A Guaranteed Inheritance

Ephesians 1:11-14

Paul told the church at Ephesus, and thus he is telling us, that we have redemption through the blood of Jesus, the forgiveness of sins, and all of it according to the riches of God’s grace (Ephesians 1:7). Paul believed in making the grace of God sound rich, as opposed to ‘just enough’. While some preach a grace that is only as good as your last sin, Paul preached a radical grace that covers all of your sins and encompasses the fullness of God’s goodness.

Because of rich grace, we have further obtained an inheritance. This inheritance is a guarantee, since Paul says that we “have obtained”. That phrase is odd to us if we are convinced that we are unworthy. If we are convinced of that, then we feel that we cannot possibly receive anything from the Lord, for we have not earned it. However, Paul’s message of grace was to inform us that the sins were forgiven and we were redeemed. If we believe that, then we can believe that the inheritance is ours!

As soon as you believed on Jesus Christ, “you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13). Just as a seal is placed on a jar to keep the goods secure inside, the Holy Spirit is sealing us to keep our righteousness safe inside of our hearts. That can is also sealed to keep the elements out of the goods, so that they retain their taste. The Holy Spirit is in us to seal us off from the tainted wickedness of this world. No matter what the believer goes through, there is nothing that can break through that seal. You can neither lose your righteousness, nor have the curse placed upon you, for the Holy Spirit is tireless in watching over you.

Paul concludes the thought with this statement, “Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:14). The ‘which is’ refers back to the previous verse, pointing to the Holy Spirit. The seal of the Spirit is the “earnest of our inheritance”. Unfortunately, the word ‘earnest’ doesn’t tell us much in our English translation, but in the Greek, of which the New Testament was originally written; it refers to a ‘down-payment’. Paul is telling us that the seal of the Spirit in our hearts is the down-payment on our inheritance. We may not see all of the inheritance now, but we have Holy Ghost earnest money laid down on it, so we are guaranteed that it is ours.

He says it again to the church at Corinth:

“Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; who hath also sealed us , and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts” (2 Corinthians 1:21, 22).

He also speaks of the inheritance to the church at Rome, assuring them that they will receive it, not because of their works or abilities but because they have entered into Christ, and they have the Holy Spirit in them. Look at what He does in us according to these verses, and how it assures our inheritance:

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Romans 8:16, 17)

You have the down-payment of the Spirit in your heart, and the guarantee of a heavenly inheritance. Rejoice in your salvation, and thank God for your joint-heir!

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!

A Guaranteed Inheritance

Ephesians 1:11-14

Paul told the church at Ephesus, and thus he is telling us, that we have redemption through the blood of Jesus, the forgiveness of sins, and all of it according to the riches of God’s grace (Ephesians 1:7). Paul believed in making the grace of God sound rich, as opposed to ‘just enough’. While some preach a grace that is only as good as your last sin, Paul preached a radical grace that covers all of your sins and encompasses the fullness of God’s goodness.

Because of rich grace, we have further obtained an inheritance. This inheritance is a guarantee, since Paul says that we “have obtained”. That phrase is odd to us if we are convinced that we are unworthy. If we are convinced of that, then we feel that we cannot possibly receive anything from the Lord, for we have not earned it. However, Paul’s message of grace was to inform us that the sins were forgiven and we were redeemed. If we believe that, then we can believe that the inheritance is ours!

As soon as you believed on Jesus Christ, “you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13). Just as a seal is placed on a jar to keep the goods secure inside, the Holy Spirit is sealing us to keep our righteousness safe inside of our hearts. That can is also sealed to keep the elements out of the goods, so that they retain their taste. The Holy Spirit is in us to seal us off from the tainted wickedness of this world. No matter what the believer goes through, there is nothing that can break through that seal. You can neither lose your righteousness, nor have the curse placed upon you, for the Holy Spirit is tireless in watching over you.

Paul concludes the thought with this statement, “Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:14). The ‘which is’ refers back to the previous verse, pointing to the Holy Spirit. The seal of the Spirit is the “earnest of our inheritance”. Unfortunately, the word ‘earnest’ doesn’t tell us much in our English translation, but in the Greek, of which the New Testament was originally written; it refers to a ‘down-payment’. Paul is telling us that the seal of the Spirit in our hearts is the down-payment on our inheritance. We may not see all of the inheritance now, but we have Holy Ghost earnest money laid down on it, so we are guaranteed that it is ours.

He says it again to the church at Corinth:

“Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; who hath also sealed us , and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts” (2 Corinthians 1:21, 22).

He also speaks of the inheritance to the church at Rome, assuring them that they will receive it, not because of their works or abilities but because they have entered into Christ, and they have the Holy Spirit in them. Look at what He does in us according to these verses, and how it assures our inheritance:

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Romans 8:16, 17)

You have the down-payment of the Spirit in your heart, and the guarantee of a heavenly inheritance. Rejoice in your salvation, and thank God for your joint-heir!

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!

A Guaranteed Inheritance

Ephesians 1:11-14

Paul told the church at Ephesus, and thus he is telling us, that we have redemption through the blood of Jesus, the forgiveness of sins, and all of it according to the riches of God’s grace (Ephesians 1:7). Paul believed in making the grace of God sound rich, as opposed to ‘just enough’. While some preach a grace that is only as good as your last sin, Paul preached a radical grace that covers all of your sins and encompasses the fullness of God’s goodness.

Because of rich grace, we have further obtained an inheritance. This inheritance is a guarantee, since Paul says that we “have obtained”. That phrase is odd to us if we are convinced that we are unworthy. If we are convinced of that, then we feel that we cannot possibly receive anything from the Lord, for we have not earned it. However, Paul’s message of grace was to inform us that the sins were forgiven and we were redeemed. If we believe that, then we can believe that the inheritance is ours!

As soon as you believed on Jesus Christ, “you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13). Just as a seal is placed on a jar to keep the goods secure inside, the Holy Spirit is sealing us to keep our righteousness safe inside of our hearts. That can is also sealed to keep the elements out of the goods, so that they retain their taste. The Holy Spirit is in us to seal us off from the tainted wickedness of this world. No matter what the believer goes through, there is nothing that can break through that seal. You can neither lose your righteousness, nor have the curse placed upon you, for the Holy Spirit is tireless in watching over you.

Paul concludes the thought with this statement, “Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:14). The ‘which is’ refers back to the previous verse, pointing to the Holy Spirit. The seal of the Spirit is the “earnest of our inheritance”. Unfortunately, the word ‘earnest’ doesn’t tell us much in our English translation, but in the Greek, of which the New Testament was originally written; it refers to a ‘down-payment’. Paul is telling us that the seal of the Spirit in our hearts is the down-payment on our inheritance. We may not see all of the inheritance now, but we have Holy Ghost earnest money laid down on it, so we are guaranteed that it is ours.

He says it again to the church at Corinth:

“Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; who hath also sealed us , and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts” (2 Corinthians 1:21, 22).

He also speaks of the inheritance to the church at Rome, assuring them that they will receive it, not because of their works or abilities but because they have entered into Christ, and they have the Holy Spirit in them. Look at what He does in us according to these verses, and how it assures our inheritance:

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Romans 8:16, 17)

You have the down-payment of the Spirit in your heart, and the guarantee of a heavenly inheritance. Rejoice in your salvation, and thank God for your joint-heir!

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!