God's Seal

Paul tells us "The Lord knows those who are His." (2 Tim.2:19) That person is sealed. The signet ring of God presses into a soft, believing heart his impression marking our lives with his insignia. Jesus knew who he was and that he had God's seal (John 6:27). We cannot validate our own tickets. Someone in authority has to stamp them. There is too much room for fraud. We need accreditation from someone qualified to certify that we meet the standards set.

When I went to Redland Christian Academy as the administrator one task I had was to pursue accreditation. There was a state-wide organization that set standards, did inspections, conducted interviews, and ultimately certified schools, setting their seal on them, affirming them to be a certain quality. We had to have so many books in the library. The teachers had to have certain credentials. The facility had to meet certain standards. The financial books had to be in order. One by one we met each criteria, except one, and that was ME. Even though I led the school through the process of becoming certified, I was not certifiable as an administrator. I didn't have the right degree. I had a Masters degree, but it was not in education. So if the school was to become certified, I had to resign. I never intended to make this a career, so it was no problem.

God did much to make sure his life-giving system was certified. He invested his considerable resources to make sure all was in place. And, he poured all these resources through one man, Jesus. The entire system of salvation depended on Him. If Jesus' credentials failed, the entire system would fail. So God endorsed Him personally and verbally three times (at least) while Jesus was on earth. God made sure that all prophesies concerning the Messiah were fulfilled in Jesus. God gave Jesus the right words to say in every situation. God empowered Jesus to perform a variety of miracles and signs indicating that He was the Christ. And, God enabled Jesus to live a sinless and holy life. God knows those who are His. Jesus was His man. Jesus was the one on whom God's seal was set. This was the work of God (John 6:29). But, His work is not done. God continues to set His seal on those who belong to Him. Paul tells us in 2 Cor.1:22 that God sets His seal of the Holy Spirit on those of us in Christ to identify, establish, and anoint us as His own.

My personal testimony that I belong to God really means little. His testimony that I belong to Him means everything. Peter taught us in Acts 2:38 that we receive the Holy Spirit, that special seal of God, when through faith we repent and are baptized into Jesus for the forgiveness of sins. This promise is for us today. I implore you on Christ's behalf to be reconciled to God, stand still, obey the gospel and allow Him to press His seal deep into your heart.