Daily Devotions
Ephesians
"In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise."
Text: Ephesians 1:13
THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE
We now have the 3rd Person in the Trinity involved in God’s profound plan of salvation. What a full and complete plan of salvation God has wrought!
UNDERSTANDING THE PHRASE “THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE”
The apostle Peter was accorded the privilege of presenting the first Gospel message to the multitudes that had come to Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost. In his message, he highlighted the following truths with reference to the Holy Spirit.
1. God’s special promise to pour out His Spirit upon believers
“I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh…
I will pour out My Spirit in those days…”
ACTS 2:17 – 18
2. The Lord Jesus must first receive this Promise from the Father
“Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God,
And having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit,
He poured out this which you now see and hear.”
ACTS 2:33
3. The Spirit of God is then promised to all believers
“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized
in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins;
and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is to you and to your children,
and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord
our God will call.”
ACTS 2:38-39
THE CLIMAX OF THE LIST OF GOD’S BLESSINGS
The ministry of the Spirit of God is as rich and as full as that of the Lord Jesus Christ or that of the Father. The text here does not limit the ministry of the Spirit of God at all. In this particular context, Paul merely highlighted a very special work of the Spirit of God- that of His being a “seal”.
We have to appreciate that in this context, Paul was discussing the doctrine of God’s blessings (Ephesians 1:3-14). He climaxed the list of God’s blessings with the Person of the Holy Spirit. (A full discussion of the vital role of the Spirit of God may be found in Romans 8).
THE SPIRIT OF GOD AS A SEAL (“sphragis”)
Seals were used commonly in the ancient days to fulfil important roles:-
1. To attest to the authenticity of something.
2. Seals leave an unmistakable mark.
A person who claims to have obtained salvation would have the unmistakable, characteristic mark of the Holy Spirit in his life.