TEXT: Isaiah 43:21 This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise.

Transcription

1 THE SEALING FOR ETERNAL SECURITY OF THE WHOLE UNIVERSE SEARCH AND SHARE MINISTRY Overview God s plan is to secure the whole creation from sin and rebellion for eternity. To have a universe that would have a people who would never choose to sin again. The capacity to choose between good and evil will never be taken away. But God will remove the possibility of choosing evil by the work of sealing. Sealing is God s work; He is in the business of settling man into the truth under trials and temptations. This will be accomplished by man s cooperation with the Divine agencies in forming the character of Christ; they will be formed into the fullness of His Divine image. As it was said, We are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of His good pleasure. With our limited powers we are to be as holy in our sphere as God is holy in His sphere. To the extent of our ability, we are to make manifest the truth and love and excellence of the divine character. As wax takes the impression of the seal, so the soul is to take the impression of the Spirit of God and retain the image of Christ. {Mar 227.3} Once God finished in impressing His mold to those who fully cooperated with this work, they will no longer be moved or be tempted to sin. Their choice is final; they have loved and would love God more and are happy under the care of His beloved Son, that even eternity will not make their mind to be shaken away from loving the One who gave His life for them. God will no longer put them under trial for it is no longer necessary. Between the school established in Eden at the beginning and the school of the hereafter there lies the whole compass of this world's history--the history of human transgression and suffering, of divine sacrifice, and of victory over death and sin. Not all the conditions of that first school of Eden will be found in the school of the future life. No tree of knowledge of good and evil will afford opportunity for temptation. No tempter is there, no possibility of wrong. Every character has withstood the testing of evil, and none are longer susceptible to its power. {Ed 301.6} THEME: JESUS IS OUR ETERNAL SECURITY TEXT: Isaiah 43:21 This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise. I. JESUS, THE ETERNAL SECURITY Jesus could give alone security to God; for He was equal with God. He alone could be a mediator between God and man; for He possessed divinity and humanity. Jesus could thus give security to both parties for the fulfillment of the prescribed conditions. As the Son of God He gives security to God in our behalf, and as the eternal Word, as one equal with the Father, He assures us of the Father's love to usward who believe His pledged word. When God would assure

2 us of His immutable counsel of peace, He gives His only begotten Son to become one of the human family, forever to retain His human nature as a pledge that God will fulfil His word.--the Review and Herald, April 3, {7ABC 488.4} The reconciliation of man to God could be accomplished only through a mediator who was equal with God, possessed of attributes that would dignify, and declare Him worthy to treat with the Infinite God in man's behalf, and also represent God to a fallen world. Man's substitute and surety must have man's nature, a connection with the human family whom He was to represent, and, as God's ambassador, He must partake of the divine nature, have a connection with the Infinite, in order to manifest God to the world, and be a mediator between God and man.-- The Review and Herald, Dec. 22, {7ABC 488.5} The present and eternal security of men is their surety, Jesus Christ the righteous. No man will be able to pluck the believing soul out of his hands. The righteousness of Christ is a free gift, bestowed without money and without price. Man had nothing he could give for it; for he had no virtue of character that was not the gift of Jesus Christ. He could not claim even the ownership of himself. "Ye are not your own; ye are bought with a price," even with the precious blood of Christ. The righteousness of Christ must be accepted as a free gift by us who are all undeserving. No thread of legality is of any value in the salvation of the soul; for we are saved by grace, through the subduing love of Christ, and the heart is made a willing sacrifice. By keeping the love of God in the heart, the love of the world is kept out, and we become built up in the most holy faith. Christ is the author and finisher of our faith; and when we yield to his hand, we shall steadily grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour. We shall make progress until we reach the full stature of men and women in Christ. {YI, February 17, 1898 par. 3} Faith works by love, and purifies the soul, expelling the love of sin that leads to rebellion against, and transgression of, the law of God. This true love in the heart always leads its possessor into harmony with the commandments of God; for through the agency of the Holy Spirit, the character is transformed, and the mind and will of the human agent are brought into perfect conformity to the divine will, and this is conformity to the divine standard of righteousness. To those who are thus transformed, Christ will say, "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Mrs. E. G. White. {YI, February 17, 1898 par. 4} II. THE PROBATIONS AND SEALING 1. The initial seal God created the angels and man as free moral agents with His character put in their heart as initial seal of the covenant with them. This is the earnest of their eternal happines and security. This was based on God s choice; of making them the object of His love. Are they going to continue to accept such love? Are they going to respond with love to His love with loyalty? Are they going to accept that God s love and power is through His Son? How can God know and

