"What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about – but not before God. What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him." Is this blessedness only for the circumcised or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness. Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them." (Romans 4:1-11 NIV)
Circumcision, Paul says, was to Abraham "a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith." The faith came first, and by it the proclamation by God that Abraham was righteous, and then Abraham was circumcised. Paul stresses this to the Jews in the church at Rome so that they will understand that circumcision does nothing to make one righteous. And this he did so that they would stop comparing themselves to the Gentile Christians and thinking themselves superior even in righteousness to the Gentiles. Circumcision was only a mark that said to the world that Abraham (and his descendants) had been set apart, by a faith that led to righteousness; circumcision was the seal of the signet ring of the King (God Himself) that said "Abraham is mine."
The seal of the Lord is a permanent affixment. The seal of the Lord is given only to those who are righteous by faith; not to those who proclaim themselves righteous because of their own acts or their own works. It is placed only upon those who believe.
"And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God." (James 2:23)
When we take God's Word as absolute truth, and live in such a way that shows clearly that we believe what it says, then it is imputed to us for righteousness.
"Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." (Hebrews 10:38)
In the days of Moses and Aaron, one of the garments that Aaron was given to wear as the High Priest was a head covering, called a mitre, on which was placed a seal that was also indicative of being set apart for the Lord:
"Make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD." (Exodus 28:36 NIV)
The seal was placed on the headpiece in such a way that the words "Holy to the Lord" were seen to be on the forehead of Aaron. Holiness means set apart. We who believe in Jesus Christ have become "Holy to the Lord." We have been set apart, even as Aaron was. We have become priests (1 Peter 2:9).
Since the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, there has been a new seal given in place of circumcision, that confirms our righteousness, that confirms we have been set apart for God:
"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit." (Ephesians 1L13 NIV)
The seal of the Holy Spirit confirms that we are "marked in Him" – in Jesus Christ, or belonging to Him.
We do not set out to get for ourselves the Holy Spirit; it is the seal that is given to us once we have believed in Jesus Christ, God's Word.
It behooves us then, as the church, to not neglect those parts of the Word of God that have to do with the Holy Spirit. Part of working out our own salvation with fear and trembling, as Paul advises us to do in Philippians 2:12, is in confirming that we have the Holy Spirit in us according to what the Word of God says the Holy Spirit in us looks like. If we find that we do not have the Holy Spirit in us as the Word describes, then it would be confirmation to us that we do not have salvation. And I do not mean that if we don't speak in tongues we don't have the Holy Spirit (although I do believe that speaking in tongues is a part of it…some receive that gifting immediately, while for some there is a delay. Nevertheless, it should never be forced. It is a real gift that WILL happen in time.) There are many aspects of the Holy Spirit; many confirming signs, besides tongues, that tell us whether the Holy Spirit dwells within us or not. The Holy Spirit is that seal set upon the headpiece of the priest that says "Holy to the Lord." Except now the seal is placed within us, written in our foreheads, even as it was worn upon Aaron's forehead.
But those Christians who neglect or avoid areas in the Word that deal with the Holy Spirit, either out of fear or pride (not wanting the "foolishness" of God), are neglecting the confirming sign or seal that lets them know once and for all that they are owned by God. Without evidence of the Holy Spirit working in our lives, we have no evidence that we are sealed unto righteousness.
"And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." (Ephesians 4:30)
Faith, righteousness, sealed by the Spirit of God, redemption. That is the order of salvation in us through Jesus Christ.
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