The Spirit's Role In Salvation - [Ephesians 1:13-14]

Picture if you will with me this scenario you have a close friend who's charismatic Pentecostal and you get together once in a while to talk Bible and spiritual things and Theology and it seems to be okay in your relationship with your friend until you decide one day to discuss about the Holy Spirit.

Your Charismatic Pentecostal friend at that point seems to look down upon you because he or she thinks that you are inferior to them simply because they have been Baptized by the Spirit slain in the Spirit.

All a second work of grace post-conversion and you have not of course you try to convince him otherwise and Tell them about the doctrines of grace and you talk to them about the doctrine of election and say to your friend I am chosen.

Your friend looks at you and says in their charismatic way. You might be chosen, but you seem frozen to me. Where would you take your friend to guide them in the scriptures as? God has revealed himself.

What passage would you take them to. Maybe the book of Acts? Maybe somewhere in the Gospels. The upper room discourse where our Lord describes the role of the Holy Spirit to his disciples. Well, I would take this person to the book of Ephesians.

The Holy Spirit in Ephesians and the Structure of the Letter

So if you would turn with me to Ephesians chapter 1 and my prayer is that at the end of tonight we would have a fresh appreciation and Excitement a renewed excitement for the work of the Holy Spirit in salvation.

We might even get to the point as pastor Mike did when he Taught a group of pastors in Europe about expository preaching who at the end were raising their hands. Who knows? Ephesians chapter 1 verses 13 to 14 is our text this evening.

In him you also when you heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation and Believed in him were sealed with a promised Holy Spirit. Who is the guarantee of our inheritance? Until we acquire possession of it to the praise of his glory.

No less than 11 times. Does the Apostle Paul make specific reference to the Holy Spirit in this particular epistle. The first time of course is our very text that we're going to look at in detail in a moment.

Another time is in chapter 1 where he prays to the Ephesian church that God would give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation. In chapter 2 when he talks about the Jews and Gentiles God putting together in one body of the church.

He says that for through him we both have access both Jews and Gentiles in one spirit to the Father. In talking about the church there in chapter 2 also He says that in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

In chapter 3 he talks about the mystery of Christ the mystery also of Jews and Gentiles and he says that that revelation Was made known to the Holy Apostles and the prophets by the Spirit. In Chapter 3 he prays another prayer for the Ephesian church that they might be strengthened with power through his spirit.

In Chapter 4 he talks about the unity of the body and he says be eager to preserve the unity of the Spirit in The bond of peace for there is one body in one spirit. He continues in chapter 4 by calling the Ephesian church to not grieve the Holy Spirit in chapter 5 He tells them to be filled with the Spirit.

In chapter 6 He tells them to pray in the Spirit when he's talking about the spiritual armor of the Christian. 11 times take note of this though as You may well know the book of Ephesians right down the middle first three chapters.

Doctrine. Chapter 4 verse 1 therefore. I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of your calling. Chapters 4 through 6 the practical implication of that theology of Those 11 times that Paul references the Holy Spirit 5 are found in the second half.

You would think that the doctrine of the Holy Spirit is just some ethereal theology with no practical implication. For our lives you would be wrong if you thought that. Five of those eleven times Paul takes us to the second half of the epistle to discuss the Holy Spirit.

The Personhood and Deity of the Holy Spirit

Well, who is the Holy Spirit first before we get into our text? First of all he is a person. You believe in the person of the Holy Spirit. Notice with me in chapter 4 of the book in verse 30 Paul says do not grieve The Holy Spirit you don't grieve a force or a power or even a ghost.

When you're able to act upon Someone that is a person in the similar fashion as we know in the book of Acts. Where Peter confronted in Annihilation Sapphira? You have lied not to God but to the Holy not to man.

But to God the Holy Spirit. Here Paul tells us do not grieve the Holy Spirit. He is a person. Not only is the Holy Spirit a person. But we believe in the deity of the Holy Spirit. We believe in the deity of the Holy Spirit.

