22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
22 who also has sealed us
“Sealed” signifies ownership (Eph 1:13-14). A seal stamps an identity on something. We belong to Christ and are identified with Him. We are His authentic family. The identifying mark of a believer is that he or she has the indwelling Spirit of God. This happens at the moment a person trusts Christ for salvation. Our sealing is a token that assures possession of something.
and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee [deposit].
God gives every believer the Spirit as a pledge or deposit of His ownership. This pledge is the indwelling of the Spirit. This indwelling begins at the point of conversion (Eph 1:13). The sealing is permanent (Eph 4:30).
The word “guarantee” is a legal term referring to making an installment or down payment. A guarantee or deposit is that part of a payment made as a pledge for the full amount. The Holy Spirit guarantees our eternal salvation. Since God gave us a “guarantee” of the indwelling Spirit as a down payment, God is obligated to provide what He promises (2 Co 5:5; Eph 1:14; Ro 8:23). It is a pledge for future payment. Our entire eternal inheritance is yet to follow.
PRINCIPLE:
The Holy Spirit Himself is the pledge of our ultimate redemption.
APPLICATION:
The Christian’s relationship with God is permanent and continues beyond death. God assures our future destiny in Christ. The deposit of the Spirit in us ensures our eternal life. It is the surety that God will fulfill His promise (Ro 8:9-11, 23). God established His people secure in their union with Christ.
The indwelling of the Spirit in the believer is the mark that the Christian belongs to God and that his or her salvation is eternally secure.
