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Well, you can turn with me in 
your Bibles once again to the book of Ephesians, chapter one. 
The book of Ephesians, chapter one. We're going to continue 
our exposition of chapter one, verses three through 14. We're 
going to finish that tonight. We're going to look at verses 
13 and 14, specifically the work of the Holy Spirit in the redemption 
of sinners. And so we will read chapter 1 
verses 3 through 14 to set the context. Let us read together. Blessed be the God and Father 
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual 
blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us 
in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should 
be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined 
us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according 
to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of 
His grace by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him 
we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins 
according to the riches of His grace, which he made to abound 
toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery 
of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he purposed 
in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times 
he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which 
are in heaven and which are on earth in him. In him also we 
have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to 
the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel 
of his will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to 
the praise of his glory. In him you also trusted after 
you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, 
in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy 
Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance 
until the redemption of the purchased possession To the praise of his 
glory, amen. Well, let us pray. Dear Heavenly 
Father, we thank you for this day, Lord. We praise you for 
the work of predestination, how you chose sinners in Christ before 
the foundation of the world, how you elected us in love, and 
how you adopted us to be your sons. And Father God, we thank 
you for the work of the Son, the Son who lived, died, and 
rose again, and who purchased, paid the ransom that we were 
supposed to pay to you. We thank you that Christ has 
redeemed us, has forgiven us of our sins because of the work 
of Christ. And Father God, we also thank you for the work of 
the Spirit, who makes known to us these truths. And Father God, 
I pray that your Spirit would be here now, that your Spirit 
would impress on the hearts of believers that they are the children 
of God, and so also that they would live as children of God 
by your Spirit, that you help me as well in this endeavor, 
for we know that we fail most of the time. but also for the 
unbeliever as well, Lord God. I pray that by your Spirit, you 
would convict them in their hearts, that you'd help them see their 
sin and the need for the Lord Jesus Christ. And we thank you 
for the work of the Spirit who points us to Christ. His purpose 
is so that we might see who Christ is. Father God, we pray that 
you would forgive us of our sins. Forgive us for our wretchedness. 
Father God, I pray that you would help me now. Help me preach the 
truth with clarity, cogency, and beauty, Lord God. but ultimately 
that I would be a no-name herald, that people might hear your truth, 
and be edified, and sinners might be saved, but ultimately, Lord, 
that you would be glorified. Please give me strength and aid. 
Amen. Well, as I said last week, we 
are continuing our exposition of the book of Ephesians chapter 
1, verses 3 through 14. And remember that a lot of these 
concepts that are introduced in Ephesians 1 verses 3 through 
14 are fleshed out in the rest of the book of Ephesians. And 
the book of Ephesians itself can be separated into two main 
headings. Chapters 1 through 3, which is 
right doctrine, right teaching. And chapters 4 through 6, which 
is right practice in response to that teaching. And also here 
we're talking about theologically the covenant of redemption. or 
the pactum salutis, or that pact of salvation. The Father promises 
to give a people to the Son, and the Son then willingly consents 
to pay that price for the people that the Father has given to 
Him. But now we see the work of the 
Spirit. The Spirit takes these truths, the truth that God the 
Father has predestined the sinners in Christ, the truth that the 
Son has purchased these elect from sin, and the Spirit applies 
these things then unto the believer. And so, the covenant of redemption 
can be summarized this way. The Father plans and elects, 
the Son accomplishes, and the Spirit applies. So, as I said, 
tonight we are looking at the application of redemption by 
the Spirit. Now, tonight is meant to be an 
encouragement. I'm sure there are many out there. 
I know I myself have been there and still am there in many ways. 
When we sin, sometimes our faith is weakened. Sometimes our faith 
is shaken. We are concerned whether or not 
we are actually believers, whether or not we are actually saved, 
because we understand our conviction and see our need for Christ. 
