The Down-Payment on Your Inheritance

2 Corinthians 1:21, 22

Jesus promised that He was going away to prepare a place for us to dwell, and that when He was finished, He would return again and take us home (John 14:1-3). The Bible calls this place, heaven; a place where Jesus is the light and we will never die. Heaven is the final piece of our inheritance, one which is due to us as adopted sons of the Father (Galatians 4:7).

When you buy a home, the bank often requires that you make some form of down-payment on the property. This assures that your collateral has value from the first day of your loan, and it provides the bank with security, that you have a vested interest in repaying the note. Your down-payment can also be used to hold a property, allowing you to secure the remainder of the funds.

Christ has paid for all of our inheritance. His payment was not only adequate in the eyes of God, but was actually an overpayment for our sins. So great was the finished work of Christ, that God sees no more sin in the life of the believer, and He provides all abounding grace every time we fail (Romans 5:20).

We cannot take possession of all of our inheritance yet, as much of it is not of this world. But God has established us in Christ and anointed us as His vessels (2 Corinthians 1:21). Furthermore, He has sealed us and given us the earnest of His Spirit in our hearts (1:22). The seal of the Spirit is not to bind us with unbreakable cords to a life of slavery and hardship, but rather, the seal is to keep us secure in the Father, with no fear of contamination from a world of sin and pain.

The word “earnest” in the King James Version of the Bible is “arrabon” in Greek, meaning “money given as down-payment; or earnest money”. Paul uses it again in 2 Corinthians 5:5: “Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit”. Again, in Ephesians 1:14, “Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory”. Every time, it is referring to the Holy Spirit in us as a down-payment by God, assuring us that the inheritance is ours.

Don’t view the Holy Spirit inside of you as a traffic cop, blowing His whistle to tell you when to go, and staring you down when you disobey. He is your Comforter, and He loves you unconditionally. He has been placed in you by the Father to remind you of your right standing, regardless of how bad things might get (John 16:10). He is the guarantee in all believers that we are the righteousness of God in Christ, and that we will make heaven as our eternal home.

Rejoice in the Lord today for the seal of the Spirit in your heart. You are guarded by the Spirit from every harmful attack of the enemy, and nothing can penetrate your heart, to take away what is rightfully yours by Jesus’ blood. Praise the Lord!

The Stumbling Block and the Foolishness

1 Corinthians 1:23

It seems that the world has nothing but good things to say about the life and statements of Jesus. They frequently quote Him in everything from motivational books to Hollywood movies. His birth is celebrated the world over, and His life is viewed as a model of virtue and peace. The cross of Christ, however, has never enjoyed the universal appeal that is so often associated with the man, Christ Jesus. The finished work, where Jesus paid the sin debt for the world, is not only ignored, but is often in dispute as to whether or not it ever even happened.

Paul was unashamed to declare that he preached Christ, crucified. The emphasis placed on “crucified” shows us that there are more ways to preach Jesus. There is certainly nothing wrong with preaching of the birth, life or principles of Jesus, but it is His death that changed the world. His finished work brought peace between God and men, ending the war that had waged for nearly four thousand years.

To the Jew, Paul called the cross a “stumbling block”; to the Gentile, “foolishness”. The Jews had received the Law at the hands of Moses and they felt that the keeping of that Law entitled them to eternal life. The Law demanded works, and the cross declared that the work was finished. Many Jews “stumbled” at the prospect of righteousness apart from works.

Gentiles then and now, often view that finished work as foolish. While the Jew stumbles at the cross because they feel righteous through the Law, the Gentile feels that they need no redeemer. Thus, the prospect of someone dying for them is a foolish one. I have actually had some say to me that they didn’t see the need for Jesus to die for them. I’m glad He died for me!

Both Jew and Gentile share a common problem; both trust in their ability to save them. The Jew trusts the Law while the Gentile trusts their wisdom and intellect. Only when one comes to the saving knowledge of Christ do they see that the cross is the apex of power and wisdom. Paul says that, “the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25).

When you hear the cross of Christ preached, you are hearing the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18). It is power to us, because we have had its effects at work in our heart. We know what we used to be, but the death of Christ brought death to our old nature, and a new start to our lives. Thanks be to God for that Old Rugged Cross!

See His finished work today as having been done on your behalf. He was cursed so that you could be blessed. He was rejected so that you would always be accepted. He finished it all, so that you could have it all. God bless.