The third word, "_anointed_," indicates the _purpose_ of this filling;
it is to qualify for living and for service. It is the word commonly
used in the Old Testament for the setting apart of the tabernacle to its
holy use; and of priests and kings, and sometimes prophets for service
and leadership. In the New Testament it is four times used of Jesus,
each time in connection with His public ministry.[11] Paul uses it of
himself in answering those who had criticised his work and leadership at
Corinth.[12] And John uses it twice in speaking of ability to discern
and teach the truth.[13] It is the _power_ word, indicating that the
Holy Spirit's coming is for the specific purpose of setting us apart,
and to qualify us for right living, and for acceptable and helpful
service.
The fourth word, "_sealed_," explains our personal connection with the
Lord Jesus. It is used once by Paul in writing to his friends at
Corinth, and twice in the Ephesian epistle.[14] The seal was used, and
still is to mark ownership. In our lumber regions up in the Northwest it
is customary to clear a small spot on a log and strike it with the blunt
end of a hatchet containing the initials of the owner, and then send it
adrift down the stream with hundreds of others, and though it may float
miles unguarded, that mark of ownership is respected. On the Western
plains it is common to see mules with an initial branded on the flank.
In both cases the initial is the owner's seal, recognized by law as
sufficient evidence of ownership. So the Holy Spirit is Jesus' ownership
mark stamped upon us to indicate that we belong to Him. He is our sole
Owner. And if any of us are not allowing Him to have full control of His
property, we are dealing dishonestly. Sealed is the _property_ or
_ownership_ word.
The last one of these words, "_earnest_," is a peculiarly interesting
one. It is found three times in Paul's epistles.[15] An earnest is a
pledge given in advance as an evidence of good faith. We are familiar
with the usage of paying down a small part of the price agreed upon to
make a business transaction binding. In old English it is called caution
money. My mother has told me of seeing her mother many a time pay a
shilling in the Belfast market-house to insure the delivery of a bag of
potatoes, paying the remainder on its delivery.
Now here the Holy Spirit is called "the earnest of our inheritance unto
the redemption of the purchased possession." That means two things to
us: First--that the Holy Spirit now filling us is Jesus' pledge that He
has purchased us, and that some day He is coming back to claim His
possessions; and then that the measure of the Spirit's presence and
power now is only a foretaste of a greater fullness at the time of
coming back; a sort of partial advance payment which insures a payment
in full when the transaction is completed. Paul speaks of this to the
Romans as the _first fruits_ of the Spirit.[16]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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