In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14)

Some have supposed that there is a separate act of the Spirit of God in which he seals believers. It may be so—I will not raise the question—but I should be very sorry if any man here, living in sin, should nevertheless look back upon some time of religious excitement or enjoyment and say, “I am safe, for on that occasion I was sealed.”

And I should be very sorry to have any brother take as the sure reason why he is saved some remarkable experience that he underwent on a certain day long past. A seal is for the present and is not a mere memory, but a palatable now, and before the eyes.

I am afraid many have been deceived into carelessness by the notion of a sealing received long ago. Let us seek out the truth. According to the text, as far as I can read it, here is a man who believed in Jesus, and he desires a seal that God loves him.

God gives him the Spirit, and that is all he can wish for or expect. Nothing more is wanted; nothing else would be so good. The very fact that the Spirit of God works in you to will and to do according to God’s good pleasure is your seal; you do not need anything beyond.

I do not say that any one operation of the Holy Spirit is to be regarded as the seal, but the whole of them together, as they prove his being within us, make up that seal.[1]

Charles Spurgeon

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End notes:

[1] Charles Spurgeon, At the Master’s Feet [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005], May 29.

See also:

DALLAS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY FACULTY RECOMMENDS HENRY NOUWEN WITH HIS CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER

T.D. JAKES’ WORD FAITH PASTORS AND LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2012

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH HASN’T CHANGED ITS CONDEMNATION OF THE GOSPEL