But even in weak faith, weak faith still saves because of 
the great work of Christ. And so tonight is meant to be 
an encouragement to those that struggle. It's meant to be an 
encouragement to lift you up, that we have assurance of the 
salvation that is in Christ Jesus. So in Ephesians 1, verses 13 
and 14, Paul praises the Father for the Holy Spirit, who is a 
seal and guarantee for redemption, which is impressed on the hearts 
of believers. indicating to them that they 
are children of God. So what the Spirit is meant to 
do, specifically in Ephesians chapter 1, is to impress on the 
hearts of believers that they actually are the children of 
God. If you believed on Christ, you 
are a child of God. If you believed on the Lord Jesus 
Christ and have been saved, you are a child of God. And we're 
going to look at this work of the Holy Spirit under two points 
tonight. We're going to look first of 
all at the seal with the Holy Spirit and secondly the guarantee 
of the Holy Spirit. So let's first look now at the 
Holy Spirit as this seal in chapter 1 verse 13. We're actually going 
to go backwards in the verse. We're going to start with the 
end of the verse and move our way backwards. Not quite like 
that, but we're going to start with the end of the verse. And 
at the end of the verse, the Apostle Paul says, you were sealed 
with the promised Holy Spirit. Now, what does this idea of seal 
actually mean? It carries with it the idea of 
a mark of identification, a mark or a seal. And what it does is 
it denotes ownership. And also the idea is that the 
owner would protect the thing that was sealed, kind of like 
a father would protect his children. Right? So it's meant to be a 
sign for us and it's usually the primary basis or the imagery 
which speaks to those who enter the Christian community. We are 
sealed by the Holy Spirit. And I liken it to an engagement 
ring. Right? When you're a dude and you want 
to propose to a lady, you take a ring and you put it on the 
ring of the lady that you love. And what you're doing is you're 
marking out to the rest of the world that this is your gal. No one else is going to take 
her. Don't you dare look at her, other men, because she's my lady. 
And the same is true when you get married for men as well. 
I need to flaunt my ring around so that ladies see that I'm sealed 
and I belong to my wife now. So that's what the idea of sealing 
does. It's meant to indicate something concerning who the 
believers actually are. Who the believers actually are. 
And what this seal is, as it says in chapter 1 verse 13, it 
is the Holy Spirit Himself. The Holy Spirit Himself functions 
as the seal for believers. And notice it says, this promised 
Holy Spirit. This promised Holy Spirit. What 
that probably means is it probably refers back to the Old Testament 
prophecies where we had the promise of the coming Spirit. I think 
of Ezekiel 36 verse 27, where the Spirit would come, take out 
hearts of stone, give hearts of flesh, and those who have 
these hearts of flesh would then seek to obey the law and to walk 
in the statutes of the Lord God Most High. The Spirit has come. 
But also this promised Spirit is not only for Jews, This section 
is speaking about Gentiles as well. The Gentiles have this 
promised Holy Spirit. So there's a retrospect, a retroactive 
idea with this idea of the promised Spirit. There is also a bit of 
a future aspect as well. The Spirit is meant to be a seal, 
and as we'll see in a moment, a guarantee or a down payment 
of the promises that we will receive one day. But I think 
the focus primarily here is on the promised Holy Spirit of the 
Old Testament is for Gentiles as well. Now what does it mean 
to be sealed? Now we understand that it's a 
mark, it's an identification, But what does this actually mean? I think John Eady nails it. He says, The divine image in 
the possession of the Spirit is impressed upon the heart, 
and the conscious enjoyment of it assures the believer of perfection 
and glory. That is, the idea of the image 
is impressed on the heart of the believer, working with us 
to indicate that we are children of God. He also says, Edi says, 
whatever bears God's image will be safely carried to his bosom. Will be safely carried to his 
bosom. Now in Romans chapter 8, I think 
it clarifies for us this idea very well. Romans chapter 8 at 
verse 16. The Apostle Paul says, the Spirit 
himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children 
of God. And if children, then heirs, 
heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer 
with him in order that we might also be glorified. So we get 
this seal of the Holy Spirit impressing on our hearts, the 
inward dwelling that yes, upon salvation, we are sealed. We 
are children of God, even now. Even now. And I think this idea 
has something called a definitive sanctification to it. We all 
hear the term sanctification, which is what? That process by 
which we are made holy. There's also a definitive aspect 
as well, that is, we are set apart. Right? And so what the 
idea here is, as well, is it's not only impressed on our hearts, 
but we are set apart as other people, as children of God. And so we see this in Romans 
6, 6 through 11. That is, we are crucified with 
Christ, and we are no longer enslaved to sin. In the book 
of 1 Corinthians at verse 20, I believe it's verse 2, The idea 
is the believers are sanctified as if it's already happened. 
