Insoluble Seal

“He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.” (Joh 3:33 AV)

This can become confusing because of how we view a seal.  The speaker here is John the Baptist.  This statement is in response to a quarrel between John’s disciples and the disciples of our LORD.  The argument was over who Jesus was and the relationship between the two ministries.  After John’s dissertation of who Jesus is, agreeing with the Spirit that indeed Jesus is the Christ, he makes the statement above.  In essence, John is saying that he has received the testimony that Jesus is the Christ and has determined that God is true or faithful, sealing this truth within his heart.  The confusion can come when we consider what a seal might be.  In some cultures, a seal is the authority behind what is written within.  Like the seal Daniel’s king placed on the law and the lion’s pit.  Once sealed, the law became to higher authority.  In our case above, John’s seal did not grant the authority over the truth that God is faithful. 

The way in which to look at this is the seal of testimony.  This seal is not a seal of authority, but of unwavering allegiance to that which one sets his seal to.  Think of a important document which one knows will come under scrutiny.  It used to be that before signatures were used, a seal was used.  A signet was often used as one’s legal identification to a document.  Remember Judah?  His daughter-in-law played the harlot.  She received his signet as payment.  This was particularly important because that signet was, for all intents and purposes, his word.  Anything sealed with it bare the honor and word of the one to whom the signet belonged.  Once sealed, the seal cannot be undone.  It was permanent.  Today, we have similar tools.  They are presses with an organization’s seal as the impression.  If an official letter goes out, it is pressed with the seal.  This indicated the contents of the document are genuine and the one sealing binds itself, himself, or herself, to the information therein.  The seal, then, becomes and irreversible identification with what was sealed.  Not the authority behind it, but rather, an unbreakable identification with it.

Which brings us to the statement John made.  John had a brief moment of weakness while awaiting his execution.  He sent his disciples to inquire of Jesus whether He indeed was the Christ.  Jesus sent back word in the form of the witness of John’s disciples of the miracles which He did.  Then, Jesus clearly states there is no greater than John the Baptist in the kingdom of God.  Just because circumstances may cause of to briefly question our faith does not meant he seal is broken.  If we truly have received Christ as our Savior, then we have set to our seal that God is faithful.  We set to our seal that He has forgiven and has saved.  A funny thing about those pressed seals.  One can melt off an ancient was seal.  However, have you ever tried to press out a seal?  Impossible.  One can make it hard to see, but it is there.  It cannot be undone.

So, when times of doubt and fear come – and they will – remember the seal.  It is still there.  If we have accepted Christ; if we have grown in the grace of the knowledge of the LORD Jesus Christ; if we have lived through hard times and seen God faithful; then no matter what we may be feeling at the time, the seal is still there.  Nothing can undo what has been done in the past.  To God be the glory!  That seal will forever be impressed on the table of our hearts that God is true.  He said He would send His son way back in Genesis chapter three.  And He did!  He said He said He would offer salvation to all and He has.  He promised that whosoever would call upon Christ would be saved.  And we are!  Now, we need to remember that God does not change and that He will never leave us nor forsake us.  That seal cannot be removed!