What does it mean to be sealed by the Holy Spirit as part of salvation?
At salvation, after hearing and believing the Gospel of truth, the believer is sealed and marked by the Holy Spirit Himself. This sealing is part of the salvation experience, and the indwelling Spirit is the down payment, guaranteeing the believer's inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession.
Les explains from Ephesians 1:13-14 that after a person hears the word of truth, the Gospel of salvation, and believes in Christ, they are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. That sealing is part and parcel of the salvation experience, a marking by the person of the Holy Spirit Himself. Verse 14 calls Him the earnest, which means a down payment, just as the term is used today: a sufficient down payment to make sure the transaction is completed. So the indwelling Holy Spirit, given as a result of salvation, is the down payment of our inheritance, which we will have by being joint heirs with Christ. He holds it until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. Les also connects this to what he taught in 1 Corinthians 15: soul and spirit are redeemed in full and saved completely for all eternity, but the body is left awaiting redemption.
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 are believers sealed with the Holy Spirit according to Ephesians 1:13?
Believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise after they heard the word of truth and believed in Christ.