The work of God the Spirit in securing the believer
- "In whom ye also trusted" The word trusted is not in the original manuscripts, but is demanded by the context from v12. It means forehoped, to hope in advance of, to place your hopes for the future, in this case, trust in Christ. This hope is not the same as a wish list, more a dependency on that which is absolutely certain. The saved Jews of v12 rested all their future on the Messiah, likewise you Gentiles have placed your hopes on Christ, the Messiah, the anointed one of God.
- "After that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation" We, now, are to understand the process of salvation; although it takes place in a moment, there is a very definite order, and it never changes. Firstly you heard...... this is clearly human responsibility. There is hearing, and there is heeding; hearing, as it were, with your inner ear. Paul said in another place "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God". What did you hear? The word of truth(the divine side), the gospel of your salvation(the human side). This is a wonderful description of the salvation God has provided in Christ, and, what good news it is to the world at large. It is the word of truth, you can depend upon it; in a world full of lies and falsehoods, it is the truth, the one thing you can rely on for your future. Psalm 19v7-9 "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul....the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether." Jesus said "I am the truth...."; the phrase "the word of truth" also appears in 2 Corinthians 6v7, Colossians 1v5, 2 Timothy 2v15, and James 1v18. Even the world talks about "gospel truth", when they wish to underline the veracity of something. This world and everything in it exists by the spoken word of God, all who are saved are so by the same spoken word. This true, dependable word results in the good news of our salvation. God's truth, when accepted, brings salvation. The full meaning of salvation is expounded in the letter to Romans and involves God dealing with past guilt, providing present grace, and securing future glory for the believer.
- "In whom also after that ye believed....." Here we must take note of the aorist participle which Paul uses twice in this verse (having....). He is denoting something which happened at one point in the past. It is a finished act, it is complete, it needs nothing added. It could be rendered "on the point of hearing, on the point of believing". There was a time when we crossed the line from sin to salvation and it is the moment when we believed. It was not only a mental assent but a whole of life commitment to trust in Christ come what may. In other scriptures, believing is seen to be obedience; the conclusion therefore is that refusal to believe is disobedience, and it is of the worst possible kind in view of the cost to God in providing it. Scriptures like Romans 1v5, 16v26, Acts 17v30, make this clear. There is an interesting phrase in 2 Thessalonians2v10, which depicts the true nature of biblical believing; "they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved." The only proper response to the God who has loved us to the extent of the blood of the cross, is to love the truth that the gospel brings. Believing is obeying, believing is loving, it can be no less than that.
- "You were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise" It could be translated "on believing ye were sealed..." Note the progression heard, believed, sealed. The word sealed is very powerful; literally it means to stamp ( with a signet or private mark) as an indication of ownership, of security, of preservation, of authentication. The beast of a future day will stamp his followers with a seal; the imitation of Satan will go on to the end. The Holy Spirit seals believers to secure them eternally for God. They belong to Him now, they are beyond the reach of the enemy. Like the kings of old who used their signet ring imprinted on the wax to authenticate deeds, and covenants, and letters, so we are sealed on believing. This is the security of the believer. Nothing can alter it as Ephesians 4v30 says "whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption". The word is so strong it is used in Matthew 27v66 for the seal on the tombstone. When used to describe spiritual security it is an unbreakable seal. We must take stock now of the vital role of the third person of the Godhead in our salvation. He preserved our way pre-conversion; He produced the word of truth, the bible; He inspired the preachers by whom we heard ; He resurrected us, He enlightened us He convicted us, He cleansed us. The Lord Jesus said that to enter the kingdom of God we must be "born of the Spirit". No one is saved without the regenerating power of the Spirit. Like as He moved on the lifeless, dark, earth in Genesis 1v2, so He moves on the lifeless dark souls of men to awaken them to spiritual life.
- "Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession The seal of the Holy Spirit, which is His indwelling presence, in every believer, is described as the earnest......what a beautiful thought it is! This word is of Hebrew origin and means a pledge, a down-payment, of money to secure the entirety of the inheritance. This is an awesome truth; the Spirit of God, the third member of the Godhead, no less, is Himself, the guarantee that we will receive in reality all that God has promised. Romans 8v15-16 says " ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba, Father. The Spirit himself witnesses with our spirit that we are the sons of God". This state of things will continue until the ultimate, the redemption of the purchased possession. This is defined in Romans 8v23 as the redemption of the body. Spirit , soul and body, the whole person redeemed and perfected by the tri-une God to whom will be the glory from the vast redeemed throng. The earnest is used in 2 Corinthians 1v22and 5v5.... it is a guarantee that full payment will be made. God is always true to His word, but for our benefit, He gives us certainty, saved for eternity!!
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