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welcome to everyone it's a reminder there will be a hymn sing this evening after the service in the fellowship hall well for our call to worship this evening i want to read Psalm 98 Psalm 98 beginning in verse 1 a song Oh sing to the Lord a new song for he has done marvelous things his right hand and his oly his holy arm have gained him the victory the Lord has made known his salvation his righteousness he has revealed in the sight of the nation's he has remembered his mercy and his faithfulness to the house of Israel all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God shout joyfully to the Lord all the earth break forth and song rejoice and sing praises sing to the Lord with the heart with the harp and the sound of a song with trumpets and the sound of a horn shout joyfully before the Lord the King let the seer or and all its fullness the world and those who dwell in it let the rivers clap their hands let the hills be joyful together before the Lord where he is coming to judge the earth with righteousness he shall judge the world and the people's with equity amen please turn in your Trinity hymnal and excuse me to number 2 69 him number 269 will stand and sing together Oh well as i understand mr nufeld is in surgery currently so we can remember to pray for him and others in our midst will let us go to the Lord God in prayer are blessed in our Holy Father it is a privilege and a delight and a joy to gather in your house again on the Sabbath day we come and acknowledge that from everlasting to everlasting you are God we bless you Father Son and Holy Spirit for your great mercy and your great grace and your goodness to your creatures we know Lord that you have made this world and that you govern this world and that you by grace have redeemed your elect how we praise you for predestination and election we praise you that you chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world we bless you as well that in the fullness of the time you sent forth your son born of a woman and born under the law to redeem those under the law we thank you for that blessed work of our Lord Jesus you know baying the entirety of the law of God we thank you for his death his sacrifice his atonement rod at Calvary on behalf of all those whom the father had given to him we thank you for his resurrection from the dead and his current session at your right hand and certainly we look forward to that day when he will come again in glory to judge the living in the dead our hearts desire and our earnest prayers that all those associated with this local church would be ready to stand on that day clothed in the righteousness of Christ Jesus and enabled to go into that place of bliss and and glory and majesty because of what Christ has done on our behalf we thank you as well for the Ministry of the Holy Spirit Lord we just praise the triune God Father Son and spirit for such a great salvation we ask that tonight you would fill us with your Holy Spirit she would help us to be attentive to the preaching of the word of God we pray that you would bless our brother and use in father to explain the truth of Holy Scripture unto us and may these things affect us and may these things cause us reflect a fresh upon the glory and majesty of our God we ask is well father that you would just continually conform us unto the image of your beloved son and as we enter into this week may we do so in this wicked and perverse generation grant us the boldness to shine as lights and to hold forth the word of truth we ask Lord that you would look with favor upon each and every one of us gathered here tonight we pray that you would cleanse us from all unrighteousness and sin so we look at your holy law we look at the the scriptures as we hear Paul's admonition to let our conduct be worthy of the gospel we are brought to confession of our sin unto you and we plead the merit and the mercy in the blood of our Lord Jesus that you would wash us and that you would help us Lord God to put to death these deeds of the body by your spirit that we might live we ask that you would look with favor upon all those in our church with physical needs we pray for mr nufeld that all would go well for him in this surgery we pray that this would have a good effect upon him physically the Lord you would just bless him and give him health and strength in a season where he would know that the blessing of physical strength we pray for mr. Proctor and for all of the Brethren in our church that have ongoing trials and difficulties and we commit them to you and to the word of your grace and our Father we pray for your blessing upon the nations of the earth we know God that salvation does never come through politics it always comes through an outpouring of your Holy Spirit so we pray that today as the church gathers together throughout the earth that the gospel would have been preached that word would run swiftly and be glorified and our God we pray that you would indeed move the hearts of men in high places to cease and desist from legislating and morality and begin to legislate with equity and with justice we live in a day and age where human life is so so undervalued we saw in the South this past week that the grisly affairs of Planned hood we pray Almighty God that these things would stop we pray that sins and crimes like abortion and sodomy would not only not be subsidized and legalized but these things would be criminalized we ask our father that you would deal with the church cause us to be a prayerful people cause us to be intercessors cause us to genuinely take the Christian faith to the marketplace into the places of influence that you've placed us in help us to think righteously and properly and to give the answers to those who certainly don't seem to have the answers we pray our God that you would be merciful in this nation and that the sorts of sins and the sorts of things that are so commonplace we would only pray and cry out to you God that in your wrath you would remember mercy that you would send the spirit not only to revive your people but as well to awaken those who are dead in their trespasses and sins our beloved Savior taught us to pray that your will would be done on earth as it is in heaven the sorts of things that we see going on each and every day are things that are an abomination unto a holy God we pray that the church would be salt and light and that you would use us Lord God to bring to bear upon the consciences of those in this society the truth of Holy Scripture we thank you that you have blessed us so richly we thank you that you have taught us you have sorted us out you have forgiven us of our sins you've called us or caused us to see the authority of the Holy Scripture and may we indeed learn these things for your glory and for our good and for further influence upon those whom we come into contact with our God we do pray for our children and for the young people in this congregation our desire is is what Solomon said is that they would remember their Creator in their youth that they would believe on the Lord Jesus Christ by your grace and they would pursue those things which are