Sealed

Some words are used soo often and with such familiarity that we become somewhat cavalier regarding their meaning .
Have you thought of the word ‘sealed’ recently?

I looked it up in an online dictionary and was struck with the strength of the word.
The given definitions used word phrases such as -- Established or determined irrevocably, incapable of being retracted or revoked, closed or secured , to close tightly or surround with a barricade.
That gives ‘sealed’ a pretty solid ring of permanency and authority.

The word – sealed- is a biblical word and I love the law of first usage in scripture to give us the intended understanding of the word.

We have the word first used in the story of Cain.

Cain was a young man who would be a case in point against all the modern psychology that lays blame for a young man going wrong, at the feet of his parents and social environment.
Cain had no such excuses.
He had parents who learned parenting directly from God, there was no bad crowd to fall in with, no temptations of worldly interests or amusement places, no drugs to craze his mind.
He lived in as sterile a world as ever anyone has.
Yet as a grown man, he went wrong . Sin lurked in his heart waiting for expression and when his ‘unworthy’ offering to God was not accepted and his brother Abel’s was, he turned in rage toward his brother and killed him.

Sin must be punished. God sentenced Cain to be cursed from the earth to be a fugitive banned from the face of God.
It is interesting that Cain’s immediate response was fear of the very thing he himself was guilty of --- murder.
God responded to his fear that someone would find him with murderous intent by setting a mark (or seal) on him that would prevent anyone from killing him. We are not told what this mark said. Perhaps “under God’s protection” ? Whatever it was , it was powerful enough to ensure Cain’s life.

I was thinking of this the other day, and scriptures came to mind like 2 Co 1:22 “who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”

If we belong to Jesus, we are SEALED. But what does this mean, practically speaking?

In Cain’s situation it meant that no enemy could take his life. There is another verse in Ez. 9:6 that also speaks of a seal protecting from judgement and death. In Rev. 7:3 again we are told that harm will not come to those who are sealed by God.

Holding true to the scriptural meaning given, having God’s seal means that we can walk among the enemy without fear. Satan cannot touch us, harm cannot overtake us -- we are safe ! This is no ordinary seal placed upon us … it is the seal of God. Need we fear it will not recognized or respected? I think not.

We can walk through our days without fear of what the enemy may do. He can only lurk on the sidelines trying to taunt or confuse us with his lies…but we , marked by the seal of God, have the freedom to simply ignore him.

Next time you are afraid … think on this … You are sealed by the God of the Universe!! You are safe!
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The Beauty of God's Cure

Have you ever thought about why it is that our human default is to rebel against a 'law' ?

I came to a new understanding of God's law this week when I was looking at Gal. 5:22,23 in a morning bible study I enjoy with a dear friend.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."

The words "against such there is no law" caught at my attention, as they had so often before.

I suddenly wondered if there was anything to be gleaned from the Greek word translated 'law'.

I found that there was.

The first part of the definition given goes like this... "animal grazing, a prescribed usage".

Perhaps at first glance you might just respond with a "huh?"

But think about it.

When we are ill, we go to the doctor who will, if our condition warrents it, write out a prescription and with it instructions for its usage.

We do not complain about taking the 'cure', we even pay good money to get it and take it faithfully, trusting in its ability to restore us to health.

But perhaps this explains our reluctance to 'obey' a law - it reminds us that we are not well and we rebel against being 'sick' and needing medicene!

If we take this picture to understand God's 'law', we have a new way of understanding it.

Is it not because His people were 'ill' with sin, that God prescribed the 'law' and gave them instructions for it usage?

And if they filled His perscription, taking it faithfully, they could trust that it would bring about their cure!

If you think about the Greek word reference to grazing animals ... is their perscription not 'grass' and they graze according to the 'prescribed usage' ??

But wait... does our verse not say "against such there is no law" ?

Yes.. it does because there has been a great change in our condition.

Jesus, who fulfilled the 'law' , exacted for His followers, not a new prescription to take when we feel ill... but a cure! And with the cure gave us a 'higher law' to PRESERVE our health!

The higher 'law' is that if we live by the fruit of the Spirit we will not need a 'law' because no 'ills' can come against the fruit of the Spirit.... we will be immune to sin if we trust in Him and give the Holy Spirit full reign in our hearts !

1Jn 2:10 "He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him."

Of course we are not yet perfect ! but that is our goal ! "Be perfect, even as I am perfect", says the Lord. We can only be perfect if 'love' is perfected in our hearts.

The NT believers were warned not to go back to living by the old 'law'. The old 'law' is outdated, it has lost its effectiveness - it can no longer restore to health.

We must take the new 'prescription' -- living by the law of Christ... love God with all your heart and your neighbour as yourself --- and giving evidence of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life!

Then you will need no law to cure you... you will walk and live in health !!!!

Rom 13:8 "Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law"

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