Here in this epistle Paul has two primary what we call triadic passages. Passages that focus on the Trinity our triune God. Now you might want to take somebody Who is a charismatic friend to teach them about the Holy Spirit and the Trinity to some other passages such as maybe the baptism of?

Jesus where we see the Father Son and the Holy Spirit or the Great Commission Baptizing them in the name right singular of the Father Son and Holy Spirit or even to Peter Salutation in his first epistle or Paul's benediction at the end of 2nd Corinthians.

But here we see these triadic passages in the opening of the letter the first one in chapter 1 verses 3 to 14 we see the work of the Father. We see the work of the Son and we see the work of the Spirit in salvation.

The second passage is in chapter 4 notice what he says there in chapter 4. Verse 4 there is one body and one spirit. Just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call one Lord one faith one baptism.

One God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. In his book Moody handbook of theology Paul ends makes the following statement. Relating the deity of the Holy Spirit to the Trinity.

He says and I quote the deity of the Holy Spirit is inextricably bound up with a doctrine of the Trinity. A denial of one Is a denial of the other. Conversely belief in the Trinity necessitates a belief in the deity of the Holy Spirit and Quote.

Paul presents very clearly from the outset of his letter and in the second half in chapter 4 these two Triadic passages linking the Holy Spirit to the Father and the Son as a deity the triune God in Our text in chapter 1 we see two important things before we look at our verses.

The Work of the Father, Son, and Spirit in Salvation

Chapter 1 verses 3 to 14 classic. One sentence by the Apostle Paul. We see first of all in verse 3 Paul presents us with a general statement he says. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.

That's his general Overall arching statement. And then from verse 14 for to the end of that sentence verse 14 He gets into the specifics of that blessing that we have. In those specifics Paul breaks down in the work of each member of the Trinity and We know that it's the work of each member because at the end of each of those sections he finishes off with The phrase to the praise of his glory.

We see for example in verse 4 following the work of the Father in choosing us before the foundation of the world and Paul finishes that in verse 6 with to the praise of his glorious grace. It was a father who chose us the father verse 5 who predestined us to adoption as sons.

That is his work in salvation. It's to the praise of his glory. And then we see secondly the work of the Son from verse 7 on in him in Christ the Beloved. We have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of our sins.

Verse 11 in him we have in Christ. We have obtained an inheritance as we know in the book of Ephesians. The Pauline phrase in Christ is very significant. Having been predestined he continues in verse 11 According to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.

So that we who were first to hope in Christ might be to what to the praise of his glory. Because salvation ultimately with the entire work of the triune God Father Son and Holy Spirit Is first and foremost for the praise of God's glory.

And then of course we see in the last section here the work of the Holy Spirit in verses 13 and 14 and Ultimately, it's what for what purpose verse 14 to the praise of his glory the work of our triune God in saving us.

The work of the Father the work of the Son and the work of the Holy Spirit. And in order to understand How the Spirit works we have to look at this last section in our text. Paul says in verse 13 in him you also when you heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation and believed in him.

When you heard the word of truth and what and believed in him. Jesus Christ himself said in John 5 24 Truly truly I say unto you or as the King James would say verily verily. Those who hear my words and believe him who sent me have eternal life.

Have crossed over from death to life and will not be condemned. This is Romans 10 17 faith comes by hearing and hearing what? the word of Christ. We have he says to the Ephesian Church when you heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation and believed and Though he doesn't mention it here.

It's implied Before he talks about the specific work of the Holy Spirit in our salvation. The presumption is of the regenerating work of the Spirit of God. Later on in chapter 2 he talks to the Ephesian Church reminding them what they were like Before Christ how they were spiritually dead in their trespasses and sins.

There was no way on their own they could wait make any motion towards God. So here clearly Paul's implying that the Holy Spirit has to regenerate before anybody can believe. What they hear the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit because of our total depravity not only unable To come to God, but also unwilling.

