Sealed with the Holy Spirit as the Guarantee of Our Inheritance

When we are sealed with the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation we can never walk away from Christ.

Ephesians 1:13-14

13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise, 14 who is a first installment (guarantee) of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory."

No one who is authentically born again ever walks away from Christ. Those who appear to do so were never born again, they are pretenders in need of salvation for the first time.

Matthew 7:21-23

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many [a]miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’"

Pretenders look so much like authentic believers that sometimes we cannot see that they are pretenders except for the fruit of the Spirit which God told us would be evident to us. If they lack it we will know, if they have the fruit we will know that also.

Matthew 7:15-20

You Will Know Them by Their Fruit

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them."

What is the fruit of the Spirit? The fruit is the character qualities of the Holy Spirit, they are not works but do produce good works.

Galatians 5:22-23

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law.