Our Inheritance is Secure & Sure (Part One)

From the heart of Dr. Robert L. Taylor, Th.D., Bible Teacher & Expositor. Paul writes, “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14). According to this passage, when we believed, God secured us in Jesus with the seal and pledge of the Holy Spirit. Having the Holy Spirit means having the security of knowing that we belong to Jesus forever. I want each of you that knows Christ to personalize this. He wants you to feel the security of His unchanging love. Paul uses two powerful metaphors to drive home this point: You can feel secure in Christ because the Holy Spirit is the seal of God’s promises to you. Seals made things secure. The Roman guards sealed the tomb of Jesus so that no one could steal His body (Matt. 27:66). When you trusted in Christ, God sealed you with His Holy Spirit, making your salvation secure. No one can break God’s seal. So, the Holy Spirit is God’s seal, testifying to us that we are His for time and eternity. But, also you can feel secure in Christ because the Holy Spirit is the pledge of your inheritance in Christ. The word pledge is translated as “down payment or earnest money.” A down payment or earnest money is the first installment, with more of the same to follow. If you are selling a house, the other party gives you “earnest money” to show that he is serious and he plans to complete the deal. In the Greek language, the word used here for pledge is a token of a promise that says, “Take this for now, but there is more to follow!” Our inheritance is the sum total of all God has promised us in salvation. It includes a body that’ll never die, residence in the city whose architect and builder is God, and God living among us! This teaching signifies that the Holy Spirit's presence in believers' lives is a guarantee and a foretaste of the full blessings and glory that await them in eternity. It's a pledge from God, assuring them of the certainty of His promises. Be encouraged!