An
official document is often officiated by a seal and authorized by a
signature. A business deal is often guaranteed by certain amount of cash
known as down payment. In a similar imagery, God's promise of salvation
to those who believe in Christ Jesus is sealed by the Spirit of God.
The dwelling of the Holy Spirit in the life of believers is the most undisputed sign of the new status and identity in Christ. The cross is once, final and complete. The blood of Christ guarantees that there is no more condemnation not only for days, weeks or months, but forever. This sealing by the Spirit of God brings up three significant points.
The dwelling of the Holy Spirit in the life of believers is the most undisputed sign of the new status and identity in Christ. The cross is once, final and complete. The blood of Christ guarantees that there is no more condemnation not only for days, weeks or months, but forever. This sealing by the Spirit of God brings up three significant points.
First,
believers now belong to Christ (8.9) and are secured in Christ. Though
life is fragile and most of the time is not painless, God's promise of
salvation in Christ is sealed and secured by the Holy Spirit (Gk. Parakletos),
who always leads us, guides us, comforts us, encourages us, protects us
and be with us. We are not alone as we journeying from the initiation
of our faith to the consummation of our salvation. Unlike the passive
worldly down payment or seal, the Holy Spirit is active in accompanying
us to stepping our path aiming to the eternal glory.
The
salvation is offered by God's amazing grace; It is made possible
through the death of Christ who is also God himself; And God the Holy
Spirit secures the promise until the consummation of the eternal glory
before the Triune God. This amazing cycle shows God's powerful,
wonderful and complete plan of salvation. The very truth is: We contribute nothing from the beginning to the end.
Second,
this complete plan of God is pictured by the link of Christ Jesus, the
Holy Spirit and the believers. The three parties are related not only in
the issue of salvation, but also in the issue of bodily resurrection
(8.10-11). Our salvation ends not in eternal death and futility, but in
eternal life marked by our bodily resurrection. Paul himself boldly
argued that the Spirit who raised Jesus from the death is exactly the
same as the One who dwells in the life of believers. This same Spirit
will gives life to our mortal body. The Spirit of God who dwells in us
therefore gives us confidence to live our life enthusiastically longing
for a time and place full of glory before the Triune God. Once again: Be enthusiastic for your very life in Christ!
Third,
the new identity in Christ brings moral consequences. By belong to
Christ we are invited to live in righteousness (8.10, 12-13): that is a
life according to the will of the Spirit of God over against a life
according to our sinful nature. This requirement is not asked for
attaining our salvation. We indeed contribute nothing for our salvation.
This requirement is intrinsically related to the very character of the
Holy Spirit, and to the work of the cross. The scandal of the cross is
indeed a turning point in the history of human kind, when sin found its
most destructive attack, and subsequently death found its ultimate
death. And as the Spirit of God is holy, he will lead and guide us from
one righteousness to another righteousness. Our obedience and righteous
living is now no longer a response to the requirement of the law, but a
response to the love of Jesus shown on the cross, and to the gentle
touch of the Holy Spirit. Our most precious response to the cross and obligation the leading of the Spirit of God is nothing but to obey!
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