Foreword

During this quarter, Sabbath School students around the world will be studying the subject Sealed for Eternity. What does this mean? How might it be illustrated in a practical sense?

Often when you open a new jar or bottle of some type of food or medicine, beneath the lid there is an additional plastic seal which forms an extra barrier to shield the contents inside. This covering may bear an inscription such as, “Sealed for your protection.” It is designed to protect the contents from contamination and decay.

Likewise in the spiritual sense we are told that, throughout eternity, the kingdom of heaven is to be protected against the contamination of sin. Iniquity’s “affliction shall not rise up the second time” (Nahum 1:9). All who are redeemed for the kingdom of glory must have the seal of protection in order to maintain the purity of that perfect realm and to ensure their safe, continued adherence to the principles of the celestial government—both for their own protection and for that of others. All who would be saints in heaven must first become saints on earth. This process is a vital aspect of the plan of redemption.

“If you would impress upon the wax a clear and vivid impression of the seal, you would not dash the seal upon it in hasty, violent action; but you would carefully place the seal on the plastic wax, and quietly and steadily press it down, until it has hardened in the mold. In like manner deal with human souls. The continuity of Christian influence upon minds trains the soul after Christ and puts through human instrumentalities the new life implanted by the Spirit of God after His own divine likeness.”—Manuscript Releases, vol. 19, p. 100.

“Just as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads—it is not any seal or mark that can be seen, but a settling into the truth, both intellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be moved—just as soon as God’s people are sealed and prepared for the shaking, it will come. Indeed, it has begun already; the judgments of God are now upon the land, to give us warning, that we may know what is coming.”—The SDA Bible Commentary [E. G. White Comments], vol. 4, p. 1161.

The Holy Spirit of God is to deeply, clearly impress the character of Christ into our hearts and minds as a seal is indelibly impressed into wax. Then as the wax hardens, the seal endures as a lasting memorial. That the study of these lessons may be instrumental toward that aim is the earnest prayer of

The General Conference Sabbath School Department