σφραγίζω (Sphragizo)

MEANINGTo seal, to mark as owned and secured. Strong's G4972: 'to stamp (with a signet or private mark) for security or preservation'.

GRAMMARG4972. Ephesians 1:13 has the aorist passive esphragisthete, and the order in the sentence is exact: 'after that ye believed, ye were sealed'.

SIGNIFICANCEA seal in the ancient world marked ownership and guaranteed security; a wax seal on a document was both signature and lock. Believers are sealed 'unto the day of redemption' (Eph 4:30): the seal lasts until the goal, not until the next failure. It is God's own Spirit, so the guarantee is God's. A seal that could break is no seal.

KEY VERSE / SCRIPTURESEphesians 1:13 (after that ye believed, ye were sealed); Ephesians 4:30 (unto the day of redemption).

CROSS-REFERENCESἀῥραβών arrabon (G728) · /answers/sphragizo · /answers/once-saved-always-saved