“in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, WHO IS THE GUARANTEE OF OUR INHERITANCE UNTIL THE REDEMPTION OF THE PURCHASED POSSESSION, to the praise of His glory.” --Ephesians 1:13b-14
Stanley Tools places a lifetime warranty on all the tape measures they make. If the tape measure should ever prove to be defective, then Stanley will replace it for free. As a Home Depot employee, I have seen several people bring their Stanley tape measures in, expecting us to replace them. They are shocked when we refuse. They get angry, accusing us of not standing behind the product we sell.
The reason we refuse to replace the tape measures, however, is because problem with the tape measure is not covered under the warranty. The most common occurrence is that a person will leave his tape measure out in the rain. I know it sounds silly, but people do that. As a result of being left out in the rain, the tape measure rusts and will not function properly. When this happens, it is not the fault of the manufacturer, and we are not obligated to replace it for free.
A guarantee, however, is different than a warranty. A guarantee is unconditional. If Stanley had placed a guarantee on their tape measures, then the Home Depot would be obligated to replace any tape measure brought back to us when it fails to work properly, no matter what the cause.
In verse 11, Paul says that we have obtained an inheritance through Jesus Christ. Now in verse 14, Paul says that our inheritance is guaranteed. This is perhaps the strongest case that can be made for the eternal security of the believer. Paul is saying, “If you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, you will receive your inheritance, no matter what.”
“Oh,” you say, “but what about those who turn their backs on Christ; those who say ‘I no longer want to be a Christian. I no longer want to have anything to do with God or Jesus Christ.’? Have they not lost their salvation?”
I would suggest to you that such a person never was truly saved to begin with. They are those described in I John 2:19: “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.”
Theoretically speaking, once you are saved, you can commit all the sin you want to and still be saved. However, the truth of eternal security does not grant us a license to sin. And in fact, those who are saved will not live a lifestyle of sin. The indwelling Holy Spirit will work in your life in such a manner as to make you want to obey God, and He will enable you to obey.
If there is some sin in your life that you have been unable to overcome, be of good courage. God knows your heart. He knows you have a desire to be holy. He promises to complete within you the work of sanctification, which He began the day you became His. And the seal of the Holy Spirit guarantees that when you pass from this life to the next, you will receive your inheritance. The guarantee is unconditional. Nothing you will ever do can render it null and void.