“[Having] believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise” (Eph. 1:13).

Of all the wonderful Scripture passages on the eternal security of the believer who upon believing is has placed in and sealed “in Christ,” this is perhaps the most blessed of all.

Notice how these Pauline phrases build upon each other. The Apostle Paul wrote:

“[Having] heard the Word of truth you believed” (Col 1:5), and

“[having] believed, you were sealed.”

The word seal here speaks of finality and permanency, whether it be the official seal on an important document, the seal on an electric power transformer or the seal on a jar of preserves.

But the most blessed fact of all is that the believer in Christ is “sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.” Mark well, the believer is sealed not by the Spirit but with the Spirit; thus “the Spirit of Christ” in us is the seal that keeps and preserves us.

Consider the woman sealing jars of preserves with wax. The jars are sealed by the woman, but with the wax. Thus the humblest believer is sealed with “the Spirit.” It is He Himself who keeps us safe forever, through all eternity.

And this is but the “earnest,” the down payment or first installment, “of our inheritance” (Eph 1:14), for “the Spirit of Christ” keeps us secure in “this present evil age” so that “in the ages to come” God might show “the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (2:7).

Little wonder the Apostle closes this passage on our security with those appropriate words: “To the praise of His glory” (Eph 1:14).

Some theologians have a doctrine called “the perseverance of saints” This phrase erroneously emphasizes the responsibility of every believer to continue or “persevere” in faith and holiness. But it’s not our perseverance at all that keeps us secure! We as believers are secure because of God’s faithfulness as seen in the work of the cross and keeping-power of “the Spirit of Christ” now in us - keeping us secure… “in Him.” So it’s not that we have persevered; but that He has preserved us by His grace for His glory.

Paul says, even if we as believers become weak in faith at times – He remains faithful.

“If we believe not, Yet He Abideth Faithful: he cannot deny himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13)