The Seal of God and the Holy Spirit
Many Christians believe that the seal of God is the Holy Spirit. Is the seal of God the Holy Spirit? Well, they get this from the two verses concerning "sealing" in Ephesians:
Ephesians 1:13 ...'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.'
Ephesians 4:30 ...'And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.'
They are partly right, because it is THROUGH the Holy Spirit of God that we are sealed, but the Holy Spirit itself is not the seal. The seal of the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 1 above is not the same as the seal of God in the book of Revelation. How? Well, what happens when we turn to Jesus? We receive the Spirit of God right? This is not the seal of God that John has written about in Revelation. The seal of God in Revelation is connected with Christians who keep the commandments of God and have transformed their characters into the likeness of Christ. These are not a people who receive a "seal" by simply believing in Christ Jesus.
A lot of Christians completely miss the point of HOW we get the seal of God. Do we just "believe" in Christ to receive the seal in the last days? If this is true then every single person in history who has simply "believed" in Jesus will be saved, no matter what they have done with their lives. This is not Bible truth, because as the Bible clearly reveals, a mere profession of faith does not mean you are a Christian. Even the demons believe and tremble before Christ (James 2:19), but are they sealed and saved? Definately not.
As we have already clearly laid out concerning what the seal of God is, those who receive the seal are the one's who are keeping God's commandments, including the 4th commandment concerning the seventh day sabbath. You can see the truth about the sabbath HERE. So although we are sealed BY the Spirit of God, it is only the true saints who will be sealed. And what is it that the saints do?
Revelation 14:12 ...'Here is the patience of the saints, here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.'
So those who receive the seal of God are those who are keeping God's commandments and follow in Jesus' footsteps. They don't merely profess a faith in Jesus, they actually LIVE OUT their faith and follow Jesus wherever He goes ... Revelation 14:1,4,5 ...'And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads ... These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.'
Do you see that these who are sealed with the "Father's Name" in their foreheads, do not merely "believe" in Jesus, they actually FOLLOW Him, for it is written ... "they follow the Lamb wherever He goes. There is no guile in their mouths and they are without fault before God."
Interestingly, the above verse also says that the 144 Thousand are "not defiled with women". Now a woman in Bible prophecy is symbolic of a church. So to be defiled with women means you would be "in communion" with fallen apostate churches. So these saints have stayed separate from the fallen churches, or have come out of them into God's remnant church. For a study on God's message to His people in the fallen churches, see THIS PAGE.
There are so many professing Christians who think that they simply need to "believe" in Jesus to be sealed by God's Holy Spirit and be saved. And yet their lives show that they haven't truly been converted because they are still living worldly lives in sin and enjoying being part of this world. And what did Christ say? ... John 18:36 ...'My kingdom is not of this world.'
So although it is partly right that we are sealed BY the Spirit of God, we need to know HOW to receive that seal.
"The seal of God that is placed in the foreheads of His people is the pure mark of truth, the mark of His approval. The seal attests likeness to Christ in character."
We need to have our characters transformed into the likeness of Christ. We need to love the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. We need to obey God and keep His commandments, and we need to follow in the footsteps of our Lord, Saviour and soon coming King, Christ Jesus. Friend, it is not enough to merely profess faith in Christ Jesus. We need our lives to be transformed through the power of Christ in us.
Could God look down upon your life now and be able to say ... "This is My son/daughter in whom I am pleased with. They will receive My seal of approval." ... Would God be able to say this about the way you are living right now? I hope so, as those who do all work to the honor and glory of God, will bear the seal of the living God.
"Christ will endorse the work of those who will do their best. And as they continue to do their best, they will increase in knowledge, and the character of their work will be improved." (E.White, Letter 153, 1903. (Ev 329.2)
In comparison to those who reject this truth about the seal of God, those who receive it gladly and live by it will be few in number, as Jesus Himself said ... Matthew 7:13-14 ...'Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and FEW there be that find it.'
"What are you doing ... in the great work of preparation? Those who are uniting with the world are receiving the worldly mold and preparing for the mark of the beast. Those who are distrustful of self, who are humbling themselves before God and purifying their souls by obeying the truth--these are receiving the heavenly mold and preparing for the seal of God in their foreheads. When the decree goes forth and the stamp is impressed, their character will remain pure and spotless for eternity. Now is the time to prepare. The seal of God will never be placed upon the forehead of an impure man or woman. It will never be placed upon the forehead of the ambitious, world-loving man or woman. It will never be placed upon the forehead of men or women of false tongues or deceitful hearts. All who receive the seal must be without spot before God--candidates for heaven." (E.White, FLB 288.3)
So is the seal of God the Holy Spirit? No, but we are sealed BY the Spirit of God. The seal of God is God's "stamp of approval" so to speak, just as His 4th commandment concerning the sabbath day is His stamp of approval and authority upon His eternal moral law found in the ten commandments. The observance of the Lord's memorial, the Sabbath instituted in Eden, the seventh-day Sabbath, is and will be the test of our loyalty to God.
Those of us who "keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" will feel the wrath of Satan and his hosts, but we need fear not, because we will be sealed with the seal of the living God and will enter into a glorious life eternal with Jesus!