What does it mean to be sealed with the Holy Spirit?
Scripture teaches that after hearing and believing the Word of Truth—the Gospel—the believer is branded with God's mark of ownership: the Holy Spirit of promise. This seal is faith plus nothing, and it assures the believer there is no condemnation.
Les explains that Ephesians 1:13 gives the sequence: a person hears the Word of Truth—the Gospel, the Good News of salvation—and believes. After believing, and not by any added works, the believer is sealed. Les points out that 'trusted' is a translator's word that could just as well be 'believed,' and he emphasizes that salvation is faith plus nothing; the other things people attach to salvation are absent from Paul's wording. The sealing is being branded with God's mark of ownership, the Holy Spirit of promise. Les also connects this seal to assurance: there is no condemnation because we are sealed, and we are sealed because there is no condemnation—it goes both ways.
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 that holy Spirit of promise,
More Questions
When does sealing with the Holy Spirit happen?
A person receives the sealing with the Holy Spirit of promise after believing, not after church membership, catechism, baptism, or becoming a communicant.
What is the relationship between being sealed and having no condemnation?
Why are believers sealed? Because there is no condemnation on them; why is there no condemnation? Because they are sealed—the two truths go both ways.