Sermon Tone Analysis

Holy Spirit as Sealer

II Corinthians 1:21-22

21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

About believing and being sealed: lit:

‘having believed you were sealed …’

“The participle, however, can be what is spoken of as a ‘coincident aorist participle’, its reference being to the same time as that of the main verb.”

Francis Foulkes

The participle does not here express antecedent action, as though the Gentiles believed and then subsequently were sealed with the Holy Spirit.

Rather, the believing and being sealed were two sides of the one event.

A similar conjunction with the same verb form is found in Acts 19:2, where Paul asks a group of ‘disciples’ at Ephesus if they received the Holy Spirit when they believed

In speaking of the Holy Spirit as a seal the notions of ownership and protection are in view.

Cattle, and even slaves, were branded with a seal by their masters to indicate to whom they belonged.

Owners thus guarded their property against theft; in this sense the seal was a protecting sign or a guarantee.

In the Old Testament God set a sign on his chosen ones to distinguish them as his own possession and to keep them from destruction (Ezek.

9:4–6).

The figure of sealing is used by Paul in relation to the Spirit at 2 Corinthians 1:22: ‘God has made them his inviolable possession; the pledge of this is the Spirit of God in the heart’.

By giving Gentile believers the Spirit, God ‘seals’ or stamps them as his own now, and he will be protect them through the trials and testings of this life (cf.

6:10–18) until he takes final possession of them (cf.

v. 14) on ‘the day of redemption’ (4:30).

“Chrysostom, in his late fourth-century homily on this text in Matthew, calls his baptism gift ‘the Mystery,’ by which he means that Christ’s Spirit-baptism by fire is nothing less than Christ’s own coming, through Baptism, to dwell in our hearts by his Spirit().

Chrysostom asks, pointedly, why did John the Baptist nor predict the coming Messiah’s miracles or teaching, or (we may ask) his passion or resurrection?

Answer: “Because this [mystery of indwelling Spirit] was greater than all the other things that Jesus came to do].” pg.

41

What does it mean that the Holy Spirit is a deposit?

What does it mean that the Holy Spirit is a deposit?

“Chrysostom, in his late fourth-century homily on this text in Matthew, calls his baptism gift ‘the Mystery,’ by which he means that Christ’s Spirit-baptism by fire is nothing less than Christ’s own coming, through Baptism, to dwell in our hearts by his Spirit().

Chrysostom asks, pointedly, why did John the Baptist nor predict the coming Messiah’s miracles or teaching, or (we may ask) his passion or resurrection?

Answer: “Because this [mystery of indwelling Spirit] was greater than all the other things that Jesus came to do].” pg.

41

You were sealed… for the redemption of the possession (our being possessed by God).

You were sealed… for the redemption of the possession (our being possessed by God).

Point in Ephesians: To mark those who belong to God.

Security Seal

Seal of the tomb was to secure it’s closure.

The seal of insanity has no power over the seal of the Spirit.

Seal: Picture of anointed by the Holy Spirit

Seal: Picture of annointed by the Holy Spirit

Importance of Belonging as described to us by Robert:

Need to belong.

“That I am not my own, but belong...”

Belonging: That’s mine:

You is Us (difference in pronoun between we and you)

Protection

No mention of baptism: Water doesn’t save.

Spirit is the seal for the Christian.

FRANCIS FOULKES

Modern day Hebrew: Arrabon- ‘part payment’, engagement ring.

FF Bruce.

I Peter 2:9-10

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

10

:

5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’

These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”

Comfort of Being Bought

Comfort of Being Bought

The seal is a person, not a thing or an it.

“God will complete the purchase, so to speak, when he redeems his possession, the believer.”

IVP

Belief and sealing happen at the same time.

“God will complete the purchase, so to speak, when he redeems his possession, the believer.”

IVP

Part I:

11 In him we were also chosen,

(appointed by lot, or claimed by God as his portion)

having been predestined [foreordain] according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,

He energizes the plan/purpose to match his will.

God works out his plan- he energizes his plan/purpose- his premeditated plan.

What will?

What will?

12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ,

might be for the praise of his glory.

Salvation begins with God all for the praise of his glory.

Predestination, part of his plan rooted in his glory

"Human curiosity renders the discussion of predestination, already somewhat difficult of itself, very confusing and even dangerous.

[Therefore] if anyone with carefree assurance breaks into this place, he will not succeed in satisfying his curiosity and he will enter a labyrinth from which he can find no exit."

(III, XXI, 1, pp. 922 23)

13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation.

When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

: And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Ownership and Protection

Scrolled seal with a bit of clay.

Branded Cattle

Talk about Cross

Seal is a PERSON, not a thing.

14 who is a deposit

(Deposit=downpayment)

14 who is a deposit (Deposit=downpayment) guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—

Modern day Hebrew: Arrabon- ‘part payment’, engagement ring.

FF Bruce.

guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—

guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—

to the praise of his glory.

“While we sometimes (understandably) ponder whether we might lose our salvation, God assures us that he will not lose his possession.”

IVP Stop giving yourself so much power, and accept you are His!

to the praise of his glory.

Both phrases end with praise to God and His glory!

Accents: People don’t think they have an accent!

Holland, people can tell whether you lived in the town next door.

Robert Stansberry: Issue of belonging

Robert Stansberry: Issue of belonging

Racism??

he accomplishes (energountos) or ‘energizes’ all things; then his counsel or determined plan (boulē; cf.

Acts 2:23; 4:28; 13:36; 20:27); then his wish or will (thelēma; see on vv. 5 and 9).

vs.12: ‘first to put’ or ESV, “who were the first to hope”