That is, the people of God are set apart. So there's this definitive 
aspect of it. There's also a progressive aspect 
of sanctification as well. But the idea here in Ephesians 
1, verse 13 is that the Spirit bears in our hearts that we are 
set apart and that we are the children of God. But it also 
gives us, as well, this idea of assurance. This idea of assurance 
that we are actually saved. Going back to this idea of the 
promised spirit, we also see examples of this spirit, the 
promised spirit who has come, being fulfilled right here. The 
Gentiles received the promised spirit. So the idea is that we 
can have assurance because we have the Holy Spirit. What does 
the Apostle Paul say also in Romans 8? just a few verses before. He says that the Spirit of Christ 
dwells in you, and if you do not have the Spirit of Christ, 
then you do not belong to Christ. We need that Spirit working within 
us, convicting us, showing us our Christ, pointing us to our 
Savior, that we might have assurance that this salvation is sure. 
We might have assurance that the Father who predestined before 
the foundation of the world fulfills his promises. And we have that 
confidence even now as believers. And I think the London Baptist 
Confession has a chapter on, I don't think, I know it has 
a chapter on the assurance of grace. And what it says here 
in paragraph two of the Baptist Confession is that this Certainty 
is not a bare conjectural and probable persuasion, rounded 
upon a fallible hope, but an infallible assurance of faith, 
founded on the blood and righteousness of Christ, revealed in the gospel, 
and also upon the inward evidence of those graces of the Spirit, 
onto which promises are made, and the testimony of the Spirit 
of adoption, witnessing with our spirits that we are children 
of God, and as a fruit thereof, keeping the heart both humble 
and holy as well. So we have this assurance. We 
can be sure that we are saved. We can be sure if you believed 
on Christ, have this impression on your heart that you are a 
child of God because of that spirit. We need that spirit in 
us. Convicting us, changing us, not 
only showing us that we are children of God, but helping us live like 
we are children of God as well. But I'll get to that a little 
bit later. So we see what this seal is. 
But notice as well who receives this seal. Back to the beginning 
of Ephesians chapter 1 verse 13. In him you also. In him you also. Now remember 
last time in chapter 1 verse 12 we're talking about the Jews 
in that section, right? Here the Apostle Paul is now 
setting apart the Gentiles. You also. You also, but the also 
includes the Jews as well. But the focus here is more on 
the Gentiles, that they are included, that they have this promised 
Holy Spirit. Remember, the flow of salvation is for the Jew first, 
then for the Greek. The Apostle Paul talks about 
that in Romans 1, verses 16 and 17. So we see this impression 
upon the heart is not only for Jews, but also for Gentiles as 
well. But notice as well how it is 
and how and when we receive this seal. How and when we receive 
this seal. The Apostle Paul says, in him 
you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel 
of your salvation, in whom also having believed. So we see the 
hearing of the gospel. The gospel of our Lord and Savior 
Jesus Christ must be preached in order for the Spirit to work, 
in order for the Spirit to convict, and in order for the Spirit to 
confirm sinners that they are children of God. That's one aspect 
we need to hear. The means by which we can receive 
the seal is, first of all, by preaching, by hearing. Remember 
the Apostle Paul in Romans chapter 10, verse 14 through 17, he says 
this, How then will they call on him 
in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in 
him whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without 
someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless 
they are sent? As it is written, how beautiful 
are the feet of those who preach the good news. But they have 
not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has 
believed what he has heard from us? So faith comes from hearing 
and hearing through the word of Christ. The means by which 
this seeing of the spirit can come is through the proclamation 
of the one who redeemed sinners. The proclamation of the truth 
of Christ who brought us up out of slavery in order that we might 
be what? Children of God. But notice the 
preaching, but the content as well, the gospel, this word of 
truth, the gospel of our salvation. There is only one truth in this 
world, and that is God's word. We live in a day and age where 
truth is relative. What's true for you is true for 
you, and what's true for me is true for me. That is totally 
bogus, and it goes against what scripture says. We know that 
God has given us his word. It is the word of truth. for 
salvation. The word of truth unto salvation. It is salvific. Remember in Ephesians 
1 verse 7, redemption through his blood is meant to save sinners. It's meant to bring us out of 
slavery. It's meant to pay the price that 
we could not have paid on our own. And so we see this seal, 
we see the recipients, and we also see how it is we are supposed 
to receive it. But notice how and when as well. 
