Eph 1:13 In whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation, in Him also believing, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of the promise, (14) Who is the pledge of our inheritance...
We are God's possession, and as our owner, God has put a seal upon us. Because God is our inheritance, we also need the pledging of the Holy Spirit as a guarantee. We shall inherit all that God is, that is, His Person, and all that God has, that is, His work. For such an inheritance, the Holy Spirit is the pledge, the guarantee. The Greek word for "pledge" in verse 14 also means foretaste, guarantee, token payment guaranteeing the full payment, a part payment in advance. Since God is our inheritance, the Holy Spirit is a pledge of this inheritance to us. God gives His Holy Spirit to us, not only as a guarantee of our inheritance, securing our heritage, but also as a foretaste of what we shall inherit of God. By enjoying the sample we have a foretaste of what is coming. Suppose someone gives me ten peaches from his peach orchard. Theses peaches are a sample and a foretaste of the produce of the whole orchard. As those who are to inherit God, we have the Holy Spirit as a pledge, guarantee, and down payment of our inheritance. The foretaste gives us a taste of God; the full taste is yet to come.
Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible and Words of Ministry from Witness Lee, Life-study of Ephesians, pp. 114. Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA. Please visit us at www.emanna.com. Send comments to: [email protected].
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