And he makes it very clear the primary work of the Spirit of God in save in salvation is this. Having heard and believed in him you were what? Sealed sealed with a promised Holy Spirit. Seal in those days was very simple and a document that was of importance.

Hot wax would be taken poured upon the document in a signet ring with the seal of the person. Many times a dignitary or King will be placed upon that document. That was the seal. It was embossed. It was raised up and that showed that that seal had the authority of that particular King or the person.

Who was sealing it? I remember years ago as a young kid traveling to visit my relatives in Greece. Nowadays seals still exist but in a different fashion and we would go through customs. Showing them our US passport and it had to have a specific seal on it for approval.

It showed the authority of that seal. Question is well, who is the one in our salvation who seals us? Who is it who seal is upon us? God is the one who seals us. Turn briefly with me to the book of 2nd Corinthians chapter 1.

2nd Corinthians chapter 1. Who is it that seals us as it were in salvation. 2nd Corinthians chapter 1 verses 21 to 22. The Apostle Paul says there. And it is God. Who what? Establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us and Who has also put his seal on us and given us his spirit in our hearts as a guarantee?

God is the one who seals the believer. God is the one who establishes us who has anointed us and who has put his seal on us and given us his Holy Spirit. Well, how long is this seal good for. Until when is God seal good for?

We are sealed by God until the day of our future redemption. Until the day of our future redemption if you turn back to our passage in Ephesians and go to chapter 4 of our book. Ephesians chapter 4 in verse 30 Paul says there.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed for when? For the day of Redemption. God's seal. Because it is God who is sealing us is irrevocable. It's permanent. It's from the day the Holy Spirit regenerates us through the whole process of our sanctification.

Until the day of glory. His seal is irrevocable. It's for the day of redemption. Well, let's look back at our text and let me highlight to you based upon the seal of the Holy Spirit the three Roles that the Spirit of God plays in our salvation.

The Spirit Seals and Guarantees Salvation

What is his primary work in our salvation? Number one. The spirit's role in our salvation is to authenticate the genuineness of our faith. His role is to authenticate the genuineness of our faith. That was a seal what it was all about.

There's a great example in the Old Testament in 1st Kings chapter 21. King Ahab Goes to Naboth and he says, you know, I like your vineyard. I'd exchange it for another vineyard. I'll actually pay you for it.

Naboth said no. Ahab was a little bit downcast and his wife Jezebel noticed that and she asked him what was wrong and He told her and he she said don't worry. I'll take care of it. So what did she do?

She wrote a letter and when she enclosed the document she used the King's seal upon that document as If the king himself King Ahab had written it Authenticated who the letter was coming from. So when she sent it to some of the leaders She said in the letter to bring a charge again Naboth and say that he had Said stuff against the king King Ahab and against God and to stone him to death.

Well, he was stoned to death that people didn't think twice about it because it had the King's seal upon it. So she comes back to her husband. I've taken care of it. The the seal authenticates the genuineness of the person who Seals it.

That's why in Romans the Apostle Paul said the following Romans 4 verse 11 when he talks about Abraham the father of faith. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith.

While he was still uncircumcised. And later on in Romans Paul talks about the reality of this seal that Authenticates our faith. In Romans 8 verse 9 Paul says you however are not in the flesh. But in the Spirit if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you.

Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. The seal of the Spirit authenticates that we are children of God because it's God is the one who seals us.

Secondly. The Spirits role in salvation is to mark us as God's own possession is To mark us as God's own possession. That was another purpose of a seal. It was a mark particularly to show that this piece of Document was a possession of the person who was sending it with their seal upon it.

There's an incident in Jeremiah verse 30 in chapter 32 of the Prophet Jeremiah that illustrates this beautifully. And It says in Jeremiah 32. And I bought the field that anathos from Hannah Mel my cousin and weighed out the money to him.

17 shekels of silver. I signed the deed. Sealed it got witnesses and weighed the money on scales. Then I took the sealed deed of purchase. Containing the terms and conditions and the open copy. Jeremiah bought it and put his seal as a stamp of ownership.

