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Grieving the Holy Spirit

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The Holy Spirit serves as a seal for God's children, marking them as His own. In Ephesians 4:30, Paul reminds us that we are sealed by the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption, indicating a continuous state of being set apart throughout our Christian lives. This sealing is not merely a one-time act but an ongoing process that identifies us as belonging to God, validating our origin and ownership. It acts as a guarantee of our inheritance, a pledge from God that He will do all in His power to bring us to His Kingdom. As a seal, the Holy Spirit also aids us in fulfilling our spiritual growth, helping us reach the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. We must be careful not to grieve this Holy Spirit, for it remains with us until we are redeemed, and any action that sullies this bond endangers our relationship with God. The seal of the Holy Spirit is a mark recognized by God, by others, and even by demons, signifying that we are His and showing the source of our beliefs and the direction of our journey.

Seal of Approval

Sermonette by Christian D. Hunter

The Holy Spirit functions as a seal in three key New Testament passages. In II Corinthians 1:22 God establishes believers in Christ and seals them by giving the Spirit in their hearts as a guarantee. Ephesians 1:13 states that those who trust and believe the gospel are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Ephesians 4:30 adds that believers are sealed by the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption and must avoid grieving Him through bitterness, wrath, anger, quarreling, evil speaking, or other iniquity. The Greek term sphragizo denotes a mark of security and preservation, as illustrated in Revelation 7:2-3 where servants of God receive a protective seal on their foreheads before judgment. This same idea of marking and setting apart appears in the priestly garments of Exodus 28, where signet-style engravings represented the sons of Israel, the tribes, and the holiness of the Lord so that offerings would be accepted. The sealing of the Spirit is therefore both a present mark of ownership and an active preparation for acceptance at redemption. It fulfills the promise that God would write His law on renewed hearts of flesh rather than stone, enabling obedience and the production of visible fruit that identifies His people. Yet the seal is not an automatic safeguard. Ezekiel 28 describes the king of Tyre as the seal of perfection until iniquity and pride were found in him, showing that sinful actions can break the mark of divine approval. The guarantee in II Corinthians 1:22 therefore rests on God's faithfulness to complete His work, while the responsibility to cooperate with the Spirit and avoid grieving Him remains with the believer. In this way the Holy Spirit serves as both the mark of God and the active means by which believers are prepared for final acceptance.

The Sixth Seal and Israel

Sermonette by

Each depiction of the Sixth Seal also shows God's involvement with physical Israelites. John's vision precedes a glimpse of 144,000 of the tribes of Israel.

The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Thirteen)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

As we participate in the New Covenant, we go through the stages of justification, sanctification, and ultimately glorification as part of Christ's body.

The Seed of Eternal Life

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Paul provided a decaying kernel of grain as a metaphor of death and resurrection, indicating that the new spirit body will be a completely different body.

Our Part in the Sanctification Process (Part Seven): Cultivating Goodness

Sermon by David F. Maas

God has provided strategies which will facilitate His people's cultivation of the spiritual fruit of goodness, working effectively as Christ's sharecroppers.

A Priceless Gift

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

God's people are the precious jewels (or the private, personal possessions) of God, obligated to conform exclusively to His will and purpose.

The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Nine)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Satan has attempted to obliterate the sanctification step from the conversion process. Sanctification is produced by doing works pleasing to God.