“A. N. L.” Does sealing take place immediately on believing; or, is it possible for a person to be a believer and. not be sealed in this dispensation?
A. Sealing takes place at once on believing. Eph. 1:13 is plain on the subject: “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 (or having believed) ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.” The Apostle connects sealing with “the gospel of your salvation.” God’s salvation is announced by the gospel; I have believed in the gospel of my salvation, and forthwith I am sealed by the Spirit. A saved man is one who has no doubts. Scripture never speaks of a man being “saved” who has any. We must not confound the state of many quickened souls with those who have believed. The action of God in quickening and in sealing are as distinct as possible. He quickens a sinner who wants life; He does not seal a sinner as such, surely; that were to seal him in his sins; nor does He seal a quickened soul in his misery. He does not seal Peter when he cried out “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5); or when the soul is crying out “O wretched man that I am.” He seals, a believer; and “Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty;” not doubts, and bondage, and fears.
These two actions of the Holy Ghost are never, as far as I know, synchronous—they do not happen at the same moment; while on God’s part there is of course no reason why it should not be so. Many cases testify as to this in Scripture.
The disciples were quickened before the day of Pentecost, yet they were not sealed till then. The Samaritans received the gospel and were quickened before Peter and John came down, and they were not sealed till then; (“as yet he was fallen upon none of them.” See Acts 8:5-17.) “There was great joy” we read, and there is often this without peace with God. Peace is a full and perfect word; it is far more than joy. A soul that has peace with God has been sealed by the Spirit. Paul was quickened by a voice from heaven (Acts 9:4), and yet he did not receive the Holy Ghost till the third day after, when he had gone through all the deep work in his soul for the three days. (See v. 17.) Cornelius was a devout man, one that feared God, and prayed to God always—a quickened soul. He is told to send for Peter to hear words of him, whereby he and all his house would be saved. (Acts 11:14.) God does not call him a saved man, as merely quickened. When Peter comes he does not tell him he must be born again, which as a sinner he needed and had been, but he points him to Christ, and they accept the message, and the Holy Ghost fell on them. You get the same thing in Acts 19; those at Ephesus who were quickened souls had not as yet received the Holy Ghost.
It is not possible for a person to be a believer in the present dispensation without being sealed. There are many quickened souls who are not sealed, but no Christian ever dies and passes away from this scene, where as to personal place the Holy Ghost is since Pentecost, without being sealed. This is why you see cases in which there was no liberty, or peace with God, enjoyed during the lifetime, with occasional gleams of joy; and yet when on a death-bed they have got perfect peace with God, and are sealed.
I think we use the word “believer” too indiscriminately, for every state of soul in which God is working. A believer in Scripture language is one who is sealed. Scripture allows but one basis, or normal condition, for Christians. When we come to look at the condition of souls we find that in many cases they are not there; while there is no reason on God’s part why they should not be.
“C. Somerset.” What does the number five signify in Scripture’?
A. Five seems to be used to signify that which is relatively small; the number characterizing weakness. In Lev. 26:8, we read, “Five of you shall chase a hundred.” The very smallness of Israel, if faithful, would easily discomfit their enemies in power. In Isa. 30:17, on the other hand, it is said of them. in the time of their judgment, “At the rebuke of five shall ye flee; till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on a hill.” In the Parable of the Ten Virgins, we find that after the midnight cry they were broken up into fives—weakness—in the interval between the hope of the Lord’s coming being revived in the Church, wed the shutting to of the door. We find the Lord (Matt. 14, Mark 6, Luke 9, and John 6) feeding the multitude from five loaves and two fishes. He is equal to the demand, no matter how scanty the supply, at times of peculiar moment in the gospel history. Paul says, “I had rather speak five words with my understanding... than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.” (1 Cor. 14:19.)
There are many other places “five” is used in Scripture, but these passages will help to an understanding of its meaning as a symbol.
“R. P.” What is the meaning of, “But ye have obeyed from the heart the form of teaching into which you were instructed?” (Rom. 6:17, N. T.) &c.
A. The disciples in Borne had given proof in their practical ways of the Apostle’s doctrine in this chapter by walking in the truth, that the old man had been crucified with Christ. They were counting themselves as dead with Him, and alive unto God through Christ. Thus sin was not having dominion over them, and as set free from its slavery they had become slaves to righteousness (he speaks after the manner of men.) The heart was thus free to yield itself unto God in practical obedience, the conscience being at rest before Him.
I do not believe the thought you express is in the passage.
Their practice corresponded with the true spiritual meaning of their baptism, which was “unto death.” Baptism is never put as obedience in Scripture. It is always the act of the baptizer, never that of the baptized. It is never the sign of what a man is already, or of an inward state.
Q. What is the moral use of the words, “For many are called but few chosen,” in the different contexts, Matt. 20:16, and Matt. 22:14?
A. I apprehend that the two passages show the contrast of the external effect, and internal power. Matt. 22:14 is pretty plain. The gospel message, as men speak, had brought in a crowd, and where the true wedding garment was not, he who had it not was cast into outer darkness.
The application of 20:16 is less immediate; it is more the general principle. It connects with Matt. 19:29,30; there reward is declared to be the fruit of sacrifice, and to guard against enfeebling grace this parable is added, when, though there was appointed reward for labor, we are shown to be no judges of it. For those, though coming last, if God calls them to it, who will be first. For there may be a great appearance of labor and yet God not own it. It is still the contrast of the outward appearance, and those whom God has chosen; the fruits of His own grace, and not of following apparent principles by man, while only self is there. Only here it is labor and reward brings it in; in the external calling of grace.