If the Spirit as “a seal” is living and dynamic, so is He as “the guarantee” (Ephesians 1:13-14). Business documents often use this Greek word arrabon. One ancient note, written on papyrus, tells of a woman who sells a cow. She receives the first payment of one thousand drachmai (a kind of money). That amount is the arrabon – the guarantee or deposit or down payment – assuring that she will receive the remaining money owed to her. Hence arrabon is also translated “pledge,” “earnest” or “guarantee.”
God’s spoken pledge would be good enough, for God never lies. Whatever He promises comes true. But for our sakes God gives more. When assuring Abraham, for example, God adds weight to His promise by using a solemn oath. Why? “God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose” (Hebrews 6:17). In Abraham’s case, God swears the oath by His own name, for no greater name exists. Now, for those in the New Covenant, God gives more than His majestic, ineffable name. By giving His Spirit in pledge, He gives Himself. “…a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22).2 No greater person exists!3 Here is the best pledge possible, and it – or rather He – is our solemn guarantee that we finally receive our full inheritance!
Again, we should see this guarantee as having more than symbolic value. Take, for example, our weakness in changing sinful habits (Romans 7:14-24). Because of Christ’s death, God allows “no condemnation” to touch us in Christ (Romans 8:1-2). Then God goes further. He throws Himself into the battle for our success. His Spirit becomes the agent for defeating sinful behavior as we submit to His will. “If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Romans 8:13-14). Paul prays for our spiritual eyes to open and see twin realities: “His glorious inheritance” and His great power for us4 – power to reach that inheritance.5 Paul calls that strength, “the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe” (Ephesians 1:19). That power is both “for us” and “at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20). Your hope of glory rests, not on your feeble self, but on the conquering King, “Christ in you.”
To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me (Colossians 1:27,29).
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith… (Ephesians 3:14-17). M
We used to struggle, without allies, in a losing war. Now the entire family – Father, Son and Holy Spirit,6 followed by countless brothers and sisters – come to our aid in a winning war.7 The Spirit as a pledge, therefore, serves as more than a certificate of guarantee. He also guarantees – actively and effectively – our successful inheritance. As we trust and follow, no matter how often we stumble, Jesus keeps this family promise:
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you”… “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:18,23).
2. The Lord is the Spirit, 2 Corinthians 3:18
3. Isiah 43:10-13; 44:6,8; 45:5-7
5. Or, power to be that inheritance. The “inheritance” in Ephesians 1:18 most likely refers to what saints will receive from God, but it may mean that the saints themselves are God’s inheritance or possession, a word use found in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 4:20; Psalms 2:8), but very unusual in New Testament Greek.
6. Research subject – Father, Son, Spirit: Matthew 28:19; 3:16-17; 11:27; 17:8; John 14:16-23; 3:35-36; 5:19-23; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; 13:14; Galatians 4:6; Philippians 2:1; Hebrews 1:5; 2 Peter 1:17; 1 John 1:3; 2:22-24; 2 John 1:9
7. Research subject – Winning: Matthew 16:18; Luke 10:19-20; John 16:33; Romans 8:37; 12:21; 1 Corinthians 9:24; 15:57-58; 2 Corinthians 2:14; Philippians 1:19; 3:14; Colossians 2:15; 1 John 2:13-14; 4:4; 5:4-5; Revelation 2:11,26; 12:11; 15:2; 17:14; 19:11-21; 21:7; 1 Samuel 17:47; 2 Chronicles 20:15; Psalms 24:8; 44:3-7; 108:13; 112:6-8; 118:14-15; 140:7; Proverbs 2:7; 21:31; Daniel 2:44; 7:14,18,27
Picture: “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord” (Genesis 22:16). God used His own name, YHWH (highlighted in the Hebrew text above), to confirm His promise to Abraham. Many Jews held that name as too sacred to say aloud. Now God assures us by giving us even more than His sacred name.