It's the response to this word. After you believed. after you 
believed on the Lord Christ. And what this idea of belief 
here has is that you have complete confidence in the one in which 
you are believing in. You believe in or trust in. The only instrument by which 
we can receive justification, that is, the pardoning of sin 
and being accepted as righteousness, the way we receive that is through 
faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. So what do we see 
here? We see this seal coming upon 
us, but we see after the Word was preached and after one had 
faith in Christ. So we see this sealing right 
away upon conversion, upon faith, upon trusting, in our Lord and 
Savior Jesus Christ. And so I think the application 
I want to draw out for us here is that there is assurance and 
hope for the believer. There is this assurance and hope 
about who God is, what He said He would do. We know that God 
is unchangeable. We know that He will fulfill 
His plan. And He says that in Ephesians chapter 1, right? He 
is the one who predestined. He is the one who sent forth 
His Son. And we know that it's been accomplished. through the 
eyewitness testimony. We also have the inward testimony 
of the Holy Spirit impressing on us the truth of Scripture. I have a lengthy quote from Ryle, 
but it's gold. This is what he says. Assurance 
goes far to set a child of God free from this painful bondage 
of fear and doubt, and thus ministers mightily to his comfort. It enables 
him to feel that great business of life is a settled business, 
the great debt a paid debt, the great disease a healed disease, 
and the great work a finished work. All other businesses, diseases, 
debts, and works, then by comparison, are small. In this way, assurance 
makes him patient in tribulation, works then calm under bereavements, 
unmoved in sorrow, not afraid of evil tidings, in every condition 
content, for it gives him a fixedness of heart. It sweetens his bitter 
cups. It lessens the burden of his 
crosses. It smooths the rough places over 
which he travels. It lightens the valley of the 
shadow of death. It makes him always feel he has 
something solid beneath his feet and something firm under his 
hands. A sure friend by the way and a sure home at the end. Amen. So we've seen this seal. We see that we are marked as 
children of God. Spirit impressing on his heart 
that we are set apart as these children of God. But now we look 
secondly at the guarantee of the Spirit or the down payment 
of the Holy Spirit. Chapter 1 verse 14. This further fleshes out what 
this seal looks like. Who is the guarantee? Who is the guarantee? And what 
this idea is highlighting is a present down payment for a 
future blessing. What it is, it's something, it's 
kind of functioning like collateral, if you will, indicating to us 
that what we receive now in imperfection, we will receive in its perfection 
one day. And so it highlights the idea 
of paying for a payment of a part of a purchase in advance. Kind 
of like the down payment on a house, right? Jessica and I had to put 
a down payment on our future place in California. We had to 
secure it to make sure that no one else takes that place from 
us because we need to live somewhere. And so that's kind of the idea 
here. It's meant to be a down payment for the fullness that 
we will receive one day. For the fullness of the inheritance 
that one day we will fully receive. And I think the Apostle Paul 
highlights this very well in 2 Corinthians 5, verse 5. This word guarantee is only used 
three times in scripture. It's only used three times in 
scripture. All three times are in the Apostle 
Paul. But we see this word here in 
2 Corinthians 5, verse 5. I'm actually going to read 5, 
verse 1. For we know that if the tent that is our earthly 
home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with 
hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing 
to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we 
may not be found naked. For while we are still in this 
tent we groan, being burdened, not that we would be unclothed, 
but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal 
may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this 
very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. We have a guarantee, that house 
idea, we have a guarantee of our heavenly dwelling one day. 
