Sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism

​When you were Baptized you got it, since then you’ve had it, it’s time to better understand it, so you can truly live it.
 
You are sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism and marked as Christ’s own forever.           BCP. Pg. 308
 
What does it mean to be “sealed by the Holy Spirit”?
 
St. Paul writes in the Letter to the Ephesians, “…when you heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” (1:13) In the Greek, “promised” (epaggelía) literally means “announces what is fitting.” Here, St. Paul is saying that the Holy Spirit, or the presence of the Holy Spirit, is the announcement of the seal which is the Holy Spirit’s presence. 
 
In adult Baptism this makes sense since the adult “heard…and believed” and asked for the Holy Spirit to come. In infant Baptism it is a bit more complicated in that, since the infant or child could not make such a proclamation, the parents act as a proxy, inviting the Holy Spirit to dwell with the child.
 
Now, my purpose here is not to elaborate on the question of infant Baptism, rather I am addressing the indwelling reality of the Holy Spirit. Suffice to say then, as the Holy Spirit honors the prayers of the parents, the Holy Spirit enters into a new relationship with the child and is the same epaggelía as with the adult.
 
Further along, in St. Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians he writes, Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a pledge, guaranteeing what is to come. (1:21-22) The word “pledge” in this passage is arrabón in the Greek and literally means, “an earnest-money payment given in advance as a security that the whole will be paid afterwards.” This partial payment or pledge is the presence of the Holy Spirit, assuring the complete communion and fellowship of God in eternity.
 
As this has taken place, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (infant or adult), the individual has access to the Holy Spirit in a blessed and unique Way through which choices can be made. Through the process of growth—the maturity of the years, we grow in knowledge and wisdom through which we make our choices. As people of faith, our choices are to be informed first by our devotion to Christ and this is aided by the indwelling Spirit. This message of Christ first is written throughout the New Testament and is ubiquitous with life. We are sealed, (sphragizo) and in this seal we are marked and Christ’s own, literally we belong to him. This is why St. Paul admonishes us, “do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30). Our lives are to be lived as Christ’s own possession and our decisions are to be made in concert with the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
 
So great a gift is the Holy Spirit and so available is the companionship of God that we are extolled that “the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8:11) Every day, every moment we are blessed by God and empowered to give God glory as we witness the Good News of Christ Jesus!
 
By giving us the Holy Spirit, God seals or stamps us as his own and the Holy Spirit continues to testify, authenticating the reality of this relationship by making us more and more like Jesus. To be sealed with the Holy Spirit is the gracious gift of God, whereby he demonstrates the authenticity of the believer’s relationship with him and his authority, ownership, and commitment to his people.
 
To be “sealed by the Holy Spirit” is to live as a child of God and heir of the Kingdom. It is to be aware of God’s presence with us and to make that presence known.
 
Strengthen, O Lord your servants with your Holy Spirit; empower them for your service; and sustain them all the days of their life. Amen      Baptism BCP 309
 
May the Holy Spirit, who has begun a good work in you, direct and uphold you in the service of Christ and his kingdom. Amen                   Baptism BCP 310
 
 Sealed by the Holy Spirit,
 
Fr. Bill†