This article was written in response to a good question, so I'm including my answer for others asking the same question.

 

Regarding Ephesians 4:30, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” 

I recently heard someone say once someone accepts Jesus they were then "sealed for eternity" through the Holy Spirit. Since you all have studied this topic extensively, what is your take on this?  How would you explain it?  

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Here’s how I would explain it in brief,  to the best of my understanding. The very nature of the question leads into the gospel message, so it’s one that likely prompts further questions.

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Because we know that all scripture must fit together as true, because the scriptural evidence that a believer can fall away is so extensive, it serves as the backdrop to the scriptures about being sealed. I believe this passage nests inside the truth of the many passages (many which are found on this site). My brief conclusion is that our marking with a seal is testament to God’s faithfulness to follow through, but it does not obligate him if we do not meet the requirements he has laid out in the rest of scripture. Otherwise, as the late Bible scholar Michael Heiser has said, heaven would be filled with Baal worshipers.

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There’s a similar passage in Ephesians 1:13 that refers to the seal as a down payment. It says:

"And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation)—when you believed in Christ—you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit, who is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory."

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Again, that speaks of God’s faithfulness. Even in human terms however, a down payment does not guarantee the transaction if one party backs out. For example, you can put a down payment on a house. If you follow through with the purchase, your down payment goes toward the purchase price. If you back out, you can lose your down payment. I see this as parallel to John 10:28, “no one will snatch them from my hand.” No one can take our salvation. According to the broad warnings in scripture, we can fall away, and that reality does not compete with the point that no one else can make that happen.

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Coming back to the reference verse, the warning not to grieve the Holy Spirit seems significant.

Ephesians 4:30 “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

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Our modern take on grieving doesn’t seem too threatening, but according to Isaiah 63:10, it is threatening to grieve the Holy Spirit. It says:

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“But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit;
So He turned Himself against them as an enemy,
And He fought against them.” Isaiah 63:10

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There’s another verse in Jeremiah 16:5 that says

“Moreover I, the Lord, tell you: ‘Do not go into a house where they are having a funeral meal. Do not go there to mourn and express your sorrow for them. For I have stopped showing them my good favor, my love, and my compassion. I, the Lord, so affirm it! Jeremiah 16:5  NET (idiomatic and literal)

 

The NLT (paraphrase) says it like this:

“This is what the Lord says: “Do not go to funerals to mourn and show sympathy for these people, for I have removed my protection and peace from them. I have taken away my unfailing love and my mercy.”

 

It speaks of God removing his love but it was interesting to see it wasn’t his love failing, but because in vs 11, “they have rejected me and not obeyed my law.” They essentially failed to remain in him as John 15 teaches. "When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love." John 15:10

Most versions say lovingkindness as I recall, and additionally mercy, but it was interesting to see it wasn’t his love failing, but rather because they essentially failed to remain in him by obedience as John 15 teaches.I believe Romans 6:22 is full of insight about our salvation. I’m using the NLT here because I think it reads so clear, but I still see this message come through in more literal translations:

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“But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.” Romans 6:22

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We are declared righteous by faith (Rom. 5:1) but God is setting us free from the power of sin so that we can “do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.”  This is not earning our salvation, but scripture does teach responsibility is assigned to the believer. Romans 8:12-13 is one of numerous ways scripture demonstrates this truth:

 

“Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.  For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.”  Romans 8:12-13  

 

Did you observe the contingency? -If- through the power of the Spirit/you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature/you will live? We are empowered with the Spirit and commanded to action. And if not, in the second sentence of the passage, you can see there is another contingency--that if you live by its dictates (your sinful nature), you will die?

 

Sealing us demonstrates God’s faithfulness but does not obligate God to violate his own requirements.