We have a guarantee, we have a down payment of what we will 
receive in fullness and when glory is ushered in. And remember, 
when we come to the Sabbath on the Lord's Day, it is meant to 
be for us a glimpse into what heaven would be like. It is a 
preparation Remember, the proper Lord's Day worship gives us this 
idea of what a never-ending Sabbath will be like when we will sing 
those great hymns unto the Lord God Most High for what He has 
done. These times that we come together are blessed and wonderful 
and sacred and give us that glimpse into what heaven will be like. 
And so we have this down payment. But again, it's an already-not-yet 
idea. We already have the guarantee 
We haven't received that fullness. John Eady says, the holiness 
that is created is still imperfect and is surrounded and often oppressed 
with remaining infirmities in this body of death. And the happiness 
he infuses, often like gleams of sunshine on a dark and cloudy 
day, faint and few and ever fading. You see, we get to see that glimpse 
of the sun during our dark days here. We get to see the fullness, 
we get to see a glimpse into what heaven will be like one 
day. So we see this security, this 
down payment of the Holy Spirit, but notice now what it is that 
is secured for us. Verse 14, who is the guarantee 
of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession? Again, this idea is meant to 
be a guarantee of what? The future blessings that we 
will receive. It's meant to strengthen our 
inheritance and our assurance. And the word here is used with 
the idea of a transcendence or an otherworldly inheritance, 
a heavenly inheritance, if you will. The word is also used in 
Ephesians 5, verse 5. This is more of a negative aspect, 
but this is what the Apostle Paul says. For this you know, 
that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man who is an idolater 
has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God." Same idea 
here. No fornicator, idolater has any 
possession or guarantee of what this inheritance will be like 
one day. So it's a transcendent, it's an otherworldly, it's meant 
to show us that one day we will receive this full inheritance. But notice as well, this idea 
of setting apart is drawn out as well in verse 14. The redemption 
of the purchased possession. The redemption of the purposed 
possession. That is, God has sealed and set apart a people 
for himself. And the people that he has sealed 
and set apart will receive this future blessing. And what this 
idea means, it's something that is acquired. Something that is 
property and how God uses it for people. Remember in Exodus 
chapter 19, the people have just been taken up out of the land 
of Egypt. This is probably a good summary 
statement of that old covenant with Israel in Exodus chapter 
19. And this is what he says in Exodus chapter 19 verses 3 
through 8. While Moses went up to God, the Lord called to him 
out of the mountains, saying, thus you shall say to the house 
of Jacob and tell the people of Israel, you yourselves have 
seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I bore you on eagle's 
wings and brought you to himself. Now, therefore, if you will indeed 
obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession 
among all peoples for all the earth is mine. and you shall 
be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." That's speaking 
about the people of Israel. The Apostle Peter uses this well 
in 1 Corinthians chapter 2 verse 9. That is, the Church of God 
is a people for His holy possession. We are a chosen race, a royal 
priesthood, a people for His own possession. The Church of 
God is God's possession. the people that He has acquired 
through the purchasing of the work of Christ. So we are the 
people that have been redeemed. And this future idea is once 
again drawn out in the idea of redemption. We saw the term redemption 
in chapter 1 verse 7. 1 verse 7 probably talks about 
the present idea of redemption, that we are redeemed, we are 
purchased. But there is this future aspect 
as well, which is probably what's being talked about In chapter 
1, verse 14, there is a future aspect. You are sealed for that 
day of redemption. And that is exactly how Paul 
uses this term again in Ephesians 4. 30, he says, and do not grieve 
the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of 
redemption. So he's using it again there 
as well. There's this future aspect to it, right? We have 
future redemption, something that we can look forward to. 
