<TITLE>10. Par 93-101</TITLE>L-93 Now, what is it? Now, notice. A seal represents a finished product, something that has been already tested, proven, and then sealed. Where is... We have the Earnest of our salvation now by being sealed with the Holy Spirit. That is the Earnest of our salvation.
Let's go back just a minute, back... I got a Scripture written down here, several of them; I don't--won't have time to get to all. But let's go back to Ephesians just a moment, and read this in the 1st chapter of Ephesians, so that you might get the real meaning.
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus,...
And, remember, John had this letter addressed to the Ephesians, to Ephesus and the faithful in Christ, the ones that Paul had preached to, and brought up, nurtured with the Gospel. See?
... Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ... (That's those who are already in Christ.)...
How do we get in Christ? By one Spirit we're all baptized into one body, which is the body of Christ.

L-97 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and... the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Think of it now. He has blessed us with all heavenly grace, blessings, as we assemble together in Christ Jesus as the believers, the elected church, called out, set aside. He's sealed us in by His Holy Spirit, and now is revealing to us all the things that is in the future for us. Now, we're up to the seven seals.
According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame... in love:
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to His own good pleasure...
What a beautiful thought this is.

L-98 Let's just read on just a minute. I want to get down here especially to the 12th verse, and 13th, 14th:
That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Him.
In whom ye also trusted, after that you heard the word of truth, and the gospel of your salvation: in whom... after... ye believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
"After ye believed..." Oh, my Baptist brother, how could you say that isn't so? You say you receive the Holy Ghost when you believe? It said, "After you believed then you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." Notice:
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

L-100 Now, we find out then that a seal means that it is a finished thing with God; it's already settled. And every believer was sealed with this promise from the very beginning, because before the foundation of the world we were predestinated unto the adoption of sons, before the world ever began. Oh, what a hope; that makes us rest steadfast and sure, a anchor to the soul that's not tossed about here and there but anchored in Christ, a hope that's sure. "Predestinated us before the foundation of the world, to the adoption of sons by Jesus Christ." Oh, how wonderful. I love that finished work with God.

L-101 Now, let me just quote another Scripture to you. "All that He foreknew, He has called; all that He called, He justified; all that He has justified, He hath glorified." All the way from the beginning, God, in His great infinite mind, foresaw His church and predestinated it unto the adoption of children through Jesus Christ, to give them Eternal Life at the end of the age. What a beautiful thing. Brother Neville, that just makes me feel lots better. So just... Adoption by the Blood of Jesus Christ...


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