3 verify that they will love Him even in a difficult situation? Are they going to break this seal? So God has to put them under test before the final seal should take place. The test will aid in impressing the final seal in their heart and mind their character. a. Initial seal by creation: Angels and Man tested Lucifer failed the test and had broken the initial seal of perfection (Isa.14:12-14; Eze. 28:12-15). Other angels were tempted and followed him. They refused to repent and had sealed their doom (Rev. 12: 9; Jude 1: 6). Man failed the test of loyalty and had broken the seal of a perfect life initially given (Gen. 3:6, 7, 22, and 23). Angels on probation had been deceived by Satan, and had been led on by him in the great rebellion in heaven against Christ. They failed to endure the test brought to bear upon them, and they fell Adam was then created in the image of God and placed upon probation. He had a perfectly developed organism. All his faculties were harmonious. In all his emotions, words, and actions, there was a perfect conformity to the will of his Maker. After God had made every provision for the happiness of man, and had supplied his every want, He tested his loyalty. If the holy pair should be obedient, the race would, after a time, be made equal to the angels. As Adam and Eve failed to bear this test, Christ proposed to become a voluntary offering for man. {Con 18.2} Like the angels, the dwellers in Eden had been placed upon probation; their happy estate could be retained only on condition of fidelity to the Creator's law. They could obey and live, or disobey and perish. God had made them the recipients of rich blessings; but should they disregard His will, He who spared not the angels that sinned, could not spare them; transgression would forfeit His gifts, and bring upon them misery and ruin. {FLB 179.3} b. Initial seal by redemption If a creature breaks the initial seal originally given, He put God under test. Is God willing to extend His mercy and provide a chance for the offender to repent and be under probation? Yes, He gave His Son the second time (the first one by creation as an earnest of our life) to live and die as a sacrifice for the redemption of mankind and provided an earnest of salvation as the initial seal of those who accepts salvation and provision of final sealing for those who will be faithfull and endure the trials. The initial seal provides the second chance to receive the final seal through their continual submission to God s will or choice that both wills or choices comes together in perfect union and harmony which creates the final impression of God s seal. Ephesians 1: 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, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

4 2. The final seal The final seal of character is the union of two choices or will; God s choice and the free moral agent s choice. God s choice is to put them under His perpetual favor through their love and loyalty. But they have to choose; to refuse it or to accept it or to hold on it or to give it up in the time of trial. If they withstand the test and have united their will with God s will, they have allowed the final seal to be impressed in their life. Their character became immovable in any circumstances. This impression of character is patterned upon God s character; His will or choice under any circumstances. He himself the Creator had allowed His character to be tested. He shows in the most difficult circumstances that even it requires the giving up of His Son He will not be moved from being the God of love. He will not be moved from loving even those who crucified His Son. God will persuade but will not use force or power in altering a choice that goes against His. a. Final seal by loyalty under test key for a perpetual favor Our first parents, though created innocent and holy, were not placed beyond the possibility of wrongdoing. God made them free moral agents, capable of appreciating the wisdom and benevolence of His character and the justice of His requirements, and with full liberty to yield or to withhold obedience. They were to enjoy communion with God and with holy angels; but before they could be rendered eternally secure, their loyalty must be tested. At the very beginning of man's existence a check was placed upon the desire for self-indulgence, the fatal passion that lay at the foundation of Satan's fall. The tree of knowledge, which stood near the tree of life in the midst of the garden, was to be a test of the obedience, faith, and love of our parents. While permitted to eat freely of every other tree, they were forbidden to taste of this, on pain of death. They were also to be exposed to the temptations of Satan; but if they endured the trial, they would finally be placed beyond his power, to enjoy perpetual favor with God. {PP 48.4} b. Final seal under probation and redemption seal of loyalty and love Revelation 7:2And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, But He who came to our world to seek and to save that which was lost has pledged His own life that men might have a second probation. He has pity, and compassion, and love that are without a parallel; and He has made every provision in behalf of men that none need perish. The divine Son of God came into our world, its Light and Life, to encompass the whole world and to attract and unite to Himself every human being who is under Satan's discipline and rule. He invites them, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls" (Matthew 11:28, 29). Thus He unites with Himself by a new inspiration of grace

