Sealed and Given Earnest 2 Corinthians 1:22

Paul the apostle told the church members in Corinth how God, “establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us”, and in chapter one and verse twenty-two of Second Corinthians, Paul declared to the church members how God has, “sealed us” and “given the earnest of the Spirit”, where we read:

Who has also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

The verse begins, “Who has also sealed us, ...” Paul began with the word, “Who has also” which means “God indeed and even so has” “sealed” or “set a mark upon by the impress of a seal or a stamp” “us” which means “Paul, his companions and the church members”. Paul shared how God “marked” or “set a seal” upon the believers.

The verse goes on to say, “... and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” Paul added the words, “and given us” which means “God has bestowed, granted, supplied, furnished and delivered” “the earnest” which refers to “money which in purchases is given as a pledge or down-payment that the full amount will subsequently be paid” “of the Spirit” or “of the third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit who is coequal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son” “in our hearts” which means “in the understanding, faculty and seat of intelligence within Paul, his companions and the church members”.

When we consider these words from Paul, we see how God not only “established and anointed” he, his companions and the church members, but He “set a mark” upon them as a “down payment or security deposit” comprised of “His Spirit” within their “hearts”. This promise or “deposit” is given to everyone who will submit their lives to Jesus, and when they do, God shall “seal” them with evidential proof that what He has promised, He shall fulfill.

Next time Paul calls upon, “God for a record upon my soul”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.