Vs. 13 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 the Holy Spirit of promise."

"In Whom ye also trusted." Note: the word "trusted" is in italics, which is to say it was added by the translators, and that it was not in the original Greek text. It does not serve to enhance understanding of the text, nor does it make the text more complex, therefore it is not needed.

I have consistently taught from this pulpit that God is the God of order and system, that all of His actions are sovereign, and clothed with absolute precision. And that He never acts non-chalantly.

In this text (vs. 13) we see the logical and Invariable order by which God's elect are called out of the world unto salvation.

1. The word of truth is presented, "Ye heard the word of truth." And we are told what the word of truth was which they heard, "the gospel of your salvation."

2. Hearing Christ said, "He that is of God heareth God's words..." (John 8:47)
First, presentation of the gospel, Second, a hearing of the gospel,

The gospel seed has often fallen by the wayside, and became food for fowls. It has on many an occasion fell among thorns, and been choked out. Then too, it has fallen upon stony ground and was immediately rejected. But with gratitude toward God, we want to remember that some of the gospel seed fell upon good ground and brought forth fruit, (Mt. 13:1-8). Let us not assume for a moment that God's purpose in sowing the gospel seed was frustrated by the wayside, thorns, or stony ground. Nay, a field of grain is never more beautiful than when it is in a wilderness. God's word never fail of its purpose, Isa. 55:11 "So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. "We do not always use the same rule God does in measuring prosperity. It is always those and only those that have been predestinated unto life that believes, (Acts 13:48).

3. Sealed. "Ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise." We mean not to imply that a person believes before he is sealed, or indwelt by the Holy Spirit. We do not have a God that is restricted to chronology as man is.

With GOD there is no before or after, there is only the eternal NOW.

With God, the Presentation of the gospel, the elects hearing the gospel (hearing, synonymous with believing), and their being indwelt by the

Holy Spirit are simultaneous, or ONE action. But in the believer's experience, or in relating his experience he can do no better than adhere to the logical and chronological order set forth herein.

The word "sealed" which is the action of the Holy Spirit has a broader meaning than the initial bestowal of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. The main thought conveyed by the word "sealed* Is something authoritative and conspicuous. It speaks of the perpetual and manifest presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Individual believer, and church.

Man buying a slave from the market auction block,

1. Announces his offer, his desire to own the slave determines the amount which he offers for the slave. If his desire is of such nature that he must own the slave, and his purchasing ability is equal to his desire, he will then make an irresistible offer which perfectly satisfies the current owner. The slave may object to the transaction, but what can he do, he is in chains.

2. The new owner, pointing at the slave says to his household servants, who has come with him to the market, dressed In royal apparel, "loose him, and let him go." By such free and loving gestures the slave is drawn to the one who paid such a great price for him, and falls at his feet, saying, "Lord, be merciful to me, a rebel." Straightway, his new master takes him by the hand lifts him up, and says, "Follow Me."

3. The master takes him to his home, places a ring on his finger with his household seal inscribed thereon, and says, "By this seal I will travel with you whithersoever you go, I will never leave you nor forsake you, and all men shall know, you are mine."

In Scripture symbolism, the seal speaks of a finished transaction. In our text it is a reference to the supremely great transaction whereby God in the giving of His Son paid the penalty for His people’s sin, satisfying the just and holy demands of the law. And to show the infinite finality of the transaction God sends His Spirit into the hearts of believers eternally preserving them, and says, "Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more" (Heb. 10:17).

"Holy Spirit of Promise." The Holy Spirit is spoken of as the "Spirit of truth" (John 16:13), the "Spirit of adoption" (Ro. 8:15), the "Spirit of grace" (Heb. 10:29). And in the text under study He is called "The Spirit of promise." He is thus called because His coming was in fulfillment of Divine promise (Joel 2:28). It is without doubt that Paul's designation of the Spirit in out text is an allusion to the promise which Christ made to His church concerning its institutional baptism in the Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-3). And it is to be understood that Joel's prophecy (Joel 2:28) is primarily a reference to the baptism of the church in the Holy Spirit, Peter referring to the baptism of the church in the Holy Spirit, says, "But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel" (Acts 2:16).

Acts 1:4-8 "And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith He, ye have heard of Me. For John truly baptized in water; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Ghost not many days hence."

(The word "with" is erroneous in this text, It is a translation of the Greek word "en", and should have been rendered "in". (Bearing in mind that the translators of the KJV were Anglican pedobaptist). When they therefore were come together, they asked Him, saying, Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And He said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the season, which the Father hath put in His own power. But ye shall receive power (Gr. "exousia" i.e. authority), after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and-in Samaria, and, unto the uttermost part of the earth." See also Lk. 24:49.

V.14 "Which (Holy Spirit of promise) is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory."

Note if you would please, Paul use of, the plural pronoun "our" in the text. Paul a Jew, is addressing a Gentile church, and makes, himself no more A beneficiary Of, the Holy Spirits work than the Gentiles. He is saying that Jews and Gentiles are on equal, footing before God as respects their state in fallen nature, and that the mystery of gods, will (Vs.9), contemporaneously revealed, was that Gentiles as well as Jews are include In the covenant of redemption, and that they (the Gentile Ephesians) had been made heirs of the second richest blessing know to man in his non-glorified state, and that is, to be members of the Lord's bride. The proof of which was attested to by their faithfulness.

"The, earnest of our inheritance." Of the word "earnest" Vincent in his word studies of N.T. Greek, says, It is, "Caution money deposited by a purchaser in pledge of full payment." W.E. Vine in his Expository Dictionary Of N.T. Words, says of the word,
"earnest", "It is said of the Holy Spirit as the Divine pledge of all their future blessedness, 2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5") Vine further says, in modern Greek the term refers to the engagement ring.

The word is used in our text of the Holy Spirit as pledge from God that there is more in store for the believer, and as a guarantee that his inheritance is sure. I do not know of a Baptist which will tell you that he has realized the ultimate fruit of his salvation. Now, there are some who profess to have realized the second installment in God’s gracious reconciliation of His people, and that is ultimate and complete sanctification. Regeneration is but one part, the first part of our salvation. Salvation is progressive, and has, three parts to it, first, Justification, second, sanctification, and finally, glorification.

In justifying the sinner God pays the penalty by the sacrifice of His Son, the sinner’s guilt is removed and the righteousness of Christ implanted in the believer. These blessing are the earnest of our inheritance. This righteousness is a legal righteousness, merited, not by the believer, but by the perfect obedience, and sacrificial death of Christ whereby the believer is given a perfect standing before God.

But we are not yet face to face with God, but we are in a world that is anti-God, and filled with hostility toward God’s people, especially His church. "They that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Tim. 3:12).

It is in this world that our holiness is to exceed that of the Pharisees, and this is brought about by our growing in grace and knowledge of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. This growth is progressive, not instantaneous, and is correctly commutated by Bible commentators, "Progressive sanctification" It is the second great blessing in our ultimate conformity to the image of Christ, and is not fully a realized until the moment of physical death, when our soul takes its flight from the body, and to the presence of our precious Saviour, Jesus Christ. "…blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea: saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors - (Struggles to overcome sin); and their works do follow them" (Rev. 14:13).

A person professing to be a Christian, and manifests unconcern about his spiritual growth, or sanctification, from sin, is, I fear, fatally deceived. A saved person hungers and thirst for righteousness.
Next week, we will consider the glorification of the believer.