Day 7: Deposit
"Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." 2 Corinthians 1:21-22
"Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." 2 Corinthians 5:5
Paul tells us in his second letter to the Corinthians that God has given us His Spirit as a deposit. A deposit is a part of something that is given in advance that will guarantee/promise the full amount or sum will follow. What does Paul say the Spirit is a deposit of? The Spirit guarantees now, what is to come later. But what is to come later? We must explore the context of these verses in order to answer that question.
The NIV Study notes for 2 Corinthians 5:5 says, "The Holy Spirit applies the benefits of Christ's redeeming work to the hearts of believers and makes His resurrection power a reality of their daily existence." So, let's look back a bit to see what Paul is talking about.
"We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. [Here is our reminder of our own death and resurrection in Christ: Our resurrection life!] For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." 2 Corinthians 4:10-17
Living the resurrection life - our new life in Christ - in this life through the power of God's Spirit will "guarantee our eventual transformation into the likeness of Christ's glorified body" (NIV Study notes con't). Let's see how Paul describes this elsewhere for more understanding.
"We ourselves, who have the firstfruits [deposit, guarantee] of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies." Romans 8:23
"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." Philippians 3:20-21
"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, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory." Ephesians 1:13-14
So, the life we live in this life, with its 'light and momentary troubles" (2 Cor. 4:17), is a life-long process of being conformed into the image of Christ. This life in the here-and-now is preparation for an eternal life of glory, where we will live fully transformed in the likeness of Christ. The Holy Spirit in us now is a deposit, not only of our present salvation in Christ, but also as a guarantee of our future inheritance - an eternal glory.
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I love the simplicity of these pages, the colors and the word layout. I am inspired to use the layout of the colored left and right sides, in my journal - thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
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