pleasing in your sight we ask these things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ amen you may turn in your Trinity hymnal again to number 335 335 will stand as we sing together Oh I Oh well you can turn with me in your Bibles once again to the book of Ephesians chapter 1 the book of Ephesians chapter 1 we're going to continue our exposition of the child of chapter 1 verses 3 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 were the first trust that we who first trust 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 Jeremy 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 Sun the Sun 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 for 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 helped me as well in this endeavor but we know that we fail most of the time but also for the unbeliever is 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 cojen see and beauty Lord God but ultimately that I would be a no name Harold that people might hear your truth and be edified and sinners that might 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're continue or it said this just now 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 or chapters 4 six which is white practice in response to that teaching and so we send and so we and also here we're talking about theological e the Covenant of redemption or the pectin salutis or that pact of salvation the father promises to give a people to the Sun and the Sun then willingly consents to pay that price for the people that got 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 Sun has purchased through these these elects in purchase these elect from sin and he do the Spirit applies these things then unto the believer and so it could be the Covenant of redemption can be summarized this way the father plans analects the Sun accomplishes and the Spirit applies so as I said tonight we are looking at the application of redemption by the spirits 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 though we have assurance of the salvation that is in Christ Jesus so in Ephesians chapter 1 verses 13 and 14 Paul praises the Father for this Holies for the Holy Spirit who is a seal and guarantee for redemption which is impressed on the heart 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 believer 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 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 where 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 your your gal no one else is going to take her don't you dare look at her other men if 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'm 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 3 it is the Holy Spirit Himself the Holy Spirit Himself functions as the seal for believers 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 as they we I think of Ezekiel 36 verse 27 whether the spirit would come take out hearts of stone give hearts of flesh and those who have these hearts of flesh will 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 promise spirit is not only for Jews this section is speaking about Gentiles as well the Gentiles have this promised Holy Spirit so there is 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 and we understand that it's a mark it's an identification but what does this actually mean I think John ed 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 ed says whatever bears God's image will be safely carried to his bosom will be safely carried to his bosom now in Romans chapter eight I think it clarifies for us this idea very well Romans chapter eight 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 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 as it's not only impressed on our hearts but we are set apart as other people as as as children of God and so and so we see this in 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 first Corinthians at verse 20 I believe its 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 chapter 1 verse 13 is that we the spirit bears in our hearts that we are set apart and out we are the children of God 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 for the promise sphere who has come being fulfilled right here the Gentiles received the promise spirit so the idea is that we can have assurance because we have the Holy Spirit what is 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 price then you do not belong to Christ we need that spirit working within us convicting us showing us our Christ pointing it to 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 2 of the Baptist confession is it that this certainty is not a bear 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 victus 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 the member last time in chapter 1 verse 12 we're talking about the Jews and that right here Paul up the Apostle Paul is this 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 chapter 1 verses 16 and 17 so we see this impression upon the heart is not only for Jews but also for believer for Gentiles as well but notice as well how it is and when we 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 the 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 as 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 hit 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 has hurt what he has heard from us so faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ the means by which this ceiling of the Spirit can come as through the proclamation of the 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 they notice the preaching but the content of well 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 is has given us his word it is the word of truth for salvation the word of truth unto salvation it is sift 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 with 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 price and what this idea believe 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 only means by 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 ceiling 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 for us here is that there is assurance and hope for the 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's the one who sent forth his son and we know that it's been accomplished through the eyewitness testimony we also had the inward testimony of the Holy Spirit and pressing on us the truth of Scripture I have a lengthy quote from rile 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 heel 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 by a calm under bereavements unmoved in sorrow not afraid of evil tidings in every condition content for it gives him a fixed pneus of heart it sweetens his bitter cups it lessens the burden of his crosses it smoothes the rough places over which he travels it lightens the valley of the shadow of death and makes him always feel he has something solid beneath his feet and something firm under his hands asher friend by the way and asher home at the end amen so we've seen this seal we are see that we are marked as children of God spirit and pressing 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 I 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 