Ephesians 1:11-14 ESV
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been:- predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee] of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
What happens when outside influences make you and I believe that it is all riding on us? What happens when we believe that our health, peace of mind, and our futures all depend on what we can accomplish, perform, or purchase? My stomach is in knots just thinking about carrying such a burden. In Ephesus during the time the letter to the Ephesians was written, the influence of Greek thought and culture colored every aspect of life. Nowhere was that influence more apparent than in the worship of their pagan gods. Artemis, the Greek goddess of fertility and the most worshipped deity in the region, had an enormously spectacular temple dedicated to her in Ephesus. Followers of Artemis sincerely believed that avoiding illness, ensuring a bountiful harvest, completing a voyage safely, getting rich, or attracting a desirable lover depended on what they could do for her. The person needing the goddess to make a move on their behalf would make a vow to pay the goddess back when she gave them favor. I can’t begin to imagine the stress of what it must have felt like when prayers were unanswered. A person might go into debt, endure strange rituals, or work themselves to the bone in order to curry favor with an idol made of silver. People desperate for answers not only looked to Artemis for their daily deliverances, they were also big believers in magic and the occult. Again, we see the people’s attempts to DO something to move the supernatural to work on their behalf.
As I write these words I find myself relating to the Ephesians in that I catch myself from time to time trying to manipulate God and orchestrate life to my liking. I am embarrassed to admit how many times I have wanted God to move in a particular way and was “extra spiritual”, going out of my way to do good works for the Lord. Then later, send up self serving prayers with the hope that my good works would somehow convince God to “hook a sister up.”
It is such an encouragement to my soul that the thing that grants me the immense privilege of a guaranteed heavenly inheritance is as simple as a heartfelt, “yes” to God. Paul writes that when you and I hear the word of truth and believe, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit. The word sealed, or sphragizō in Greek means to be made immediately authentic. This powerful truth of being sealed unto God by a simple act of faith was compelling to the Ephesians who worshipped silver figurines that could neither hear their prayers, nor show compassion. I imagine the guarantee that Christ offers was welcome to those souls burdened with trying to manipulate and maneuver in order to find favor with their gods. No wonder why new converts in Ephesus who once owned books of magic spells burned them publicly as a demonstration of the depth of their new faith (Acts 19). When we believe, and are sealed with the Holy Spirit, it guarantees us an inheritance we did not deserve and could never earn through our own efforts. No magic, no incantations, nor spells are needed. Instantly we belong to the family of faith.
My question for you: How have you experienced relief by knowing you have been sealed with the promised Holy Spirit?