This term refers to the Holy Spirit taking up residence in a person upon his believing “the gospel of his salvation” (Eph. 1:13; 4:30; 2 Cor. 1:22). He thereby understands that he has been marked out as being Christ’s, and as a result, he has a conscious understanding that his soul’s salvation is eternally secure.
The seal of the Spirit has not so much to do with others knowing that we are Christ’s, but rather that we know our security in Him. H. P. Barker said, “The leading thought connected with sealing in Scripture is that of security. A thing was sealed to make it secure for its owner” (The Holy Spirit Here Today, p. 33). The “earnest of the Spirit” (2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5; Eph. 1:14) and the “anointing [unction] from the Holy One” (1 John 2:20, 27) also refer to the Spirit’s indwelling presence, but they have to do with different functions of the Spirit in the believer. (See Earnest of the Spirit and Unction.)
Many Christians are not clear as to when the sealing of the Spirit takes place in a soul’s history with God. Most think that a person receives the Holy Spirit (“anointed,” “sealed,” and given “the earnest” – 2 Cor. 1:21-22) when he is born again (quickened). However, this is not what Scripture teaches. A quickened or born again person will not be anointed, sealed, and given the earnest of the Spirit until he rests on the finished work of Christ. Quickening and sealing are two distinct actions of the Spirit that do not occur at the same time in a person’s history with God. A person may be quickened (born again) by the Spirit and the Word without him having any conscious knowledge of the gospel of God’s grace (John 3:3-8). But sealing, anointing, and having the earnest of the Spirit require a person understanding the truth of the gospel concerning Christ’s finished work on the cross and resting in faith on it for his soul’s salvation.
These two actions of the Holy Spirit must not be confused. We are “born of the Spirit” (John 3:8) and are thereby given a divine life, and thus become the children of God. But it is not until we are “sealed with the Holy Spirit” (Eph. 1:13) upon believing on the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work that we become sons of God (Rom. 8:14-15; Gal. 4:6-7). Sonship refers to having a favoured place in the family of God. (See Adoption.) Upon receiving of the Holy Spirit, the believer’s conscience is purged (Heb. 9:14) and he is made part of the body of Christ (Eph. 2:16-18). (See Born Again, Deliverance, and Salvation.)
Regarding the difference between quickening and sealing, J. N. Darby said, “The indwelling of the Holy Ghost is a very different thing from the quickening power of the Spirit. The Old Testament saints were subjects of this quickening power of the Spirit, but the indwelling of the Holy Ghost could not be till Jesus was glorified. Instances given in the Acts where there was an interval of time to make us sensible of the distinction of the two” (Collected Writings, vol. 26, p. 8). A. P. Cecil said, “I believe Scripture plainly teaches not only a distinction between new birth and sealing with the Spirit, but also an interval of time between the two things. It may be long or short; but the interval of time is there, in the same way as when a man builds his house, and afterwards dwells in it” (Helps by the Way, vol. 3, NS, p. 175). F. G. Patterson said, “These two actions of the Holy Ghost are never, as far as I know, synchronous—they do not happen at the same moment” (Scripture Queries and Answers, Words of Truth, vol. 3, p. 138).
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John 6:27 states that the Lord Jesus was “sealed” with the Holy Spirit. This is a reference to what occurred at His baptism (John 1:29-33). He, of course, did not need cleansing before the Spirit could rest upon Him, just as Aaron (a type of Christ) did not need to be sprinkled with blood—as did his sons who are a type of the Church—before he was anointed with oil, which is a type of the Holy Spirit (Lev. 8:12).