04 25 08 From Day One…Until Forever

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,
by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
(Ephesians 4:30 NKJV)

It is an established fact, attested by both Scripture and experience, that at the time a person realizes his spiritual state, accepts Christ as Savior and Lord, and prays for the Lord to forgive his sin, the Holy Spirit enters the believing sinner to take up permanent residence. The initial work of the Spirit, after having brought about conviction to the heart, is to create a new nature within. His full title is the Holy Spirit, and His divine nature grieves when any wrong thought, word, or deed occupies the mind or body of the believer. He hates sin as mentioned by Paul: lying, anger, stealing, and evil speaking. The Holy Spirit is a Person with personal feelings. He may be grieved.

Since He has secured our eternal redemption, we will be most ungrateful if we cause Him to grieve. His Presence with us should make us desire to lay aside all that is unholy and not like Him. Sin pains the Holy Spirit. Grieving Him is synonymous with backsliding. Only when we give the Holy Spirit His rightful place can we expect a revival within us personally and within the Body of Christ. He makes us holy.
The assurance is added that believers “are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Paul had said:

“Ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession.” (Eph. 1:13, 14 NET)

Here in chapter four, he tells us how long we are sealed (“unto the day of redemption”). The day of redemption is not the day Christ died to redeem each believer. Christ’s death was the payment for our redemption and His finished work at Calvary paid in full the penalty of our sins. But the believers’ redemption will not be fully experienced until Christ comes back for His own and redeems our bodies. We are

“waiting … for the redemption of our body” (Rom. 8:22, 23).

When our Lord returns He will recognize all of the redeemed, since God has impressed His Spirit upon us as the seal and mark of ownership, FROM DAY ONE…UNTIL FOREVER.