Can a believer, once saved, indwelled by the Holy Spirit of God, and cleansed by the blood of Christ, lose their placement in heaven? Does the Good Shepherd lose His sheep? Can a believer lose their salvation?
It doesn't matter what I think or you think, the question is what does God's Word say?
I. The Holy Spirit's Sealing
Ephesians 4:30
"And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption".
Ephesians 1:13
"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,
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory".
Tony Warren made this comment:
That Greek word Sealed there is [sphragizo], meaning to stamp as secured. Clearly, believers are secured by the Holy Spirit of God, not by their own works, and so how could they suddenly find themselves unsecured? And note carefully that it is until the redemption of the purchased (purchased in the blood of Christ) possession. It is absolutely ludicrous to take this verse and claim that it really means we are not secured by the Holy Spirit until the day of Redemption. Indeed, it would be tortuous of God's Word to do so. Christ went to prepare a place of inheritance for us, but He also sent the Holy Spirit to seal (secure) us unto the day of our redemption of that Purchased inheritance. Nothing could be plainer. Again note, Holy Spirit of Promise. God does not break His promises. Man assuredly does, but God does not. We are by His power Sealed, preserved unto the day of the consummation. Christ sent the Comforter to us precisely to assure perseverance and preserve us in Him.
John Piper preaching on Eph. 1:13-14 says this about being sealed by the Holy Spirit
What Does "Sealed" Mean?
"There are two great words here that aim to help us feel secure in God's love and power: the word "sealed," and the word "guarantee." Let's see if we can unseal this word "sealed" and look inside. What does it mean that believers have been sealed by the Holy Spirit (v. 13)? The word is used at least three different ways in the New Testament.
1. In Matthew 27:66, the tomb of Jesus was secured by sealing it and putting guards around it. In Revelation 20:3 God throws Satan into a pit and seals it over so he can't escape. So one meaning is locking something up, closing it in.
2. Another is found in Romans 4:11 where Abraham's circumcision is called the sign and seal of the righteousness he had by faith. And in 1 Corinthians 9:2 Paul says that his converts are the seal of his apostleship. So a second meaning of sealing is giving a sign of authenticity.
3. A third meaning is found in Revelation 7:3 where the seal of God is put on the forehead of God's servants to protect them from the wrath coming upon the world.
So what did Paul mean in Ephesians 1:13 when he said that believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit? No matter which of these meanings you use the basic truth is the same.
If the Spirit seals shut, the point must be that he seals in faith and seals out unbelief and apostasy.
If the Spirit seals us as a sign of authenticity, then he is that sign and it is the Spirit's work in our life which is God's trademark. Our eternal sonship is real and authentic if we have the Spirit. He is the sign of divine reality in our lives.
Or if the Spirit marks us with God's seal, he protects us from evil forces which won't dare to enter a person bearing the mark of God's own possession.
However you come at this message contained in this word "sealed," it is a message of safety and security in God's love and power. God sends the Holy Spirit as a preserving seal to lock in our faith, as an authenticating seal to validate our sonship, and as a protecting seal to keep out destructive forces. The point is that God wants us to feel secure and safe in his love and power."
Amen!
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