Sealed with the Spirit
A Sermon on Ephesians 1:13
Originally preached March 6, 1955
Scripture
13In 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,
Sermon Description
What causes Christians to be lethargic and lose the joy of their salvation? What steals the enthusiasm for spiritual growth? These are certainly questions evangelical Christians should be concerned about but many Christians are skeptical of talk about the “experience” of the Holy Spirit. In this sermon on Ephesians 1:13 titled “Sealed with the Spirit,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones suggests the joy in Christ – the experience of that joy – might not be present in a Christian life because they do not fully grasp the truth about the sealing of the Holy Spirit. Since they do not know what they are missing, they do not seek it nor ask the Lord for it. The listener is taken through a detailed examination of the meaning of the apostle Paul’s teaching on the Holy Spirit, beginning with the effect of the Holy Spirit upon the Lord Jesus Christ in His life and ministry. Dr. Lloyd-Jones interacts with two competing views regarding the sealing of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. Listen closely as Dr. Lloyd-Jones systematically walks through Scripture, illustrating both the meaning and the timing of the apostle’s teaching on the sealing of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christian.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon focuses on Ephesians 1:13 which states "In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise."
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones begins by explaining that this verse introduces the Holy Spirit explicitly for the first time in Ephesians.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones notes that the verse refers to something that happened in the past, not something happening currently.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones lays out three common meanings of the term "seal": authentication, ownership, and security. These help understand the meaning of being "sealed with the Holy Spirit."
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones examines how the term "seal" is used in John 3:33, 1 John 5:10, and John 6:27. These usages refer to authentication and authority.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones notes that in John 6:27, Jesus says "Him hath God the Father sealed" referring to how God authenticated Jesus through the Holy Spirit, miracles, words, etc.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that with us, being "sealed with the Holy Spirit" means we have been authenticated as children of God through intelligible signs.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones addresses whether being sealed with the Holy Spirit happens at the same time as belief or after belief. He argues that it happens after belief based on various passages.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones cites John 14, Acts 1-2, Acts 8, Acts 9, Acts 15, and Acts 19 as evidence that being sealed with the Holy Spirit follows belief and is not automatic or inevitable. There is an interval between belief and being sealed.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones notes that while there may be a short or long interval, being sealed always follows belief. Only believers can be sealed. Belief makes us children of God; being sealed authenticates that.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones says he will discuss the ways the Holy Spirit authenticates our status as children of God in the next sermon.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Being Sealed with the Holy Spirit
What does it mean to be "sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise" according to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, being sealed with the Holy Spirit means being authenticated as a true child of God. He explains: "It obviously must mean with us what it meant with the Lord himself. It means that in this way we have been authenticated. We have been established by intelligible signs that we are indeed the children of God, and heirs of God, and joint heirs with our blessed Lord and savior, Jesus Christ." The seal represents divine authentication, a mark of ownership, and provides security in our salvation.
Is the sealing with the Holy Spirit the same as the moment of believing, according to Lloyd-Jones?
No, Dr. Lloyd-Jones clearly teaches that the sealing with the Holy Spirit is subsequent to believing, not simultaneous with it. He states: "This sealing with the spirit is something subsequent to believing, something additional to believing." He challenges the prevailing teaching of his time that suggested sealing happens "immediately, inevitably, inexorably, to all who believe." Instead, he argues there is always an interval between believing and being sealed, though this interval may sometimes be short.
What biblical examples does Lloyd-Jones provide to show sealing is subsequent to believing?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides several biblical examples: 1. The disciples in Acts 1-2 - They were believers before Pentecost but received the sealing at Pentecost 2. The Samaritans in Acts 8 - They believed and were baptized, but received the Holy Spirit later when Peter and John laid hands on them 3. Paul's conversion in Acts 9 - He believed on the Damascus road but received the filling of the Spirit three days later through Ananias 4. Cornelius and his household in Acts 15 5. The Ephesian disciples in Acts 19 - They believed but hadn't received the Holy Spirit until Paul laid hands on them
What are the three main meanings of "sealing" that Lloyd-Jones identifies?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies three main meanings of sealing: 1. Authentication or authority - "A seal is that which conveys authority. It establishes the authenticity, the validity, the truth of a document or of a statement." 2. Ownership - "It is a mark of ownership... to indicate that they belong to him." 3. Security and safety - "To make a thing secure, you seal it... it tends to secure that this will not be damaged or not be stolen in transit."
Why does Lloyd-Jones believe this teaching on sealing is so important for Christians today?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones considers this teaching critically important because he believes it addresses the problem of spiritual lethargy in the church. He states: "I'm increasingly coming to the conclusion and forming the opinion that it is our failure to understand this precise statement and what it means that accounts for so much of our lethargy and our failure as christian people at the present time." He specifically argues that Christians who aren't experiencing the joy of salvation are likely missing this sealing experience, and that the church's lack of effectiveness stems from the same issue.
How does Lloyd-Jones interpret Acts 19:2 regarding receiving the Holy Spirit?
Lloyd-Jones acknowledges that the correct translation is "Did you receive the Holy Ghost when you believed?" (not "since you believed"). However, he argues this actually supports his position because the question itself implies one can believe without receiving the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, Paul would have simply asked if they were believers. Lloyd-Jones points out that the subsequent events in Acts 19 confirm this interpretation - they believed and were baptized, but only received the Holy Spirit when Paul laid his hands on them afterward.
What is the relationship between believing and sealing according to Lloyd-Jones?
Lloyd-Jones teaches that believing makes us children of God and joins us to Christ, while the sealing authenticates that fact. As he puts it: "It is believing that makes us children of God that joins us to Christ. It is the sealing with the Holy Ghost that authenticates that fact. It doesn't determine the fact, but it authenticates it like a seal always does." Believing comes first, then sealing follows as a separate experience that confirms our status as God's children.
How did Jesus Christ experience sealing according to Lloyd-Jones?
Lloyd-Jones explains that Jesus was sealed by the Father through the Holy Spirit at His baptism. He states: "God has sealed his son at his baptism. He sealed him by sending the Holy Ghost upon him. The Holy Ghost, you remember, descended upon him in the form of a dove." This sealing authenticated Jesus as God's Son, as confirmed by the voice from heaven saying, "This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased." Lloyd-Jones quotes Bishop Westcott who described this as being "solemnly set apart for the fulfillment of a charge, and authenticated by intelligible signs."
The Book of Ephesians
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.