| “God, who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts” (2 Corinthians 1:21-22). |
| “That Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14). |
| The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is more than simply “another Comforter,” although this is a very important part of His work in us. But He is also a “seal,” and “the earnest of our inheritance.” What does this mean? |
| When something is sealed, it carries authority. Maybe you have seen a document that has a special seal or a stamp on it, perhaps from a lawyer’s office, or a government official. This means that what is in the document is true and real, for it has been stamped by someone with authority. God does this with us too, by sending down His Holy Spirit to live in us. We now belong to Him! |
| But what does the word “earnest” mean? When people buy something large, like a house, they usually make an offer to buy it for a certain amount of money. When they sign their offer, they give the seller some “earnest money” (down payment money), to show that they really want that house, and that they are willing to pay the amount of money on the paper. If the seller accepts the offer, but the buyer decides that he does not want the house, then the seller keeps the “earnest money.” |
| But the Lord wants us so badly that He has given something as a down payment that is worth more than we are! He has sent His Holy Spirit to live in us! What are we worth, compared to the Spirit of God? Yet God sends down His Holy Spirit, to assure us that He will complete His purchase. When will that happen? |
| It will happen when the Lord Jesus comes back to take us home, and we get our glorified bodies. Then God will complete His purchase of us, although the price has already been paid at Calvary’s cross. But God wants us to be completely convinced that He will keep His promise, so He has sent down His Holy Spirit to live in us. This is so wonderful. We sometimes do not realize how much God wants us for Himself! |
