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Sermon #4022

The Nature of Sealing

A Sermon on Ephesians 1:13

Scripture

Ephesians 1:13 ESV NASB KJV
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, (ESV)

Sermon Description

The timing of the sealing of the Holy Spirit is a contested topic. It is a topic that raises many other questions. One could be tempted to ignore the subject or teach it in such a way as to minimize the difficulties with the doctrine. In this sermon on Ephesians 1:13 titled “The Nature of Sealing,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones thoughtfully engages this topic and the difficult questions head on. One cannot ignore the teaching of Holy Scripture but instead must carefully examine the Bible and conform their lives according to it. By looking at the teaching of the New Testament on the work of the Holy Spirit and invoking great theologians and pastors of the church, Dr. Lloyd-Jones says one must emphasize the experimental aspect of the sealing of Holy Spirit that occurs after belief in the gospel. He challenges the people of God to consider whether they have experienced the sealing of the Spirit. Is there an unmistakable experience that has occurred, resulting in a great assurance, joy in Christ, or love for God deep within their hearts? Dr. Lloyd-Jones cautions distinguishing between the sealing of the Spirit and particular gifts of the Holy Spirit that may or may not come as He dispenses gifts as He sees fit.

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.