Sealed With the Holy Spirit

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This term refers to the Holy Spirit taking up residence in a person upon his believing “the gospel of his salvation” (Eph. 1:13; 4:3013In 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, (Ephesians 1:13)
30And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30); 2 Cor. 1:2222Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. (2 Corinthians 1:22)). He thereby understands that he has been marked out as being Christ’s, and as a result, he has a conscious understanding that his soul’s salvation is eternally secure.
The seal of the Spirit has not so much to do with others knowing that we are Christ’s, but rather that we know our security in Him. H. P. Barker said, “The leading thought connected with sealing in Scripture is that of security. A thing was sealed to make it secure for its owner” (The Holy Spirit Here Today, p. 33). The “earnest of the Spirit” (2 Cor. 1:22; 5:522Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. (2 Corinthians 1:22)
5Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 5:5); Eph. 1:1414Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:14)) and the “anointing [unction] from the Holy One” (1 John 2:20, 2720But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. (1 John 2:20)
27But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. (1 John 2:27)) also refer to the Spirit’s indwelling presence, but they have to do with different functions of the Spirit in the believer. (See Earnest of the Spirit and Unction.)
Many Christians are not clear as to when the sealing of the Spirit takes place in a soul’s history with God. Most think that a person receives the Holy Spirit (“anointed,” “sealed,” and given “the earnest” – 2 Cor. 1:21-2221Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; 22Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. (2 Corinthians 1:21‑22)) when he is born again (quickened). However, this is not what Scripture teaches. A quickened or born again person will not be anointed, sealed, and given the earnest of the Spirit until he rests on the finished work of Christ. Quickening and sealing are two distinct actions of the Spirit that do not occur at the same time in a person’s history with God. A person may be quickened (born again) by the Spirit and the Word without him having any conscious knowledge of the gospel of God’s grace (John 3:3-83Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (John 3:3‑8)). But sealing, anointing, and having the earnest of the Spirit require a person understanding the truth of the gospel concerning Christ’s finished work on the cross and resting in faith on it for his soul’s salvation.
These two actions of the Holy Spirit must not be confused. We are “born of the Spirit” (John 3:88The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (John 3:8)) and are thereby given a divine life, and thus become the children of God. But it is not until we are “sealed with the Holy Spirit” (Eph. 1:1313In 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, (Ephesians 1:13)) upon believing on the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work that we become sons of God (Rom. 8:14-1514For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Romans 8:14‑15); Gal. 4:6-76And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (Galatians 4:6‑7)). Sonship refers to having a favoured place in the family of God. (See Adoption.) Upon receiving of the Holy Spirit, the believer’s conscience is purged (Heb. 9:1414How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)) and he is made part of the body of Christ (Eph. 2:16-1816And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. (Ephesians 2:16‑18)). (See Born Again, Deliverance, and Salvation.)
Regarding the difference between quickening and sealing, J. N. Darby said, “The indwelling of the Holy Ghost is a very different thing from the quickening power of the Spirit. The Old Testament saints were subjects of this quickening power of the Spirit, but the indwelling of the Holy Ghost could not be till Jesus was glorified. Instances given in the Acts where there was an interval of time to make us sensible of the distinction of the two” (Collected Writings, vol. 26, p. 8). A. P. Cecil said, “I believe Scripture plainly teaches not only a distinction between new birth and sealing with the Spirit, but also an interval of time between the two things. It may be long or short; but the interval of time is there, in the same way as when a man builds his house, and afterwards dwells in it” (Helps by the Way, vol. 3, NS, p. 175). F. G. Patterson said, “These two actions of the Holy Ghost are never, as far as I know, synchronous—they do not happen at the same moment” (Scripture Queries and Answers, Words of Truth, vol. 3, p. 138).
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