The Holy Spirit when God seals us with the Holy Spirit in salvation He puts a stamp of ownership upon us. We are no longer ourselves. We belong to him and Thirdly the Spirits role in our salvation is to render our salvation secure.

Through the seal of the Spirit our salvation is rendered secure. That is his work as part of the sealing that God puts upon us. In Daniel 6 is an illustration of this. A Stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den and the king Sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his Lords that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.

He put that seal on the den where they put Daniel in with the lines to secure it. That was one of the purposes of a seal. Did they not do that with our Lord? They were concerned that the disciples would come in the night and steal the body of our Lord.

And It says in Matthew 27 the next day That is after the day of preparation the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said sir. We remember how that imposter said while he was still alive after three days.

I will rise. Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people he has risen from the dead and the last front will be worse Than the first Pilate said to them you have a guard of soldiers go make it as secure as you can so they may went and made the tomb secure.

How by sealing the stone and setting our guard. The purpose of the seal Was to render something secure and by God himself sealing us in salvation with the Holy Spirit. He renders our salvation secure.

Notice in our text he highlights How this sealing happens? You were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. The Greek term is the Holy Spirit who was declared to you who was previously announced to you.

Jesus had previously announced it to the disciples in the upper room. He said in John 14 I will ask the father and he will give you another helper to be with you forever. Even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive.

Because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him for he dwells with you and will be in you and Later on in the upper room. He said nevertheless. I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away for if I do not go away the helper will not come to you.

But if I go I will send him to you. The Spirit as we study the Old Testament was active as always but it was active in a different way. He would come upon the Old Testament saints for special feats of service and here Jesus is telling the disciples that when I go away, I will give you the Spirit to be with you forever Permanently.

That's the seal and he will be in you not only with you. Even the dr. Luke records at the beginning of Acts the words of Christ and while staying with him He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the father, which he said you heard for me.

This is the promised Holy Spirit that Paul is referring to here in Ephesians chapter 1. And notice what he says in verse 14 you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. Who is the guarantee of our inheritance?

He's the guarantee of our inheritance. It's a Greek term out of on which simply means Money given to purchase something as a down payment was the pledge and guarantee that the rest of it was going to be paid in full.

Peter refers to in his first epistle this inheritance as Imperishable on defiled unfading Reserved where in heaven for you? The Holy Spirit with which we are sealed with whom we are sealed is the guarantee of our future inheritance.

It's the pledge by God. It's the out of on and it says here in verse 14. Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it a better rendering? I would say would be until God Redeems his possession.

He has seals of this Holy Spirit the promised Holy Spirit and he is our pledge. He is our guarantee until we obtain our future inheritance. Well, what are the implications of this for our lives? The father works in saving us before the foundation of the world the son through his Substitutionary atonement on the cross and the Holy Spirit with his seal who was promised beforehand to us.

Assurance, Unity, Holiness, and Spirit-Filled Living

Let me give you five takeaways in terms of our implication here. First of all knowing and understanding the role of the Spirit in salvation. We are to bless God. Isn't that how Paul began in verse 3? Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms and then he delineates all those blessings the blessings of salvation of the work of the Father the work of the Son and then of course the work of the Holy Spirit in sit in sealing us.

Secondly, it should give us assurance of salvation. We said that one of the purposes of a seal was to render something secure. Because of the sealing of the Holy Spirit we are secure and it should encourage our assurance of salvation.

Martin Lloyd-jones used to say That you can base one's assurance of salvation on three things one of them being the promises of God in the scripture. Secondly, he said you can base your assurance of salvation on the book of 1st John as the Apostle John highlights those tests those proofs and evidences that one is Genuinely saved.

But then he said even stronger than those is this particular thing. The guarantee the seal of the Holy Spirit of our future inheritance because we are secure. We were sealed by God with the Holy Spirit.

We have that assurance of salvation. We said earlier that Paul mentions the Holy Spirit in the second half of the book. The practical aspects of the Holy Spirit. A third takeaway we can take if you turn with me to chapter 4.