5 all who will come unto Him. He puts upon them His seal, His sign of obedience and loyalty to His holy Sabbath.--Manuscript 104, Sept. 28, 1897, "Condemned by the Jews." {UL 285.5} III. THE SEAL OF GOD The meaning and usage of the seal: (Final seal) a. Seal: A settling into truth, both intellectually and spiritually 4BC1161 "(Rev. 7:2.) Seal Is a Settling Into Truth.--Just as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads--it is not any seal or mark that can be seen, but a settling into the truth, both intellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be moved--just as soon as God's people are sealed and prepared for the shaking, it will come. Indeed, it has begun already; the judgments of God are now upon the land, to give us warning, that we may know what is coming. (MS 173, 1902) Just as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads--it is not any seal or mark that can be seen, but a settling into the truth, both intellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be moved--just as soon as God's people are sealed and prepared for the shaking, it will come. Indeed, it has begun already; the judgments of God are now upon the land,... that we may know what is coming. {FLB 287.7} b. A seal invisible to human sight but visible to the angels What is the seal of the living God, which is placed in the foreheads of His people? It is a mark which angels, but not human eyes, can read; for the destroying angel must see this mark of redemption. The intelligent mind has seen the sign of the cross of Calvary in the Lord's adopted sons and daughters. The sin of the transgression of the law of God is taken away. They have on the wedding garment, and are obedient and faithful to all God's commands. {Mar 243.6} Rev. 7:2; (9:4) The seal for God's people is the "seal of the living God." The meaning and application of SEAL (Gk: sphragis): 1. The seal of ownership. 2 Cor. 1:21, 22 "He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us." This is the seal of acknowledgment to his people by God as His own. They are "sealed with his inscription: "The LORD knows who are his." 2 Tim. 2: The seal of certification. Jn. 3:35 "Whoever has accepted his (God) testimony has certified (seal) this, that God is true." NRSV. When we receive God's seal we are certified as true in Him. 3. The seal of apostleship. 1 Cor. 9;2 "for you (believers) are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord." Those who received God's seal receive apostleship from the Lord. It makes a person truly appointed by God in the gospel ministry.

6 AA30 "Christ's visible presence was about to be withdrawn from the disciples, but a new endowment of power was to be theirs. The Holy Spirit was to be given them in its fullness, sealing them for their work. "Behold," the Saviour said, "I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." Luke 24:49. "For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." "Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Acts 1:5, 8." 4. The seal of recommendation. As Paul describes about his converts as a seal of his apostleship, he also described them as a "recommendation (seal)..." of Christ. in the ministry 2 Cor. 3:1,3,6. 5. The seal of approval. Jn. 6:27 "On him (Christ) God the Father has placed the seal of approval." In the context, Jesus was sealed with the seal of approval to accomplish the task as the "bread" from heaven (vs. 33,35). Those who receive God's seal has receive the approval to accomplish the task assigned by God. 6. The seal of completion and security. Rom. 15:28 "so after completed (sealed) this task have made sure (sealed) that they received this fruit...(and have sealed this fruit. KJV)." Those who receive the seal are completed and secured before God in the work of restoration. When Christ was able to finish His task and was crucified, the Romans sealed His tomb to make sure He was totally secured from the hands of the apostle (Matt. 27:66). The man made seal was broken up when Christ was resurrected, but God's seal will never be broken by the power of the enemy. 7. The seal of protection. Rev. 9:4 "They were told not to damage the grass of the earth or any green growth or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads." NRSV. There is no protection to those who will not receive the seal of the living God in the final conflict. 8. The seal of righteousness. Rom. 4;11 "And he (Abraham) received the sign of circumcision, a seal of righteousness." Those who receive God's seal have a sign that they are righteous before God. Those who did not overcome sin by not trusting fully to Christ will never receive this seal. 9. The seal of the Holy Spirit. Eph. 1:13,14 "Having believed you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is the deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession---to the praise of his glory." God's seal is being represented by the Holy Spirit, bringing all the characteristics of the seal of God given above. The Holy Spirit as a seal brings the law of God in the heart and mind (Heb. 8:10; 2 Cor. 3:3).

