God's Downpayment!
Ephesians 1:11-14
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purposeof his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Today, we start Paul's letter to the Ephesians. The church at Ephesus was located on the Western coast of modern day Turkey, across the Mediterranean Sea from Greece. See map below:
The letter to the Ephesians was a general pastoral letter many thought Paul wrote from prison in Rome, around A.D. 62. Ephesus was primarily written to new Gentile Christians, hence Paul teaches a lot in this letter on the unity and oneness we have in Christ. Ephesus is a critical port city on the west coast and thus a very strategic location for the spread of the gospel.
We see Paul's reference to Gentiles when he says, "You (Gentiles) were also included in Christ when you heard the message of the gospel." One of the things you will notice Ephesians is Paul's constant use the phrase, "In Him". The basis of our unity is being united in Christ. The is a spiritual connection that goes beyond race and other earthly differences. For Paul, the unity of the church is essential for it to carry out its task of preaching and teaching the gospel.
Paul knew the Ephesians Christians would be tested in their faith and possibly be tempted to conform to the very worldly culture where it was located. So Paul gives a very powerful statement about the presence of the Holy Spirit, and its assurance of our salvation in Christ. Paul says the Holy Spirit is a "deposit" guaranteering our future inheritance. This word is a loanword from the financial world Paul lived in, which is similar to a downpayment we make to guarantee a future payment. But the difference between our downpayment and God's is that there is no danger God will default on his obligation to make good on his promise.
What a gift the Holy Spirit is to us? When we have doubts, the Holy Spirit resides in us and reminds and encourages us that we are "In Him", and therefore our salvation and inheritance is secured in the bank of heaven. The Holy Spirit reminds us that it was not about what we do that assures us of our salvation but what God has done for us.
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purposeof his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Today, we start Paul's letter to the Ephesians. The church at Ephesus was located on the Western coast of modern day Turkey, across the Mediterranean Sea from Greece. See map below:
The letter to the Ephesians was a general pastoral letter many thought Paul wrote from prison in Rome, around A.D. 62. Ephesus was primarily written to new Gentile Christians, hence Paul teaches a lot in this letter on the unity and oneness we have in Christ. Ephesus is a critical port city on the west coast and thus a very strategic location for the spread of the gospel.
We see Paul's reference to Gentiles when he says, "You (Gentiles) were also included in Christ when you heard the message of the gospel." One of the things you will notice Ephesians is Paul's constant use the phrase, "In Him". The basis of our unity is being united in Christ. The is a spiritual connection that goes beyond race and other earthly differences. For Paul, the unity of the church is essential for it to carry out its task of preaching and teaching the gospel.
Paul knew the Ephesians Christians would be tested in their faith and possibly be tempted to conform to the very worldly culture where it was located. So Paul gives a very powerful statement about the presence of the Holy Spirit, and its assurance of our salvation in Christ. Paul says the Holy Spirit is a "deposit" guaranteering our future inheritance. This word is a loanword from the financial world Paul lived in, which is similar to a downpayment we make to guarantee a future payment. But the difference between our downpayment and God's is that there is no danger God will default on his obligation to make good on his promise.
What a gift the Holy Spirit is to us? When we have doubts, the Holy Spirit resides in us and reminds and encourages us that we are "In Him", and therefore our salvation and inheritance is secured in the bank of heaven. The Holy Spirit reminds us that it was not about what we do that assures us of our salvation but what God has done for us.
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