers served God day and night waiting for the promise, namely, Christ to come. Serve your God day and night faithfully, walk humbly, there is a promise of the Holy Ghost to come and fill your hearts with joy unspeakable and glorious, to seal you up to the day of redemption. Sue this promise out, wait for it, rest not in believing only, rest not in assurance by graces only, there is a further assurance to be had. It was the last legacy Christ left upon earth. Look John 14.16, he saith there that he would send the promise of the Father, this very promise of sending the Comforter. Read Luke 24.49, therefore, sue out the will of Christ, it was the fruit of His ascension, when he was ascended up and received this promise, then He poured it out. The Ephesians had it, you see, they were sealed, for afterward, Ephesians 4.30, he exhorts them not to grieve the Holy Spirit, by which they were sealed. The Thessalonians had it, 1 Thes. 1.10, they received the word with such joy, he saith, they waited for the coming of Jesus Christ from heaven; that is the next step, heaven is next unto it, and to wait for Christ when you are thus sealed. Those that Peter wrote to had it, 1 Peter 1.8, in whom, believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Thus ordinary it was in the primitive times. Where the defect lies, God knows, but certainly it might be more common if men would sue it out. Such a promise there is, He is therefore called the Spirit of promise, because He is promised as a sealer. Only my brethren, let me give you a direction or two: First, believe this promise, wait for it by faith, make it the aim of your faith. We are said to receive the promise of the Spirit through faith, Gal. 3.14. Believe there is such a thing, aim at it, wait for it, and serve God day and night in all humility to obtain it. Rest in no other lower and under assurance, and in the end the Lord will give it. The reason why men attain it not is because they rest in other assurances and they do not aim at this. They content themselves with bare believing and that their consciences are quieted. But, my brethren, there is such a work as sealing by the Spirit if you have faith. There is a Spirit, and a Spirit of promise made to believers which ye may receive by faith. This is the first reason why He is called a Spirit of promise, because He is promised to believers as He is a sealer. Thomas Goodwin on Eph. 1.13

Now follows the testimony of God’s Spirit, which we shall see described besides the places I named unto you in Ephesians 1, wherein after you believed you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. When a man hath believed and took Jesus Christ, secondly when he hath washed and purified himself, that is, he hath gone about his work, and so his own spirit gathers a testimony hence that he is in a good estate, after he hath thus believed, then, saith he, comes the Holy Ghost, and seals the same things unto you. That is, the Lord leaves a man alone for awhile, as it were, to champ upon the bridle, as I may say, he lets a man alone to some doubts and fears that so he may purge himself the more carefully. But after a time, when a man hath put to his seal that God is true, then the Lord seals him again with the Spirit of promise, that is, the Lord sends the Spirit into his heart and that Spirit gives witness to him, and when he hath put to his seal that God is true, then the Lord puts to His seal, and assures him that He hath received him to mercy- John Preston (court chaplain to James the 1st and Charles the 1st), a Puritan – The New Covenant or the Saint’s Portion

Last edited by hdbdan; Sun Feb 13, 2011 7:05 PM.