The Saints Saved and Sealed
—The Blessings of Sanctification
We conclude our series on the Seal of God with one more lesson on the last three of our 17 principles. These principles show the connection between the seal of God and the saints of God.
15th principle: All the saints are sealed.
16th principle: Only saints are sealed.
17th principle: All the saved are saints.
1 All the Saints are Sealed
The seal is not something you feel, but it is no less real. When God’s word tells us of our security, let faith come by hearing (Romans 10:17). What more assurance should we need than words such as the "more than conquerors" passage in Romans 8:31-39?
Jesus spoke of his sheep (his way of referring to his saints) in these reassuring words: "I know my sheep, and am known by my own. My Father has given them to me... and no one is able to snatch them out of my hand" (John 10:14,29).
There is no suggestion that this "security of the saints" is only for some saints. It is for all saints equally. There is no suggestion, either, that this security is unconditional or that it cannot be lost.
Jesus said there in John 10:29, that none could snatch us out of his hand. In other words, if we want to remain in the hand of Jesus, nobody can force us to leave him against our will. But Jesus never said that if we ourselves really wish to turn away and leave him, he will force us to stay against our will.
2 Only the Saints are Sealed
When you become one of God’s saints, God helps your faith, hope, and love to grow exceedingly and abundantly. This is the nature of God’s seal. In this way the saints are able to suffer with endurance.
That endurance is counted worthy of God’s kingdom through the suffering of Christ. This help and justification is available only in sanctification —only to those who become saints.
2Thessalonians 1 This is made clear in the first chapter of 2nd Thessalonians. The world is really divided into two groups: saints and enemies. The saints are those who by God’s kindness have been saved and sealed from God’s wrath; but the enemies face destruction.
In which of these groups are you qualified to be placed? The thing that makes the difference is obeying the gospel of Christ. Anyone can do that, but only those who do, will receive the seal of God.
3 All the Saved are Saints
1Corinthians 1 One cannot be saved without being sealed. We notice back in the first chapter of 1Corinthians, that those who were called saints in verse 2, are called saved in verse 18.
Those who are saved are those who are saints. You cannot be one without the other. That is made clearer in verse 30 where justification, sanctification, and redemption are all attributes of those who are in Christ Jesus.
There is no case for saying that one can have the justification and redemption, but still lack the sanctification. In verses 2-9 you will find many of the marks that we listed in a previous lesson. The person who has one of these attributes has all of them.
Ephesians 1 In the first chapter of Ephesians there is a similar enumeration of blessings in Christ, again employing the terms in our list. The person who is in Christ has all of these blessings, not only salvation but sanctification, not only forgiveness but the seal of the Spirit.
As Peter said on the day of Pentecost, "Repent, and let everyone be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, for the promise is to all...even as many as the Lord our God shall call" (Acts 2:38-39).