The Mind of Christ

I have been established, anointed and sealed by God in Christ, and I have been given the Holy Spirit as a pledge guaranteeing my inheritance to come

– And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)

– In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14)

We can not be trusted not to lose our salvation because if we could lose it we definitely would. Here is the good news. The verse starts out with the words “God who establishes us with Christ.” The word establish is “bebaios” in the Greek. The base word behind it is “firm” or “sure.” What Paul is getting at is that we are to understand that our relationship between us and the omnipotent God is as “sure” as the sun rising and night falling. There is nothing, not an iota that can I have been established, anointed and sealed by God in Christ, and I have been given the Holy Spirit as a pledge guaranteeing my inheritance to come

• And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
• In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise
  of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14)

We can not be trusted to not lose our salvation because if we could lose it we definitely would. We know that our hearts are desperately wicked and without Christ there is no good in us. This inherent weakness and tendency to stray highlight the necessity of a Savior who is both powerful and loving. That’s why Christ, rich in grace (unmerited favor) and mercy (not getting the punishment we deserve), guards our salvation for us, acting as a steadfast protector against the consequences of our folly. Our salvation is secure because Christ himself has attached himself to us, sealing our fate with his love and commitment. This divine assurance reminds us that our standing before God is not based on our efforts or merits but rather on the unwavering love of God and his children. In moments of doubt, we can rest in the promise that His grace is sufficient and that He will never let us go, for we are intertwined in a relationship that is underpinned by eternal love and faithfulness.

Secondly the verse says that God has anointed us. The Hebrews mind when they heard this would take them immediately back to the Exodus when God tells Moses how to anoint priests, in 1 Samuel when Samuel is instructed to name the one God names to him, 1 kings when Elijah anoints Elisha to be a prophet. The idea of anointing is similar to crowning a king. It is the mark of importance, being set apart, being chosen for specific purpose. God is making it perfectly clear that we are set apart, chosen, given a purpose. We are anointed to proclaim the good news as the anointed one of God.

However, God doesn’t stop there; He says that this is all “sealed” for us, guarded by God himself. Our salvation and our position in Christ are secure because Christ himself has attached himself to us in a profound and intimate way, ensuring that nothing can separate us from His love and grace!!! We don’t need to put pressure on ourselves to hold on to salvation; instead, we can live free and unburdened, knowing that the one who did all the work to establish this incredible relationship will surely protect it. God has already proved this by dying for it, showcasing the depth of His commitment and the lengths to which He will go to secure our hearts. This truth encourages us to trust in His promises deeply and fully, allowing us to experience peace amidst life’s challenges. So spread the Word with confidence and joy… God is Good!!!!