What is God's mark of ownership on a believer?
God's mark of ownership on a believer is the indwelling Holy Spirit. After a person believes, God seals and brands him with the Holy Spirit of promise. This sealing is the earnest, or down payment, of the believer's inheritance, not church membership or baptism.
Les explains that salvation is not established by church membership, baptism, sprinkling, pouring, immersion, or other external practices, because those things are not found in Scripture. After a person believed, God sealed and branded them. Les illustrates this from ranching: a brand is one of the marks of ranching and it demarks ownership. In the same way, the indwelling Holy Spirit is God's mark of ownership for the believer, and believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest or down payment of their inheritance. This connects with Romans 5:8, where God commended and extended His love toward us, since everything is based on His love.