Ephesians | Session 5 | 1:13-14

Today we explain what Paul meant when he was speaking about those who had trusted after that they had heard the word of truth which was the gospel of their salvation, the sealing of the Holy Spirit, and the earnest of our inheritance which will be realized one day.

Verse 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,  The whom is a reference to Christ who was trusted in the previous verse. 

The word trusted is italicized in the KJV meaning it was placed in there by the translators to make it clearer, but it was not necessary in my opinion. So, it would read "In whom ye also after that ye heard the word of truth." It doesn't change the meaning at all. Just FYI, the words trust, faith, and believe all basically mean the same thing. 

Today, our culture is being ripped apart because truth is being taught as something that is not a constant. That is why you hear people talking about 'their truth' all the time. When the Devil started teaching that in our education system, it was a direct attack of Christ (John 14:6). Man thinks that he is so smart when he does nonsense like that, e.g., evolution. Make no mistake it was the Devil that planted that idea in man's little over-educated pea brain in an attempt to deny God and cast doubt on the Bible. 

Notice after that ye heard the word of truth. Reminds me of Romans 10:14; Romans 10:17. 

What is the word of truth? - the gospel of your salvation. And where do we find the gospel of our salvation? - 1Corinthians 15:1-4. Amazing how the church has spent so much time trying to make that complicated! They do so because they do not rightly divide what Paul said from the Twelve. That's why they end up adding baptism, works, tongues, and everything else to the equation. All salvation requires is belief plus nothing. 

After that happens, we are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise. The seal being referred to here speaks of ownership. He placed his seal of ownership on us the moment we placed our faith in Him. 

Verse 14: Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.  And that sealing is the guarantee of our inheritance that will be given when we are redeemed. I believe that redemption will take place at the Rapture of the church (Philippians 3:20-21). 

Randy White points out something at this point that trust can only come about after hearing the word of truth. The gospel must be shared with words because "the gospel is not love that can be displayed but logic that must be accepted." That is point on in my opinion and aligns with Romans 10:13-14. 

Again, the word of truth for the Body of Christ today is that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:4). Again, this message must be shared with words, not just actions. 

Notice that it says ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise. The order of salvation: 1) you hear, 2) you believe, 3) you are sealed. That word sealed means to stamp for security or preservation. In the book of Revelation we see just that when the 144,000 are sealed during the Tribulation period (Revelation 7:1-8). This sealing is also mentioned in Ephesians 4:30. This is just one of many reasons that I believe in eternal security. 

Bear in mind that any argument that is made against this is the result of wrongly dividing. Obviously, if we can rightly divide, we can also wrongly divide. The primary point of the verse is not the inheritance, but the sealing which is the promise of preservation as well. This Spirit of promise is received by faith and not works (Galatians 3:18). 

Notice, that it says until the redemption of the purchased possession. What I find interesting is that the word translated redemption is apolutrosis and it is only used ten times in the KJV (three of them in Ephesians) and it is a compound word which means the act of ransom. I find it significant because who normally pays a ransom? - The one to whom it belongs. We, the Body of Christ, are the purchased possession that was redeemed or ransomed (1 Corinthians 6:20; 1 Corinthians 7:23). Redemption refers to our being delivered from corruption (Ephesians 4:30; Romans 8:23). And he purchased us to the praise of his glory?