Sealed and Safe in the Spirit

People living up north who experience real winters must laugh their socks off when we Texans suffer through our own “little” winter weather events.

A little ice, a little snow, temps in the teens for a few days – and life in Texas grinds to a halt. Meanwhile, somewhere in Minnesota, a second-grader, wrapped in six layers of winter gear and wearing insulated boots, trudges three blocks through eight inches of snow to wait on the school bus.

The problem here in Texas is that we’re just not prepared. We don’t own six layers of winter gear and insulated boots. We own tank tops and flip-flops. We’re more likely to deal with sand sticking to our Chapstick during a dust storm than slogging through snow. And driving?! Oh, no. You don’t want to see that.

So we strip the shelves of every grocery store as we hunker down. School is canceled. Businesses close. And we wait for the danger to pass. Then when we hear the “all clear” of ice melting off the eaves of our roofs, we cautiously venture out. We’ve survived yet another “snowmageddon.”

We do have a sense of humor about it all, though. We know we’re big babies so we’ve learned to make fun of ourselves. When the weather folks on the evening news start to get excited about incoming cold fronts and possible snow accumulations, memes pop up on social media: “Texas is closed today. We’re busy looking for our jackets.” Photos of feet in wool socks awkwardly stuffed into flip-flops start showing up. And once the storm has passed, the strongest of the strong will post: “Marked ‘safe’ from Snowmageddon 2025.”

We Texans can poke fun at ourselves about being safe after a little snow and ice, but there are real threats in the world. When hard things hit – whether relationally, health-wise or from a myriad of other sources – we all naturally scurry for safety and security.

There is an aspect of God’s character that tends to cause us to seek shelter – and rightfully so. While everyone is just fine thinking about God’s love, there’s seldom talk at the dinner table about His wrath. The reality is that every aspect of God’s character is equal. He’s not “more” love than wisdom or omnipotence or justice. All of His attributes combine to constitute His perfect character.

While man’s wrath is an unfiltered, unbridled rage that splatters onto not only the object of his fury but innocents as well, God’s wrath is a perfect, measured punishment in just response to an offense against His holiness and His people. It’s directed and delivered specifically upon the one who commits the wrong.

The bad news is that because of our own rebellion against God, we’re all objects of His wrath. We’re unable to meet the standard of perfection set in place by His holiness.

The good news is that because God is love, He desires reconciliation with us. So He made a way for us to be cleansed from our unrighteousness. When His Son Jesus took on flesh and became one of us, He took on our sin. He took our just punishment by dying on the cross in our place. And He conquered death and sin so that we might be reconciled to God the Father.

Heartbreakingly, many reject this miraculous gift. But those who believe and accept His pardon instantly and irrevocably receive God’s Holy Spirit as a seal – a “down payment” guaranteeing our eternity with God.

As we live out our earthly lives, the Spirit renews us. He changes our desires, hopes, and emotions to be more and more like Jesus. He helps us to see our sin, turn from it, and overcome it by His power. He gives us a deepening love for God’s Word, God’s presence, God’s will, and God’s people. We’re pledged to Him for the day of redemption.

We’re marked “safe” from God’s holy and righteous wrath because we’re forever His. His invitation to safety under the Lordship of Christ is for all and stands until time runs out.

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“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, Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of His glory.” – 1 Corinthians 1:13-14

“…Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” – Romans 8:14-16

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, Whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” – Titus 3:4-7

“The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” – Revelation 22:17