GOD'S SEALED BELIEVERS

Today, I want to look at two terms which convince me that all genuine believers will go to heaven.  The first is "earnest," which is from the Greek ἀρραβών (arrabōn), which means "the down payment made on a purchased possession."  A down payment insures that the item cannot be given to, or taken by, anyone else; it belongs to the One who made it!  The other word, "sealed," is from the Greek word σφραγίζω (sphragizō), which means "to identify that which is sealed to belong to one in authority."  Believers in Christ, are sealed, and as a result are the possession of Almighty God!

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

2 Corinthians 5:5-8 - "Now He that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, Who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.  Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord.  For we walk by faith, not by sight:  we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."

Ephesians 1:12-14 - "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, (Who) is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory."

Ephesians 4:29-30 - "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.  And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."

Revelation 7:3-8 - "Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.  And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.  Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand.  Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand.  Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.  Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand.  Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand.  Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.  Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand.  Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand.  Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.  Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand.  Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand.  Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand."  (Note that these are Jews who came to faith in Jesus Christ, and, having been sealed, they are found in heaven in Rev. 14:3).