Question: Praise God, I have a friend from the Seventh-Day Adventist religion who insists that the Sabbath and the Holy Spirit are equally the seal upon all believers in Christ Jesus. He argued that we need to have such a twofold seal as believers in Christ. He also accused me, as one from the Born-Again denomination, of lacking the seal of God since I do not observe the seventh day as the day of worship. My question is: is the seventh day also the seal? – Bahat
The Seventh Day and the Sabbath
It is not true that both the Sabbath day and the Holy Spirit are seals of believers in Christ.
The Seventh Day was an outward sign under the Mosaic covenant. It distinguished the worshippers of Yahweh from those who worshipped other gods (Exodus 31:12–13, 17; Ezekiel 20:12, 20). However, this covenant was nullified and replaced by the new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31–34; Hebrews 8:7, 13).
Christianity does not revolve around external observances of days. The seventh day was a shadow of the true Sabbath, who is Christ Himself (Colossians 2:16–17). Jesus invites us, “Come to me…and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28–29). He is the fulfilment of the Sabbath, not a day on the calendar.
What the Seventh Day is not
- Not the seal of Christians – The seventh day cannot be the seal of believers. Seals in Scripture represent divine ownership, not mere ritual observances. Christianity is not about outward shows but about Christ dwelling in us (John 14:17; 1 Corinthians 6:19).
- Not the Lord’s Day – The Lord’s Day is centred on the person and work of Jesus: His sacrifice, death, resurrection, ascension, and His coming again in the Spirit. The seventh day does not embody these divine realities.
- Not a guarantee of salvation – A seal guarantees ownership and security. The seventh day cannot guarantee salvation because it is not our Saviour. Jesus Christ alone saves, and His Spirit secures us eternally.
The purpose of a seal
In both government and biblical use, a seal carries three key meanings:
- Representation and authentication – A seal shows that what is marked belongs to and represents the authority of the one sealing. We were created in God’s image, not in the image of the seventh day. Therefore, the day cannot represent or authenticate us as God’s own.
- Ownership – Whatever bears a seal belongs to the one who sealed it. Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). We do not belong to the day; rather, we belong to God.
- Guarantee – A seal assures permanence and security. A believer’s salvation is guaranteed by the Spirit, not by observing a day. The seventh day cannot secure our inheritance in Christ.
The Holy Spirit is the true seal
The New Testament is clear: the Holy Spirit is God’s seal upon every believer.
- “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30).
- “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit” (2 Corinthians 1:21–22).
- “When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance” (Ephesians 1:13–14).
The Greek word arrhabōn (deposit or earnest) means a down payment—security of what is to come. God Himself seals His people with His Spirit as a pledge of eternal life. No one can break God’s seal.
Conclusion
The Sabbath day was a symbol, a shadow pointing to Christ. But in the new covenant, the reality has come, Jesus is our Sabbath rest. The seal of believers is not an external day but the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.
Those who claim that the seventh day is a seal misrepresent Scripture and diminish the sufficiency of Christ’s work. As Paul wrote, “The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6).
Therefore, let us not be deceived by false teachers. Our confidence, ownership, and eternal guarantee are not in a day but in the Spirit of God, who marks us as Christ’s own until the day of redemption.
Response by Isaiah White, A life coach and theologian contact: 0775822833, whitemwine@gmail.com