I know sometimes life looks bleak even now. But we know we have 
the Spirit who functions as that guarantee for that day when we 
will go into the new heavens and the new earth because of 
the work of Christ. It's going to be wonderful. And 
what Bruce says, redemption is already theirs through the sacrifice 
and death of Christ. But one aspect of that redemption 
remains to be realized. One aspect of that redemption 
remains to be realized. So we see the security, and we 
see what is secured. But what this is also meant to 
do is that there's a progressive aspect to it. Yes, the work here 
is meant, the Spirit's meant to impress on our hearts that 
we are children of God. But there's also this progressive 
idea, because there's a not yet idea going on. This is meant 
to prepare us for heaven. This is meant to be a preparation 
for heaven. Gil says, for this sealing work 
of his leaves a great impress of holiness upon the soul. And 
engage more to acts of holiness. That is, sanctification is meant 
to prepare us for heaven one day. It's meant to show us our 
fitness for it. And this holiness idea is a fruit 
of the assurance that we have with Christ. And we see that 
in Ephesians chapter 3 verse 16. The Spirit is meant to strengthen 
our inner being. Right? Obviously, if we are weak, 
we need the Spirit to strengthen us. But notice as well, we have 
the preaching ministry in Ephesians 4, verse 4. There is one body 
and one spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling. This is talking about the idea 
of God, the Christ giving gifts to the church, namely men who 
preach the truth. And so we have the preaching 
ministry. So if you're struggling, come and attend the means of 
grace, especially in a church that preaches the truth. Especially 
in a place where men are faithful to rightly divide the Word of 
God. Attend, be here, and grow in 
grace and knowledge through that. But also, there is the private 
means as well. You know, reading our Bibles, 
praying daily, growing in knowledge, understanding good theology as 
well. There is this idea that these 
are meant to prepare us to know who the God is that we are going 
to see one day. and also to show us how we are to rightly conduct 
ourselves with Him. But this idea of new life is 
found, the idea of this holiness being a fruit of assurance is 
also found in Ephesians 4.30. We just saw that. Sealed for 
the day of redemption. That comes in the section on 
sanctification or right practice. But even Ephesians 5 verse 18. And do not be drunk with wine 
in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit. These 
are sections, this is a section concerning that progressive, 
that imperfect idea already. But notice as well, there's prayer 
as well. Chapter 6, verses 17 and 18. And take the helmet of salvation 
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying 
always with all prayers and supplications in the Spirit, being watchful 
to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the 
saints. So the book of Ephesians itself fleshes out what this 
seal actually means. Not only is it meant to impress 
on our hearts that we are children of God, but it's meant we are 
supposed to live like children of God as well. Putting on the 
new man, putting off the old. But notice as well, the same 
refrain is here at the end. Praise to the Father for the 
Spirit that impresses on the hearts of His children that they 
are actually His children. That they are actually His children. 
We need to praise the Father, not only for His work, we need 
to praise the Father for Christ's work and the Spirit's work as 
well. And so the application, I think, 
from this section of guarantee, I hope was clear, but there's 
this progressive aspect of this ceiling. There's this fruit of 
assurance that prepares us for heaven. We must live, we must 
live like we are actually dead to sin and alive in the new man, 
alive in Christ. Again, Ryle talks about how sanctification 
is that which makes us ready for the new heavens and that 
prepares us to enjoy it. Why is the Lord's Day such a 
drudgery sometimes? Because it's totally a wonderful 
glimpse into what heaven will be like. If you find it a burden, 
if you find it a pain to come to church, may I implore you 
now to fight, fight, Pray to the Lord God for this assurance 
that you have, that you might see the beauty and the wonder 
of coming into the Lord's house on the Lord's day to hear the 
Word of God preached. Even when it's scorching hot, 
there's no better place to be than in the house of the Lord, 
because it prepares us one day for heaven. What Ryle does in 
his book on holiness is he has some interesting questions concerning 
about the preparation for heaven and mainly for those that do 
not like or do not impress this idea of holiness on their heart. 