2nd Corinthians chapter 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 second Corinthians 5 verse 5 i'm actually read 5 verse 14 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 may not not made with hands eternal in the heavens for in this tent we grown 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 clothes so that what is moral may be swallowed up 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 when when that 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 more at 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 ed 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 ever fading you see we get to see that glimpse of the Sun during our dark days here we get to see that the fullness we get to see into the 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 in 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 nigh dollar has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God same idea here no fornicator I da litter 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 who notices well this idea of setting part is drawn out as well in verse 14 the redemption of the purchased possession the redemption of the purpose possession that is God has sealed and set apart of people for himself and the people that he is sealed and set apart will receive this future blessing and what this idea is 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 me 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 when 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 leave the parcel Peter uses this well in first 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 well there is this future aspect of as well which is probably what's being talked about in here in chapter and 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 again there as well there's this future aspect to it right we have future redemptions something that we can look forward to I know sometimes life looks bleak even now but we know we have the spirit who functions out that guaranteed for that day we will be going to the into the head 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 there's 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 that there's a progressive aspect to it yes the work here is meant the spirits meant to impress on our hearts that we are children of God 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 Gill says for this ceiling of war the ceiling 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's 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 have and grow in grace knowledge through that but also there is the private means as well you know grow 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 that 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 if evens five verse 18 and do not be drunk with wine in which is dissipation but be filled with the spirit again these are sections this is a section concerning that progressive that that imperfect idea already but notice as well there's prayer as well chapter six verse 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 in 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 prays 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 need to praise the father not only for his work we need to praise the father for Christ's work and the spirits 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 the live in the new man if alive in Christ again royal 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 church the Lord's 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 and rile does what r I'll doesn't is booked on holiness is UCI 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 hang out with the people of God if you if you think they're uptight and weird there's going to be no other company in heaven and more over as I've already drilled hopefully said the Sabbath is meant to be a glimpse into that ender 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 where we hear his words 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 scientific ation I meant to encourage you to press on to fight to move forward you also Paul talks about this war imagery right you put on the armor of God you go into battle and they seem like they are there are 600 men in your way but swing your ox code like Shamgar right and they seem like there are thousand Philistines in your face but take that donkeys 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 when when 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 a fit but there is something to be said about what we should do preach the truth seeing the truth pray the truth day in and day out every Lord's Day and I think the London Baptist confession on assurance paragraph 3 says that there by 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 mental looseness we're meant to press on and fight so in conclusion we must remember that 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 the encourage brothers and sisters to move forward press on in Christ we saw that this 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 will 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 am 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 but 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 surance can be shaken as well whether it's sin well as the things that we see in the world but nonetheless that assurance is meant to what helped us go through tough times as well remember that rile quote it's meant to help us in times of disease in time when we faced 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 can't 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 I cut what the confession calls temporary Christians and unbelievers now temporary believers i would 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 Knuth thinking about the things of God the Sabbath day is a drudgery for them but not growing in holiness yet they profess maybe it's because they were baptized as a child maybe because their parents are believers or they said the sinner's prayer in their hearts and 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 Ike 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 the security and this assurance believe on Christ and by 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 whose predestined us in love who's 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 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 here 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 or God we thank you that you've chosen to people you've called them out of darkness into marvelous light to believe on Christ and father God we think that Christ is our seal alright 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 now 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 that will not only be justified but sanctified as well Lord God and that many sinners might come on to you that you might 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 know of this assurance that will 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 I follow God we pray that you 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 a today may you be glorified in all things amen close with a brief time of meditation you