"And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee." Paul uses a financial term to describe the gift of the Holy Spirit given to those who believe in and follow Jesus. The Holy Spirit is given as a "down payment" or "deposit" or "guarantee” of a future inheritance. This "guarantee" refers to the first installment paid as a pledge of faithfulness to complete a purchase. The indwelling Holy Spirit is a down-payment on the life that Jesus has purchased for us--eternal life. By the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit God gives a foretaste of the life to come that He has prepared for His people. The gift of the Holy Spirit is God's pledge to us that we can receive eternal life through Christ Jesus:
"For all the promises of God find their Yes in him" (vs. 20). Jesus is God's big YES to humanity and the gift of the Holy Spirit assures you that God is saying Yes to you!
