WE ARE SEALED UNTO GOD

Most born again believers understand that their "new birth" is a gift from God to all who place their faith in the death, the burial, and the resurrection of God's only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (Jn. 1:12; 3:3-8, 13-18; Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; Eph. 2:8-9; etc.)!  Unfortunately, throughout the history of Christianity, there have been believers who forgot their salvation was by the grace of God, Himself.  The Apostle Paul continually battled with believers who, although they knew their salvation was free, somehow failed to comprehend that their new live was ETERNAL!  They forgot that the God Who began their transformation into the likeness of His dear Son, was the One Who accepted the responsibility for seeing the job through to the end (Rom. 8:28-29; Phil. 1:6; etc.)!  One passage is clear regarding such folks:

"O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?  This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?  Are ye so foolish?  Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" (Gal. 3:1-3).

Two words in Scripture are foundational in understanding our change into His likeness is God's work:  God has set His SEAL on His children, and we have His EARNEST (down payment) within us!  Hear the Word of the Lord:

"Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for Him (Jesus) hath God the Father SEALED" (Jn. 6:27).

"Now He which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who has also SEALED us, and given the EARNEST of the Spirit in our hearts" (2 Cor. 1:21-22).

"Now He that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, Who also hath given unto us the EARNEST of the Spirit" (2 Cor. 5:5).

"That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ.  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, which is the EARNEST of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory" (Eph. 1:12-14).

"And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are SEALED unto the day of redemption" (Eph. 4:30).