The Holy Spirit marks a believer permanently as one of His by baptism and sealing. We are identified with Him and owned by Him. Tabernacle Baptist Church, Holy Spirit series

1. MARKED FOR
LIFE
The Spirit’s works of baptism and sealing
NOOMA

2. INTRODUCTION

3. INTRODUCTION

4. INTRODUCTION
The Spirit is given to every believer as a
permanent identifying mark of new life.
– Both baptism and sealing occur as part of the
“package deal” at salvation
– You don’t have to ask for, work for, pray for,
prepare for, or grow up into the Spirit
– Baptism is always about identification
– Sealing is principally about ownership

5. SPIRIT BAPTISM
1. Spirit baptism is a unique experience to
post-Pentecost believers. (Acts 1:5, 8; 2:1-4)
– John the Baptizer preached a future baptism by
Spirit (Mt 3:11 // Mk 1:8// Lk 3:16 // Jn 1:33)
– Jesus taught a future baptism by Spirit (Acts 1:5,
11:16)

6. SPIRIT BAPTISM
2. Spirit baptism is a universal experience for
post-Pentecost believers.
– The letters were written to diverse churches
with believers in various spiritual conditions
– Paul refers to “all” being baptized
– The unity in one Lord and one faith is marked
also by one baptism (Eph 4:5)
– No exhortation is ever given to believers to be
baptized by the Spirit

7. SPIRIT BAPTISM
3. Spirit baptism identifies and unites believers
to the body of Christ (the church). (1 Cor
12:12-13; Eph 4:1-6)
– The “body of Christ” is an exclusively NT
expression (distinct from people of God)
– Christ, its head, took His place after His
resurrection & ascension (Eph 1:22-23; Col 1:18-19)
– This unity with all, without prejudice or
segregation, is possible because of the Spirit

8. SPIRIT BAPTISM
4. Spirit baptism identifies believers with
Christ permanently. (Rom 6:1-5; Gal 3:27; Col 2:12)
– It is not the same as water baptism
– Water baptism is a symbolic declaration that
Spirit baptism has occurred
– Spirit baptism is the indicator that we are in
union with Christ, and therefore secure
– It does not give any believer miracle-working
powers as evidence of their faith

9. SPIRIT SEALING
1. God seals the believer and gives him the
Spirit in guarantee of eternal life. (2 Cor 1:22;
Eph 1:13-14, 4:30)
– The Spirit marks the believer as belonging to
Christ
– The believer is going to receive an inheritance
of eternal life, according to the promise of God
– No exhortation is ever given to believers to be
sealed by the Spirit

10. SPECIAL CASES: ACTS
• Acts is a transitional book moving between
the times of the OT and the NT.
• “After the events of Pentecost we find no
other clear cases of such postconversion
experience among Jews.” Millard J Erickson
– Acts 8 (Samaritans) and Acts 10 (Gentiles) are
episodes that follow the pattern of Acts 2 (Jews)
– There are no delays described beyond Acts

11. CONCLUSIONS
“The Spirit’s baptizing and sealing work are
very closely related, and both occur at the
same time though they are not identical.
Baptism has to do with providing the vital
relationship between the believer and Christ
and believers and each other. Sealing signifies
ownership and security.”
Robert P Lightner

12. CONCLUSIONS
“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”
2 Cor 9:15, NASB
• Thank the Spirit for His works (gifts to us) of
– regeneration
– identification
– preservation