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Read Introduction to Ephesians

 

14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

 

The Holy Spirit is a deposit who guarantees our future inheritance.

who [the Holy Spirit] is the guarantee [earnest, pledge] of our inheritance

The “guarantee” of the Holy Spirit is more than a pledge, for it is a down payment or installment with a guarantee of more to come (2 Co 1:22; 5:5). A “guarantee” or earnest is a down payment for first installment to pledge future fulfillment. The first payment indicates that the rest will follow. The deposit of the Holy Spirit in our lives is a guarantee that we will receive our inheritance from God.

2 Co 1:13, In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

The Holy Spirit is God’s present deposit guaranteeing our future inheritance with Him. An engagement ring is a guarantee of marriage one day.

until [unto] the redemption

God seals the believer with the Holy Spirit until (unto) the redemption of those who are His possession. The translation “unto” indicates that it is for the purpose of guaranteeing our redemption. God’s eternal purpose in Christ was that Gentile believers were to be incorporated into the one people of God.

Eph 4:30, And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

The “day of redemption” here is our ultimate redemption, the deliverance from all sin and evil.

of the purchased [acquired] possession,

“Redemption” here is not forgiveness of sin (1:7). The redemption at this point in the passage is when the believer’s body (the purchased possession) is saved eternally. In eternity our bodies will never again be influenced by sin. Believers are the Lord’s heritage or His personal possession (Ac 20:28).

The words “purchased possession” mean the thing acquired—that is, the body in heaven. The sealing of the indwelling Holy Spirit guarantees that even our body will be saved one day. No one will limp on the golden streets, be guided by a seeing eye dog, or tap on those streets with a white cane. One day God will redeem us body, soul, and spirit.

to the praise of His glory.

Paul repeated this phrase from verses 6 and 12 for the third time. The ultimate aim for God’s sealing of Gentile believers with the Holy Spirit is His own glory. This aim is both theocentric and Christocentric.

PRINCIPLE:

God seals the bodies of believers with the Holy Spirit until their eternal redemption.

APPLICATION:

We highly value things that require a high price. Redemption in verse 7 gives the title of a saved person. Redemption in verse 14 provides the full salvation of not only our soul and spirit but also of our body and person. Redemption of verse 7 is the first stage of salvation; redemption of verse 14 is the final stage of salvation (Ro 8:23; Eph 4:30).

The deposit of the Holy Spirit in our lives is a small deposit of our future inheritance. He is our pledge, which guarantees eternal life. The Holy Spirit is both the foretaste and pledge of all that God laid up for us in heaven. The Holy Spirit Himself is the seal. God marks the believer as His own by this sealing.

We do not receive the Holy Spirit by pleading or expecting a second experience after salvation. We receive salvation and the indwelling Holy Spirit simultaneously. At the very moment we believe that Jesus paid for our sins, we receive the Holy Spirit.

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