Ephesians 1:13-14 13In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when in him you believed, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is the guarantee of our inheritance for the redemption of this possession, to the praise of his glory.
Paul now connects the gospel he has proclaimed in the opening of the letter with the Ephesian believers by shifting to the second person plural. He reflects back on when they heard the gospel and responded to it. Paul spent significant time in Ephesus in Acts 19. When he arrived, he found some believers there already, but their understanding and experience were limited. They believed in the gospel but had not received the Holy Spirit. After Paul baptized them, he laid his hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. The verses here in Ephesians could be a reference to that experience. The ideas are broad enough here that they could fit any believers and serve more as a summarizing reflection on what happens to people when they come to believe.
All that spiritually had happened to the Ephesians came about “in Christ.” The phrase “in him” or “in whom” is used twice in almost parallel phrases in v. 13. Two key stages are highlighted with temporal participles: when you heard and when you believed. This sequence is significant because it shows how people come to believe. They first must hear the gospel in a way that they understand, and then they put their faith in Jesus as a result.
The gospel is described with three other words that reveal some significant aspect of it. First, it is the word. It is the communication from God to humanity. This word must be proclaimed so that people can believe (Romans 10:14-15).
Second, it is truth. This is the authentic message from God. Even in Paul’s day, there were false teachers who were preaching a wrong version of the gospel. Ephesians does not have specific polemics against false teachers, but many of Paul’s letters address this issue. The letter more so provides the theological basis for dealing with false teaching, especially from Judaizers who were infiltrating many churches. One of Paul’s key themes is the unity between Jews and Gentiles and how the gospel breaks down the wall of separation (see ch. 2).
Third, the gospel is about salvation. The gospel is more than ethics or wise teaching. It gets to the heart of the human problem of sin. It bridges the gulf between sinful humanity and the Holy God. The message of the cross and empty tomb provide hope for eternal life beyond death. This is the utmost concern of the human situation.
After hearing and believing, the Ephesians were sealed by the promised Holy Sprit. This seal provides a guarantee of what is to follow. The Holy Spirit is God’s “down payment” that guarantees eternal life. As Paul wrote in Romans 8:16, the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirits that we are God’s children. This is a strong statement of experience. Salvation moves from the head (hearing and believing) to the heart and life through experience. This is more than emotions but is a deep sense of peace and assurance. Our consciences are clear because God has removed the penalty of sin and replace our fear of judgment with the hope of eternal life.
Verse 14 gives further description of the Holy Spirit who is the guarantee of our inheritance. The word guarantee is like a deposit made to assure that the rest of the payment will be given. The gift of the Holy Spirit is God’s way of giving us assurance that the gospel is true and the promises found in Jesus Christ will be fulfilled. The inheritance we receive is eternal life. That is our hope. All the risks we take, trials we endure, and good works that we perform all have the ultimate goal of eternal life. The Holy Spirit works in our life until our last breath. The Holy Spirit is like the certificate we are given that we can one day cash in and receive what has been promised to us.
This is all to the praise of God’s glory. It shows the wonder of the plan of salvation. This is all made possible in and through Christ. This opening section has profound and uplifting thoughts for those who believe. The promises should motivate us to be faithful to Christ, even when the going gets tough. The presence of the Holy Spirit is key to knowing and having the assurance of this hope.
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