7 There is a preliminary and final outpouring of the Holy Spirit; the early and the latter rain mention in Joel 2 and Acts 2. It represents the initial and the final sealing through the work of the Hol Spirit. In Revelation 7:1-8, the final sealing will be accomplished before the time of trouble. 10. The seal of redemption. Eph. 4:30 "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you are sealed for the day of redemption." through the Holy Spirit we received the seal of redemption from God. Those who receive the final seal have received the eternal security from the grasp of evil. They will be eternally saved. They had chosen to become loyal to God for eternity. But no one will receive the final seal without being faithful to the initial seal of salvation that they have received from the time of their conversion. Note: The final sealing, is the Work of God. Salvation is God's work from inside to outside of every believing soul. Those who received the final seal have received the completion of the restoration of his character into God's image. The seal is the sign of the finished work of creation and recreation or redemption. Special Note: 1. The Initial Sealing, occurs in the time of justification (Christ character imputed to the believer and the Holy Spirit is poured upon Him), and, 2. The Final Seal Occurs as the fruit of sanctification (Christ character is being imparted through the Holy Spirit, Christian perfection, its maturity and purity or unblemished character is reach). Each one of us today must receive the final seal of God by receiving the Holy Spirit by forsaking all sin and weaknesses and by grasping the merits of Christ: 5T.214 "Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost." EW.71 "I also saw that many do not realize what they must be in order to live in the sight of the Lord without a high priest in the sanctuary through the time of trouble. Those who receive the seal of the living God and are protected in the time of trouble must reflect the image of Jesus fully." "...I saw that none could share the "refreshing" unless they obtain the victory over every besetment, over pride, selfishness, love of the world, and over every wrong word and action. We should, therefore, be drawing nearer and nearer to the Lord and be earnestly seeking that preparation necessary to enable us to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord." Note: If the disciples had received the Holy Spirit in the early rain, we can receive the Holy Spirit too as we follow the instruction of the Lord and to faithfully wait the coming of the Holy

8 Spirit by repentance, praising and worshiping the Lord, and by unselfishly serving and loving one another. IV. THE TIME OF SEALING First, to the disciples, the 120, Second, to the great multitude (God's people from different countries) had heard the disciples preaching and believed Note: There are phases of sealing like the disciples time; Eze. 9:4 The sealing will be done in the people of God, symbolize by Jerusalem. Acts 17:29 "Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being (the Deity, NRSV) is like gold or silver or stone---an image (charagmati, from the root word charagma) (graven, NRSV) (or idol) made by man's design and skill." Eze. 9:5, 6 The slaughter will begin in the sanctuary, with the elders and ministers before the temple. Note: If the slaughter will begin in the sanctuary, then the sealing must begin first to the people who serve in it, then to those people throughout the church who are stewards of the truth. 1 Pet. 4:17 "For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God." NRSV. V. THE SEALING OF THE 144,000 Rev. 7:1-4 The sealing of the 144,000 is before the worldwide time of trouble. Verse 4 The 144,000 have come from the 12 tribes of Israel. They are the numbered group from God's people around the world representing the people who have received the seal of God. Rev. 7:9-17 The great multitude came from the unnumbered people of God from around the world. Note: The 144,000 is an exact number representing the first group who received the seal. The great multitude is the second group who will receive the seal and which are the people brought by the 144,000 to the Lord. The Biblical counting of people is a system that a man represents the rest of the member of his family. The 144,000 is the core group of the saved in the last days. Rev. 18:1-4 The angel represents God's people who will call God's people still scattered in the Babylonian religious organizations. They are the sealed group, the Spirit filled group who will call the great multitude to come out from Babylon.

