LEARNING DAILY

 

Ephesians 1:13-14, 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, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

 

It has been just over twenty-one years ago that we bought the house we live in. When we made an offer on the house, we had to write a check to go with the offer that served as a down payment; the technical term is earnest money. When a person says yes to God’s plan of salvation through Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit is that earnest payment or down payment guaranteeing our inheritance. The Believer’s inheritance consists of the promise of eternal life with God and all the spiritual blessings the heavenly Father gives to His people until they enter into His kingdom. The Holy Spirit seals each Believer to walk on the road to God’s kingdom as a guarantee of one’s salvation. A seal is a symbol of ownership; when you and I asked Jesus to forgive our sins, He did and that sealed us as His.

 

The teaching of the Holy Spirit and His role in the believer’s redemption is central to Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. It is important for every Believer to understand that the Holy Spirit is seal of God’s ownership. The Holy Spirit is our wisdom from above and helps us to read, study, and understand the Word of God. He motivates us to become more like Christ by helping us to stay on the narrow way and helps us to know when we walk too close to the edge or get off the narrow way when we sin; He is grieved when there is sin in the life of the Believer. He motivates us to be unified in the Christian faith through prayer and in spiritual warfare. He desires you and me to be continually filled and empowered to serve the Lord every day (yes, that is again referring to our walk on the narrow way).

 

I am not going to write out Ephesians 1:17-23. Take a moment to read them. Paul prays for the Ephesians to understand that God wants you and me as His inheritance! All of God’s riches are our inheritance; but more than that, He wants us to know His Son not just obtain knowledge about Him. Look what Paul says. The power of God – His energy, strength – belongs to every Believer who will use it. It is the same power that “raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him at the right hand in the heavenly places”. This power is in every Believer to help them become stronger in their faith, walk on the narrow way by overcoming sin in their life.

 

We need to be encouraged that Jesus Christ has conquered all things which include Satan, sin, and the grave. Knowing this should enable each of us to face the circumstances and temptations we face each day. The notes in the DJSB state, “Because of Christ’s great power, no sinner is beyond rescue, and no saint is beyond recovery.” That “is the hope of our calling and the riches and glory of His inheritance”.  

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB.