Ephesians 11:13-14 “Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession - to the praise of His glory.”
The Holy Spirit is referred here and in several other places in the Bible as a deposit, first installment, earnest or a seal in the hearts of Christians. The gift of the Spirit to Believers is in essence a “down payment” on our heavenly inheritance which Christ has secured for us on the cross. The word for deposit, earnest, etc. here is from the Greek word “Arrabon” which means a pledge or part of the full purchase money given in advance as security that the amount will be paid in full. Today we say deposit or down-payment. When we pay a deposit on a house we are offering a small security that is our commitment to pay the full purchase price within a certain amount of time. What God is saying is that the Holy Spirit is the security or assurance given by Him guaranteeing that we are saved and will finally inherit Eternal Life in the last day. The Holy Spirit is in essence the “seal” of God letting us know that we are His and that nothing can separate us from Him. In the book of Romans, chapter 8, Paul reminds us “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The Bible is clear: True Followers of Jesus Christ have been given a “down payment” or guarantee, that God will one day grant us Eternal Life in His Kingdom which has no end. He pays us a deposit right now and we are told to look upon it as a guarantee that one day it will be paid in full!
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Dear Lord,
Thank you for your Holy Spirit! We know that this world is no longer our home and we look forward to the day when we will be home with You. What a blessing this assurance is to us and I pray that none of us will take it for granted! May we eagerly share the riches of Your love and Your grace with others in hopes that they will desire to be a part of Your family also. You are our Comforter and our Peace! May we reflect Your likeness as we set out each day to make a difference!
In Jesus Name,
Amen