EPHESIANS

W. J. Franklin

Chapter 1:13-18

SEALED BY THE SPIRIT, OUR EARNEST

“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, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise”—V. 13. “Ye also trusted” refers to the Gentile Christians. They heard the good news of the work of Christ, believed and were saved. Then God put His seal on their salvation and their lives by anointing them with the Holy Spirit. Jesus said of the Holy Spirit, “Who the world cannot receive.” We never offer the Holy Spirit to sinners. We tell them of Jesus the Saviour. Then once they are saved, they are candidates for the infilling of the Spirit.

The figure of a “Seal” used by Paul is interesting. Sometimes a seal was an official stamp, or a stamp of ownership. The goods belonged to the man before he stamped them, but the stamp notified all to whom the goods belonged. This was used or practiced with merchandise when it was in transit. This would keep it from being lost or mixed with other men’s belongings. The seal of the Spirit in and on us is until the day of redemption. See Eph. 4:30; II Cor. 1:21,22.

The word is used of the sealing of the tomb of Jesus—Mt. 27:66. The same word is used in closing up or sealing something—Rev. 10:4. To set a mark upon—Rev. 7:3,8. To seal or mark distinctively with a certain character—Jn. 6:27. (Was this not when God anointed Jesus with the Spirit?) The bottomless pit was sealed over Satan—Rev. 20:3. In regards to the believer, we are wholeheartedly persuaded that it takes place when we are filled or anointed with the Holy Spirit as on the day of Pentecost with the supernatural evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.

We can note that, according to this verse, the Gentiles have come in on the same footing as the Jews with full equality, and not one whit behind or below a Jewish Christian. We too, can be saved, filled, anointed, sealed, and have the earnest of the Spirit, even as they. The Gentile Christian is in no way inferior to a Jew who has accepted Christ, neither can the Jew take a superior place.

“Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory”—V. 14. The Holy Spirit is God’s earnest to us. The “Earnest” was a pledge, a first installment, a down payment, a pledge that more was forthcoming. This is also a figure of speech, and the earnest was used freely in those times, even as now. It secured a legal claim to the article in question. One translated II Cor. 1:22, “He has deposited the first installment of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.” The word “Earnest” occurs three times in the New Testament—Eph. 1:14; II Cor. 1:22; 5:5. Each time, reference is made to the Holy Spirit.

Not only ourselves, but our inheritance needed to be purchased. We feel that Paul draws his figure of speech from Lev. 25. Note that a poor brother who was sold into slavery could be bought back or redeemed by a near kinsman and also, his inheritance could be bought back at the same time. Christ has done just this for us, and the Holy Spirit is our “Earnest” until the day we posses our inheritance.

It is not implied that the Holy Spirit will then leave us, but He will no longer be our Earnest, as we will have the completed salvation, and all that goes with it.

THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER

“Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints”—V. 15. Paul had not visited that precious assembly for nearly five years, though he had seen their elders—Acts 20. However, reports had reached him of their state before God, even as in the case of Philemon—Phile. 1:1-5 and the Colossians—Col. 1:4,9. Also, before he wrote to the Philippians, he had heard not about them, but from them—Phil. 4:10-18. All those letters were written at or near the same time this epistle was written.

“Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers”—V. 16. To “Cease not” to pray and give thanks for the overcoming saints was a continuous thing in Paul’s life. And what intercessory prayers are here! Most people do not know that God has such things in store for His people, much less pray that they might be realized in other people’s lives.

THE MATTERS FOR WHICH HE PRAYED

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him”—V. 17. The apostles beheld Christ in His position of glory, as an only begotten of the Father—Jn. 1:14; He received glory from the excellent glory—II Pet. 1:17. Paul saw Him in the glory—Acts 22:11; our bodies will be fashioned like unto His glorious body—Phil. 3:21; our bodies will be raised in glory—I Cor. 15:43. Also, glory will be revealed in us—Rom. 8:18. There is the crowning glory of being a part of the Bride of the Lamb. This will be the acme, the highest peak, the zenith of the glory of the redeemed. All this glory comes from God. He is the Father of glory.

“In the knowledge of Him.” The word “Knowledge” means, to know exactly or completely, to know through and through. To know absolutely. Paul said, “Ye know very well” and used the same word that is here used—Acts 25:10. This is the greatest knowledge of all. There is here, a depth of sweetness and fellowship that cannot be found nor had in any other field of knowledge.

“The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints”—V. 18. Most authorities agree that “Eyes of your understanding” should be translated as “Eyes of your heart.” Ours is not just blind following, not just blind emotions, but guided by the eyes of the hearts, enlightened by the Spirit of God. Regardless of how good the eyes may be, without light, one sees nothing. So with us spiritually. The Spirit has to let in the light, then we see Jesus.

His calling of us inspired a hope that is very broad. The hope of His coming, the hope of being like Him, the hope of glory, the hope of wearing a crown and being in His glorious throne, the hope of constituting a part of the bride. These are some of the outstanding hopes that we have been inspired to expect.

The “Riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” will be the vast multitude of glorified saints in heaven. The glory will be that they are there entirely because of Him. He will be glorious head of a vast new creation of which head, Adam was just a figure. His inheritance is that they are all His. The more He is able to give us, and the more of His grace and glory He can put upon us, the more we will glorify Him in that day and manifest what He really did in His work of redemption. Twelve times the Scriptures state that we have been given to Him. All the rewards and inheritance that we will have we owe to Him, and if by God’s grace we wear a crown, we will cast it at His feet.

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