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Seal
Of The Spirit
Many different natural illustrations are
used to represent spiritual things. The lily, the rich
man, the shepherd, the mountains, the grass of the field,
the fowls of the heavens, the sun, the moon and the stars,
and numberless other things have been employed by the
sacred writers to convey to the mind of man the deep
things of the Almighty. In this chapter we shall use the
illustration of a seal to convey to the mind of the reader
the operation of the Holy Spirit.
As far back as 1727 B.C. we read of
the use of seals among the Hebrews. Gen. 38:18. Their
seals were generally carried in their rings or bracelets.
In 1 Kings we read of the seal of King Ahab, which was
stolen by Jezebel, his treacherous wife, and by her used
to accomplish the death of innocent Naboth. In Deuteronomy
we read, "Is not this laid up in store with me and
sealed up among my treasures?" When Daniel was cast
into the den of lions a stone was rolled to the mouth of
the den; "and the king sealed it with his own signet,
and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might
not be changed concerning Daniel." When Jesus was
laid in the new made tomb of Joseph, we read that they
made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone and setting a
watch.
During the medieval period seals
were very extensively used, as they were then considered
the best proof of the genuineness of all kinds of
documents, both public and private. At the present time
they are not so extensively used, as we consider the
personal signature quite as safe in most cases; however,
in the case of public documents they are still in use.
The Lord has made use of the seal
since the days of Abraham, and every one whom He receives
He seals with the seal of His acceptance. However, He has
changed the nature of His seal since the days of Abraham.
Abraham was sealed with an outward sign, namely,
circumcision (Rom. 4:11), while we are sealed with the
Holy Spirit of promise. "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." Eph. 1:13.
The seal of circumcision which
Abraham received was a type of the seal of the Spirit,
hence we are said to be circumcised. "In whom also ye
are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands,
in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the
circumcision of Christ." Col. 2:11. "For he is
not a Jew which is one outwardly; neither is that
circumcision, which is outward in the flesh; but he is a
Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of
the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose
praise is not of men, but of God." Romans 2:28, 29.
The sealing of the heart is
identical with the purging or cleansing received in
sanctification. The Holy Spirit seals no impure heart, so
in order of time the cleansing or sanctifying comes first,
after which comes the sealing. However, so far as our
comprehension of such work going on in our hearts at the
time of sanctification is concerned we comprehend only one
work, as it is instantaneously wrought by a simple act of
faith on our part and an operation of the Spirit on God's
part. It is a combined work giving us the cleansing,
sealing and indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
In case a document is to be sealed,
three things are necessary: (1) a seal, (2) sealing wax,
(3) a sealer. In the sealing of our souls unto the day of
redemption our hearts become the sealing wax; melted
by the fire of the Holy Spirit they become very
susceptible to divine impressions. Those who are
hardhearted can never hope to be sealed with the Holy
Spirit of promise until their hearts are softened and
melted by the Holy Spirit fire. As a seal will make very
little impression on unmelted wax, so the Holy Spirit,
comparatively speaking, can make very little impression on
a hardened heart. The Word of God is the seal by which we
are sealed by the Holy Spirit, who is the operator, or
sealer. At the present time wax is not always used with
the seal, but anciently they almost invariably used wax.
When our hearts are melted into
perfect submission to God by the fire of eternal truth and
the Holy Spirit stamps indelibly on our inner beings the
divine nature, with the blood of the everlasting covenant,
then is brought to pass the saying, '`I will put my laws
into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I
will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a
people." Hebrews 8:10. Also written on the Lord's
seal is, "The Lord knoweth them that are his." 2
Tim. 2:19. It is a mystery to some how that the law of God
is written in our hearts and minds; but to the spiritual
minded it is easily explained. The New Testament is not
literally inscribed in our mortal beings, but a
disposition to do all it teaches is plainly written in
every sanctified heart.
When we are sealed with the Spirit
of promise everything we read in the Bible finds a free
and hearty amen in our hearts. We can then read:
"Depart from all iniquity"; "Awake to
righteousness and sin not" (1 Cor. 15:34); "Be
not conformed to this world" (Rom. 12:2); "Adorn
yourselves in modest apparel" (1 Tim. 2:9);
"Upon the first day of the week let every one of you
lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him" (1
Cor. 16:2; "Be content with such things as ye
have" (Heb. 13:5); and every other word which
proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord, and do them with
a glad and willing hears. This is an excellent way to test
ourselves to see whether or not we are sealed. A heart
sealed with the Holy Spirit, or guided by His influence,
gladly and willingly does all the known will of God, and
accepts with joy any new light on the Word of God, and
humbly walks in the same immediately, and heartily repels
all error, fanaticism, and false ways.
DIFFERENT USES OF THE SEAL.
(1)
It is used to seal a contract, as in the case of Abraham;
when God had made a contract with him He gave him
circumcision as a seal of that covenant. (2) It is used as
a mark of approval or genuineness. (3) It is used to
secure treasures; (4) to prevent frauds; (5) to preserve.
In sealing our hearts the Holy
Spirit approves of us and seals the everlasting covenant
between our souls and God. He securely seals in our hearts
the priceless treasure of full salvation and preserves us
unto the day of redemption, thus securing us from all
frauds
PROOF OF THE SEAL.—The
only genuine proof of the seal of the Spirit is an upright
and holy life. All profession or testimony without a holy
life falls short of the mark, and is utterly useless
except it be backed up or substantiated by a pure and holy
life.
THE CONTRACT SEALED.—In
the following will be found a few of the things agreed
upon in the covenant of God with man. Such terms, however,
are founded wholly on the mercy and goodness of God, as
man by nature merits nothing, nor can he offer anything as
a price for salvation. For this reason God bestows His
grace freely upon all that meet a few simple conditions,
which conditions will be found in the main in the
following contract. It would be difficult, however, to
formulate a consecration which would fit every case, as
some have more light than others. This being the case,
some have consecrated to things in justification, which
others having no light on will not need to give up until
sanctification. The following contract will be found to
contain the fundamental principles of consecration, part
first agreeing to justification and part second agreeing
to sanctification. In a contract {here must be terms to
agree upon, two parties to agree upon these terms, two
witnesses to witness the contract, and a seal with which
to seal the contract.
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