=Angel4Truth;4466417]Ephesians 1:13–14 You also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory”
In our language and culture a "seal" implies that something is protected and permanant. In the ancient times it was not that way. TO understand the metaphors used in the Word we have to understand what THEY meant to convey. In the First Century a seal was a blob of hot wax which was placed on a legal document and impressed with a stamp or signet ring with the symbol of a person in authority. They
were usually affixed to legal documents to guarantee their authenticity. They might be used in any contract, a certificate of adoption or a deed to an inheritance. Once the person had it in their possession the sealed document provided them with the assurance that whatever is stated in the document was theirs.
Seals were not
iron padlocks or
welds. They were made of wax which could be easily broken...but not by anyone. Only the owner of the document had the
legal right to break the seal. Anyone else who tried to steal or tamper with the document would suffer the consequences. In the Revelation the Lamb broke the seals on the scrolls because he had
legal ownership of them and had the right to do so.
Those were scrolls whose contents were sealed. When it came to legal documents the possessor who had access could break the seal if they chose to but if they did the document would be rendered invalid and non-binding. Thus, though it had been ratified by an authority it was important that the possessor took care of it.
The meaning of the seal is the
presence of the Holy Spirit inside us. Is our relationship with the Holy Spirit something we have to cultivate or does nothing we do affect it? Although a lot of people quote Ephesians to argue that our relationship with God is unconditional few bother to read this scripture in the same book:
30 Do not
grieve the Holy Spirit of God,
by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.Eph 4:30
According to the Word the Spirit can be
grieved, resisted, quenched and
rebelled against - which is why Hebrews says Israel lost their inheritance. That too was used symbolically represent New Covenant believers and their inheritance.
Romans 11:29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
God did not revoke His call to a lot of people that He ended up judging. He did not rescind his call to King Saul but He tore the kingdom from his hands.
Jude 24-25
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
25 To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.
Jude is a book that gives examples for us of men who started out knowing God, or having a divine calling, ministry or a supernatural gift. While these were never revoked God destroyed these men for pursuing various lusts instead of God and for apostasizing from the faith.
God will keep us if we want to be kept but He is not going to
keep us irresistibly any more than He saved us irresistibly.
