Ephesians Series: Ephesians 1:13-The Church Age Believer Was Sealed By the Spirit by the Omnipotence of the Promised Holy Spirit

Ephesians 1:3 The God, namely the Father of the Lord ruling over us, who is Jesus Christ, is worthy of praise. Namely, because He is the one who has blessed each and every one of us by means of each and every kind of Spirit appropriated blessing in the heavenlies in Christ. 4 For He chose each and every one of us for His own purpose because of Him alone before creation in order that each and every one of us would be holy as well as uncensurable in His judgment. 5 He did this by predestinating each and every one of us for the purpose of adoption as sons because of His love through Jesus Christ for Himself according to the pleasure of His will. 6 This was for the purpose of praising His glorious grace, which He freely bestowed on each and every one of us because of the one who is divinely loved. 7 Because of whom, each one of us are experiencing that which is the redemption through His blood, namely the forgiveness of our transgressions according to His infinite grace. 8 This He provided in abundance for the benefit of each and every one of us because of the exercise of a wisdom, which is absolute and divine in nature resulting in the manifestation of an insight, which is absolute and divine in nature. 9 He did this by revealing the mystery of His will for the benefit of each and every one of us according to His pleasure, which He planned beforehand because of our faith in and resultant union and identification with Himself. 10 This was for the dispensation which brings to completion the various periods of history. Namely, to unite for the benefit of Himself each and every animate and inanimate object in the sphere of the sovereign authority of the person of the one and only Christ. Specifically, to unite for the benefit of Himself those things in the heavens as well as those things on the earth in the sphere of the sovereign authority of Himself. 11 Because of whom, each and every one of us has been claimed as a possession because of having been predestinated according to the predetermined plan. Namely, the one who is causing each and every animate and inanimate object to function according to His purpose, that is, His sovereign will 12 in order that each and every one of us would belong to a particular group of people. Namely, those who are certain of possessing a confident expectation of blessing because of their faith in and union and identification with the one and only Christ for the purpose of praising His glory. 13 Correspondingly, because of whom, each and every one of you were sealed by means of the omnipotence of the one and only promised Spirit, who is holy because each and every one of you obeyed the one and only message, which is truth, namely, the proclamation of the one and only gospel, which produced your salvation. Specifically, because each one of you believed in Him. (Lecturer’s translation)

Now, the second person plural aorist passive indicative conjugation of the verb sphragizō(σφραγίζω), “each and every one of you were sealed” speaks of the Father marking each and every church age believer with the seal by means of the Holy Spirit He promised to those sinners who trust in His Son as their Savior in order to identify church age believers as His own possession.

This corresponds to the assertion in Ephesians 1:11, which states that because of the church age believer’s faith in and union and identification with Jesus Christ, they have been claimed as the Father’s possession because of the Father having predestinated according to the predetermined plan.

The sealing ministry of the Holy Spirit at the moment of justification also indicates that the church age believer is eternally secure.

This sealing ministry of the Holy Spirit is also mentioned by the apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:30 as well as 2 Corinthians 1:22.

Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (NET)

2 Corinthians 1:20 For every one of God’s promises are “Yes” in him; therefore also through him the “Amen” is spoken, to the glory we give to God. 1:21 But it is God who establishes us together with you in Christ and who anointed us, 1:22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment. (NET)

The articular dative neuter singular form of the noun pneuma (πνεῦμα), “the one and only Spirit” contains the figure of metonymy, which means that the person of the Holy Spirit is put for His divine omnipotence.

The articular construction of this word is monadic, which indicates that the Spirit is “unique” or “in a class by Himself” since He is God and holy and promised by Jesus Christ to those who would trust in Him as their Savior.

It functions as a dative of means, which indicates that the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit, who the Father and the Son promised to those sinners who trust in His Son as their Savior, is “the means by which,” each and every church age believer was sealed or marked as the Father’s own possession.

The adjective articular dative masculine plural form of the adjective hagios(ἅγιος), “who is holy” is used to describe the third member of the Trinity, the Spirit and denotes the state of being holy, thus it refers to the holiness of the Spirit.

It is describing or identifying the referent of the noun pneuma (πνεῦμα) as being holy.

Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary defines “holiness” as “the quality or state of being holy; sanctity” and they define “sanctity” as, “sacred or hallowed character.”

One of the definitions that Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary gives for the adjective “holy” is, “entitled to worship or profound religious reverence because of divine character or origin or connection with God or divinity.”

One of the definitions for the noun “character” that Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary provides that applies to the context of our passage is the following: “the aggregate of features and traits that form the apparent individual nature of some person or thing.”

If we paraphrase these definitions, we would say that the Spirit’s holiness refers to “the aggregate (i.e. sum total) of perfect features and traits that form the divine nature of God.”

Thus, God’s holiness is related to all of His divine attributes or in other words, it is simply the harmony of all His perfections or attributes.

The holiness of the Spirit is the aggregate of perfect divine attributes that form His nature.

Thus, the Spirit’s holiness is related to all of His divine attributes.

Therefore, the term “holiness” refers to the absolute perfection of the character of the Spirit, expressing His purity of character or moral perfection and excellence, thus making Him totally separate from sin and sinners.

He is totally separate from sin and sinners unless a way can be found to constitute them holy and that way has been provided based upon the merits of the impeccable Person and Finished Work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross.

The presence of evil, sin and injustice is totally absent in the character of God, thus God does not tolerate evil or sin because it is contrary to His character, i.e. His inherent moral qualities, ethical standards and principles.

Holiness is used often to describe the Person of God.

Leviticus 22:2 “Tell Aaron and his sons to be careful with the holy gifts of the sons of Israel, which they dedicate to Me, so as not to profane My holy name; I am the LORD. (NASB95)

1 Chronicles 16:10 “Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.” (NASB95)

Psalm 30:4 Sing praise to the LORD, you His godly ones, and give thanks to His holy name. (NASB95)

Psalm 97:12 Be glad in the LORD, you righteous ones, and give thanks to His holy name. (NASB95)

The title “His Holy Name” refers to the perfect character of the Person of God.

This absolute perfection of God’s character is celebrated throughout the Scriptures.

Isaiah 6:3 And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.” (NASB95)

Revelation 4:8 And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME.” (NASB95)

The Lord Jesus Christ revealed the holiness or character of God during His First Advent.

John 1:18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. (NASB95)

Therefore, holiness pertains to the sum total of God’s invisible attributes, which compose the absolute perfection of His character.

The adjective hagios(ἅγιος), “holy” is a reminder to the recipients of the Ephesian epistle that the Spirit’s holiness or the absolute perfection of His character is responsible in appropriating the salvation the Father provided for them through His Son’s crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at His right hand.

Lastly, the noun epangelia (ἐπαγγελία), “promised” refers to the Lord Jesus Christ’s promise that those sinners who trust in Him as Savior will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (cf. Luke 24:49; John 7:37-39; 14:16; 15:26; 16:13; Acts 1:5; 2:14-21; cf. Ezek. 36:22-27; 37:1-14; Joel 2:28; Isa 32:15; 44:3, 55:1, 58:11; Zech. 12:10; 14:8).

The articular construction of this word epangelia is monadic,which indicates that this promise is “unique” or “in a class by itself” since it is found in the New Covenant and is related to the gift of the Spirit.

It is also “unique” because it was promised by both the Father and the Son to those who would trust in the Son as their Savior.

The promise is received through faith in the coming Messiah, who was Jesus of Nazareth.

The word is thus identifying or describing the Holy Spirit as being promised by the Father and the Son to those who trust in the Son as their Savior.