Chapter 4. We read this earlier briefly, but just to highlight knowing that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit in our salvation. Secure. What does it imply for us? Verse 4. Actually, let's begin in verse 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

There is one body and one spirit. Just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your called one Lord one faith. One baptism one God and father of all who is over all and through all and in all eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit.

The idea behind that is a Greek is that of a gladiator? Fighting and sweating. To Preserve this unity of the Spirit. And no less than seven times. Does the Apostle Paul mentioned the term one one body one spirit one Lord one hope?

So knowing that we were sealed by the same Holy Spirit. It was this Holy Spirit who? Regenerated us with whom God the Father sealed us with and who through baptism. 1st Corinthians 12. Placed us baptized us in the body of Christ.

Therefore we are to be eager to preserve the unity of the body. Fourthly later on in chapter 4 Paul mentions the Holy Spirit in verse 30 and he says the following and. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God and notice what reference he makes next by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

What he had just expounded in chapter 1. Don't grieve the Holy Spirit of God and remember he is the one by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. How do I know if I'm grieving the Spirit of God the one whom God sealed we me with.

Well from the context. Verse 29. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouth. But only such as is good for building up as fits the occasion that it may give grace to those who hear. Verse 31 let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you along with all malice.

Be kind to one another tender-hearted. Forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you. When there is unwholesome talk coming out of your mouth, you're grieving the Spirit. Which by the way by whom you were sealed?

When there is bitterness and wrath in you you're grieving the Holy Spirit. Oh, and by the way by whom you were sealed. When there is a lack of forgiveness verse 32 you're grieving the Spirit of God and by the way by whom you were sealed.

And. Finally in chapter 5 Paul highlights another aspect as it relates To our lives in terms of the Holy Spirit. Chapter 5 verse 18 He says and do not get drunk with wine for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.

Be filled with the Spirit. It's a command and He gives a beautiful illustration. It's the idea of control when you're drunk with wine. You have no control the drink controls you and here He's using it as an illustration to say to be controlled by the Spirit of God.

Well, how do I know that I'm when I'm controlled by the Spirit of God. All the context reveals that to us. Verse 19 addressing one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.

Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. When you are not making melody to the Lord with your all your heart you're not filled with the Spirit.

When you're not giving thanks always and for everything you're not filled with the Spirit. When you're not submission submitting to one another you're not filled with the Spirit of God. The one with whom you were sealed until the day of redemption.

In his classic work Pilgrims progress John Bunyan talks about the journey of Christian. When he finally gets to the cross. After carrying his burden for so long the burden of sin and he comes to the cross weeping the burden comes off and Three things happen.

He is told that his sins are forgiven. Secondly His filthy rags are changed in raiments of righteousness and third he is giving a mark on his head and he's given a document with a Seal and he's told when you get to the celestial city.

Representing heaven present this document. And as we get to the end of the story, he gets to the celestial city and he presents a document that is sealed by the king. The king sees it and allows him entrance.

But then there is ignorance and stark contrast. Who goes to the celestial city desiring to go in and they ask him? Where is your document with the seal of the king? There is no document. There is no seal.

Only by the seal of the Holy Spirit. Can we be guaranteed assurance and security of our eternal salvation? Let's pray Father thank you for the marvelous work of saving us that the triune God as We see has been involved in our lives.

Thank you for Father for choosing us before the foundation of the world. To the praise of your glory. We thank you for the sons substitutionary work on the cross. For our redemption the forgiveness of our sins to the praise of your glory and most of all tonight we want to bless you and praise you and honor you and thank you for the work of the Holy Spirit that you yourself father have sealed us with a promise Holy Spirit and With the promise Holy Spirit you have authenticated the genuineness of our faith.

You mark us as your own possession and you render secure our salvation because he is our out of on he is the down payment pledge and Promise of you that we will obtain our eternal inheritance one day and for that we give you praise glory and honor in Christ's name Amen.