He talks about how the idea that if you like to hang out with 
covetous people, revelers, idolaters, that there's going to be no such 
in heaven. But if you hate hanging out with 
the people of God, If you think they're uptight and weird, there's 
going to be no other company in heaven. And moreover, as I've 
already drilled, hopefully said, the Sabbath is meant to be a 
glimpse into that never-ending Sabbath. If you hate the Lord's 
Day, how are you going to enjoy heaven? It's meant to be a time 
when we come and have refreshment with the Lord God Most High, 
when we hear His Word. And thanks be to God that we 
can come to a place where our wonderful pastors preach the 
truth faithfully day in and day out. And what this is meant to 
do also in this progressive idea of sanctification, I meant to 
encourage you to press on, to fight, to move forward. The Apostle 
Paul talks about this war imagery, right? You put on the armor of 
God, you go into battle. It may seem like there are 600 
men in your way, but swing your ox code like Shamgar, right? It may seem like there are a 
thousand Philistines in your face, but take that donkey's 
jawbone and bash them over the head with it. by the Spirit, 
fight on, move forth, right? There's nothing better. And I 
hope to encourage us, myself as well, that we might ask the 
Lord for this assurance, that we are children, and that we 
might fight on, move on, press on for that one day when we will 
not be able to sin, when dudes who dress up like women will 
not be praised, when babies are murdered and their organs are 
harvested will be judged and condemned, and none of those 
things will happen in the new heavens and the new earth. I 
look forward to heaven one day, and I hope you do as well. And 
I hope you see that the Church of God is meant to be a glimpse 
into that. Are we perfect? Absolutely not. But there is something to be 
said about what we should do. Preach the truth, sing the truth, 
pray the truth, day in and day out, every Lord's Day. And I 
think the London Baptist Confession on assurance, paragraph three 
says, that thereby his heart may be enlarged in peace and 
joy in the Holy Spirit. I want your heart to be enlarged 
and have joy in the Holy Spirit and love and thankfulness to 
God and in strength and cheerfulness of the duties of obedience. Again, 
the proper first fruits of this assurance. So far is it inclining 
men to looseness. We're meant to press on and fight. 
So in conclusion, we must remember that we must praise the Father 
for not only the work that He does, not only the work that 
Christ does, but also the work of the Holy Spirit. Specifically 
in this context, impressing on our hearts, enlarging our hearts 
that we know that we are the children of God, giving us that 
assurance that we are saved, but also the idea that He works 
with us as we fight on. We have no better artillery than 
the Holy Spirit when we fight. We have no better weapon than 
the Holy Spirit working with us. Be encouraged, brothers and 
sisters, to move forward, press on in Christ. We saw that the 
Spirit is our seal and our down payment, this impression on our 
heart, but also the down payment of something that we have not 
fully realized yet. And we will receive that and 
see that one day. And I'll close with several applications. Again, this is meant to be an 
assurance of our faith. be encouraged. God is unchangeable. He would do what He said He would 
do. He's given us His Spirit to encourage us, to work in us, 
that we might see the wonderfulness of Christ as we move forward, 
day in and day out. Now, I want to say something 
else as well. There are many sensitive souls here. I know 
I'm one of them. And we live in Canada, so it 
just makes us more sensitive anyway. But we can be assured 
Because sometimes our faith can be shaken. Sometimes our faith 
can be diminished. But, if you're convicted, if 
you're concerned about the sin that you have, that's a good 
sign. If you're questioning whether 
or not you have been saved, that is a good sign that you're thinking 
of these things. The Spirit is working in you, 
so be encouraged. I hope and pray for you, and 
I hope that you pray as well, that you would be encouraged 
and enlarged at the inward work of the Holy Spirit. And the idea 
that our assurance can be shaken as well. whether it's sin, whether 
it's the things that we see in the world. But nonetheless, that 
assurance is meant to help us go through tough times as well. 