9 The 144,000 is the first one being called to come out from the world first and became the main group of the God's church and will become instrumental to save the great multitude. VI. THE SEALING OF THE GREAT MULTITUDES The sealing of the great multitude will be done after the organized church faithful members are sealed. The sealing of the great multitude will be accomplished after they are called out from Babylon. CT532 "Very precious to God is His work in the earth. Christ and heavenly angels are watching it every moment. As we draw near to the coming of Christ, more and still more of missionary work will engage our efforts. The message of the renewing power of God's grace will be carried to every country and clime, until the truth shall belt the world. Of the number of them that shall be sealed will be those who have come from every nation and kindred and tongue and people. From every country will be gathered men and women who will stand before the throne of God and before the Lamb, crying, "Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb." Revelation 7:10. But before this work can be accomplished, we must experience here in our own country the work of the Holy Spirit upon our hearts." The great multitude is being distinguished from other groups as they will be arranged before God; GC664,665 "Nearest the throne are those who were once zealous in the cause of Satan, but who, plucked as brands from the burning, have followed their Saviour with deep, intense devotion. Next are those who perfected Christian characters in the midst of falsehood and infidelity, those who honored the law of God when the Christian world declared it void, and the millions, of all ages, who were martyred for their faith. And beyond is the "great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues,... before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands." Revelation 7:9. Their warfare is ended, their victory won. They have run the race and reached the prize. The palm branch in their hands is a symbol of their triumph, the white robe an emblem of the spotless righteousness of Christ which now is theirs." REFLECTION You, my brother, have much to bear, and I want you to see that much grace is provided if you bear them loyally. You will be the gainer healthwise, and little things that disturb your peace will lose their agency to affect you. You may have a calm trust in God. And if you cling to Jesus He will be at your right hand to help you. In your hurry and in the pressure of cares, there is danger of mistakes occurring of judging harshly, your words wounding deeply, and your own soul's peace broken up, and your becoming agitated and unbalanced. If you will guard your words, and be more mild and thoughtful in treating the erring, your influence will be increased fifty- fold.

10 God wants you to be a strong man in self-control, strong because you have the meekness and lowliness of Christ. If you would impress upon the wax a clear and vivid impression of the seal, you would not dash the seal upon it in hasty, violent action; but you would carefully place the seal on the plastic wax, and quietly and steadily press it down, until it has hardened in the mold. In like manner deal with human souls. The continuity of Christian influence upon minds trains the soul after Christ and puts through human instrumentalities the new life implanted by the Spirit of God after His own divine likeness.--letter 20, Ellen G. White Estate Washington, D. C. May 12, Entire Letter. {19MR 99.3} INSIGHTS: 1. Seal of God: The image of God in Christ. It is a sign based on what God has done, is doing and will do for us. It is an ensign of who God is and His relationship to us, His creations. Sealing work will be accomplished by allowing the Creator-Redeemer to finish His work in and out of us.--it in revolves on spiritual humility, --on Christ It centers on true worship, the worship through spirit and truth, through Christ. The Seal is the union of the will of God and the will of His creation. 2. Mark of he beast: The impression of man s devising. It is a sign based on what man has done, is doing and will do to himself. It is an ensign centered on what man can do. Marking work will be accomplished by trying to do the things on what God should do and by not doing what man are supposed to do. It revolves on Spiritual pride, --on self. It centers on counterfeit worship, the worship through what man can do---the idols. The Mark is the domination of man s will over God s will.