This week, our lesson will cover Ephesians 1:13-14 where we will discuss the blessings from God the Holy Spirit. We move now from eternity past (Eph. 1:4–6), where we saw how God the Father had blessed the Ephesians with His plans laid before the foundation of the earth to choose them, adopt them and accept them; and history past (Eph. 1:7–12), where we saw how God the Son had blessed the Ephesians with His gifts of redemption, forgiveness, revelation of God’s will and inheritance; to the immediate experience of the Ephesian Christians. The Holy Spirit had worked in their lives, and they knew it.

In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14)

And now you also have heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.
The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us everything he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. This is just one more reason for us to praise our glorious God. (Ephesians 1:13-14)

This verse outlines how people are transformed from sinners to saints...what was true for the Ephesians, is still true today. First, a sinner hears the good news that God has provided a solution to their separation from Him…the Gospel of Salvation. But it’s not enough for someone to just hear the good news, they must understand that it is for them and they must agree to accept it. This is not a "head" decision, it is a "heart" decision. Only God knows whether a person has accepted His gift or not…humans waste their time trying to decide this issue. Once a person responds positively to the conviction that only the Holy Spirit can bring, they are sealed by the Holy Spirit and transformed from sinner to saint, from death to life. From that point on, their walk is by faith, not by sight…their confidence is in what God says, not what they see.

Now let’s look at verse 13 in detail:

The introductory phrase "In Him" is literally "In Whom", but it refers back to verse 12 where the subject is Christ…most modern translations say "In Him" because it’s easier to understand and conveys Paul’s intention. Once again, by using the phrase "In Him" our focus is directed to Jesus. Remember the little word "in" carries the primary meaning of rest.

In the King James Version, the verse reads, "In Whom ye also trusted…" the word trusted is in italics because it is not there in the Greek text, but the translators thought it conveyed Paul’s idea better.

The word listening (heard, KJV), as used here, means to hear with understanding…to comprehend. The word message (word, KJV) is the Greek lógos that means in this verse an emphatic word or declaration. The word truth is the Greek aleµ�theia and comes from two root words, a, without or not, and leµ�thoµ, to be hid or unaware...not hidden, but true.

So what was this emphatic truth the Ephesians listened to and understood?

The word gospel comes from the Greek euaggeŒlion that comes from two root words, euŒ (ef or ev), good or well, and aggeŒlloµ, to proclaim or tell…good telling, good proclamation. Through the process of time, the word gospel, when preceded by the definite article (the, in English), as it is in this verse, became known as "good news" because of the nature of its proclamation…God has made peace with humans through Jesus Christ! The phrase "your salvation" carries great significance. As with the Ephesians, this information becomes "good news" when the hearer understands that not only is it true, but it is true for them personally…it is their salvation!

The process of being transformed from sinner to saint is, however, not completed when the hearer understands that the good news is for him personally…the hearer must accept and place his trust in this truth.

The word believed as used in this verse, comes from the Greek pisteuŒoµµ, from péŒstis, faith. To believe, have faith in, trust…to be firmly persuaded that what has been heard is true. Sometimes, new believers wonder if they have "believed" enough…if their belief is "saving faith". Once again, the emphasis is egocentric when it should be Christocentric. Jesus assured His disciples that even "mustard seed" faith was sufficient.

The word sealed comes from the Greek sphragéŒsoµ, from sphragéŒs, the instrument used to seal letters or documents indicating they were finished or complete. The idea is that when a person hears the gospel, understands that it is for them and responds positively to the conviction of truth, they are sealed by the arrival of the Holy Spirit who lives inside them. The transaction is complete…they have been transformed from sinner to saint. The KJV says, "…after that ye believed…" which has led some to adopt the "second blessing" theology…the idea that the Holy Spirit does not come immediately upon belief, but arrives later as evidenced by speaking in tongues. The tenses of the verbs, however, do not support any delay between believing and being sealed. Most modern translations correctly say, "…having also believed…" or "…when you believed…" indicating an immediate sealing upon believing.

The metaphor of sealing is rich with significance…not only were seals used to indicate the finished document, they were a sign of authenticity and ownership. God has purchased believers with the blood of Jesus to be His own (Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)) The presence of the Holy Spirit attests to the authenticity and genuineness of the believer.

The seal also meant security and protection…as illustrated by the seal placed on the tomb of Jesus. The believer is safe and protected because the transaction is complete and the promise is that the Holy Spirit will never leave ("I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. (John 14:16-17)) It is possible to grieve the Holy Spirit and lose the benefits of His ministry (Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)), but He will never leave us.

The coming of the Holy Spirit, not upon a select few, but on all who believe the gospel, is not some "after thought" of God’s, but the fulfillment of His promise to the prophet Joel: "It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days." (Joel 2:28-29)

The first evidence of this came on the Day of Pentecost (fifty days after the cross), but even then, Peter, who did the preaching and quoted Joel, still did not understand fully the implications of the coming of the Holy Spirit. God later gave Peter a vision of the sheet full of unclean animals; Peter went to the house of Cornelius and in Acts 10 we read what happened: Opening his mouth, Peter said: "I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him. The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)—you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins." While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. (Acts 10:34-45)

The who of verse 14 refers back to verse 13…the promised Holy Spirit is given as the guarantee of the Ephesians’ future inheritance. The word translated pledge (NASB95) and earnest (KJV), comes from the Greek arraboµ�n…earnest money, a pledge, something which stands for part of the price and is paid beforehand to confirm the transaction. In the NT, arraboµ�n is only used in a figurative sense and speaks of the Holy Spirit whom God has given to believers in this present life to assure them of their future and eternal inheritance. Two other places Paul uses the same word to describe the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 1:22 and 5:5).

In modern Greek, arraboµ�n means "engagement ring"...the token given to assure—guarantee—that promises made will be kept. As the Bride of Christ, this meaning seems especially fitting...the Holy Spirit is our "engagement ring".

Inheritance comes from the Greek kleµronoméŒa and in this context means Divine salvation...this is the heavenly counterpart to Caanan...the Promised Land.

The word redemption is the Greek word apoluŒtroµsis and conveys the idea of recalling captives (sinners) from captivity (sin) through the payment of a ransom (the blood of Jesus) and points to the time when all that belong to God will be set free.

Redemption has three stages:

That true riches come from God. We have been given gifts from the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit…all are working together to make believers rich eternally.

All of these riches come by God’s grace and for God’s glory. Did you notice that after each of the main sections in Ephesians 1:3–14, Paul has added the purpose behind these gifts? Why has God the Father chosen us, adopted us, and accepted us? "…to the praise of the glory of His grace" (Eph. 1:6). Why has the Son redeemed us, forgiven us, revealed God’s will to us, and given Himself as our inheritance? "…that we should be to the praise of His glory" (Eph. 1:12). Why has God the Spirit sealed us and become the guarantee of our future blessing? "…unto the praise of His glory" (Eph. 1:14).

These riches are only the beginning! There is always more spiritual wealth to claim from the Lord as we walk with Him. The Bible is our guidebook; the Holy Spirit is our Teacher. As we search the Word of God, we discover more and more of the riches we have in Christ. These riches were planned by the Father, purchased by the Son, and presented by the Spirit.