Remember that Ryle quote. It's meant to help us in times 
of disease, in times when we face persecution. It's meant 
to help us be content. I would encourage you to read 
his section on assurance. He's got some wonderful things 
I couldn't say here. But again, also for believers, 
The proper fruit of assurance is obedience. We are soldiers 
in battle, and the Spirit is meant to point us to Christ and 
make us Christ-like. And also, again, for believers, 
we need to praise God the Father for this assurance. Now, I have 
applications as well for what the Confession calls temporary 
Christians and unbelievers. Now, temporary believers, I would 
probably summarize them in this way. There's probably no or little 
evidence of the conviction of sin in their hearts. They're 
not thinking about the things of the truth, thinking about 
the things of God. The Sabbath day is a drudgery 
for them. They're not growing in holiness, 
yet they profess. Maybe it's because they were 
baptized as a child. Maybe it's because their parents 
are believers. Or they said the sinner's prayer in their hearts 
when they were five. But I implore you now, to believe 
on Christ. Look to Christ, for He is the 
only one who can save you from your sins. Believe on the Lord 
Christ and you shall be saved. And the same message is true 
for unbelievers as well. Hear the word of truth. Believe 
on Christ. And here's what I can assure 
you if you don't believe, you'll receive condemnation. You will 
receive eternal punishment one day for your sins, for you have 
sinned against a holy God. You've transgressed His holy 
law and you will face Him one day. Why would you not believe? Why would you not have this blessing, 
and this security, and this assurance? Believe on Christ, and hopefully 
the Spirit will work in you to assure you that you are saved. 
But believer, unbeliever, temporary believer, believe on our Lord 
and Savior, Jesus Christ. I'll close by reading chapter 
18 of our Confession, paragraph 1. Although temporary believers 
and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with 
false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favor of God 
and state of salvation, which hope of theirs shall perish, 
yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus and love him in 
sincerity, endeavoring to walk in all good conscience before 
him, may in this life be certainly assured that they are in the 
state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, 
which hope shall never make them ashamed. Amen. Well, blessed 
be the God and Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, 
who has predestined us in love, who has redeemed us in Christ, 
and assures us and works in us and impresses upon us that we 
are children of God. Amen. Let us pray. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank 
you for this day, Lord God. We thank you for the Lord's day. 
We thank you that we can come and hear your truth proclaimed 
to us. We thank you that your spirit is present with us, giving 
strength to the preacher and aid to the hearer as well. Father 
God, we long for that one day when we will be in heaven. We 
thank you for the spirit who is the down payment of that inheritance, 
Lord God. We thank you that you've chosen 
a people, you've called them out of darkness into marvelous 
light to believe on Christ. And Father God, we thank you 
that Christ is our seal, or that the Spirit is our seal in Christ. 
And Father God, we thank you that the Spirit works in upon 
us to assure us that we are children of God. Father God, I pray for 
those that are unbelievers here today and who may be listening. 
I pray that you would convict them of sin by your Spirit, that 
you would give them that heavenly heart surgery, that they might 
see their need for Christ and believe on the Lord Christ, that 
they will not only be justified but sanctified as well, Lord 
God, and that many sinners might come unto you, that they might 
believe you and see you, and that they might have joy unending, 
Lord God. And for those, for our believers 
here who are weak in their faith, Lord, I pray that you would strengthen 
them. You would strengthen us, Lord God, that we would know 
of this assurance, that it would give us boldness to live, to 
know the truth, know that you saved us, but also to help us 
walk in a manner consistent with the gospel. Father God, we pray 
that you would forgive us of our sins. We pray that you would 
help us go forth into the world shining as lights and that by 
your spirit many might be saved. Father God, I thank you for your 
help and your strength and aid today. May you be glorified in 
all things. Amen.