The Deposit of the Spirit

 

During our series on the Holy Spirit my weekly E-Bulletin has been primarily specific devotionals, written by others, on the topic of the week. We have enjoyed the writings of C.H. Spurgeon, Charles Stanley, John Macarthur, A.W. Tozer, John Calvin, H.A. Ironside, Oswald Chambers, just to mention a few. But the one who I believe I have read and shared the most is the late Dr. R.C. Sproul. Today will be no different. His thinking on the book of Ephesians is so incisive and clear. Enjoy R.C. Sproul on Ephesians 1:13-14. 

 Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. [Eph. 1:13b–14a]

Sometimes we see banks named “Deposit Guaranty.” By their name these banks assure us that the money we place on deposit with them will be safe. Banks make such a pledge largely because the federal government insures banks to protect depositors. This is a weak guarantee, since any bank can fail, and civil governments rarely last more than a few centuries.

A bank guaranteed by an earthly government makes a shaky promise. Compare that with the guarantee Ephesians 1:13–14 gives us: God has given us in the Holy Spirit, a seal of our salvation and a deposit guarantee of our inheritance.

First, the Holy Spirit seals our salvation. When we want to make a document certain, we have it notarized. The notary watches us sign our name, and then signs his or her name as an assurance that our signature is authentic. The document is then embossed with a notary seal. The seal makes the notary public liable under law for the truth the seal attests. In premodern times a document was known to be authentic if it was sealed by the impress of the author’s signet into a bit of wax. No one but the author would have this particular signet ring or stamp, so the presence of the seal would show that the author approved the document.

The Holy Spirit has put God’s mark on us. Our being is the wax or clay into which the signet seal of the Holy Spirit has been impressed. We are documents, living epistles, and the Spirit shows that God approves us. God guarantees our authenticity. We can never lose our status as his people.

Second, the Spirit is a deposit of inheritance. If we want to buy a house and cannot pay for it outright, we go to a lending agency. To show that our intent to buy the house is serious the lender demands that we give a deposit to the seller as “earnest money.” Once the earnest payment is made, neither party can morally contract with anyone else while the loan is negotiated. That deposit is part of the total amount of the loan; the deposit stands behind the borrower’s pledge to pay it all.

The Holy Spirit is the deposit God has given us. He is the pledge that God will give us all the things promised in his Word.

Coram Deo (Latin for “In the Presence of God”)

Our inheritance is not as good as gold. It is as good as God.Since the Spirit is God himself, there is no way we can fail to receive the total inheritance he has guaranteed us. According to verse 14, why doesn’t God just go ahead and give us all the inheritance now? What is your part in bringing to pass what God is waiting for? Seek encouragement from the Word as you set about doing your task. 

See You Sunday, 

Pastor Byron 

Sunday’s primary text – Ephesians 1:13-14