Three times in Paul's epistles the concept of an earnest inheritance is set forth. The passages are given below:
"Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts" (2 Corinthians 1: 22).
"Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 5: 5).
"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
"Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory" (Ephesians 1: 13-14).
There seem to be some common denominators. There is a sealing power making the promises of ordinances complete. Such sealing power transcends time and place. Jesus said to Peter, "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16: 19).
Thus, ordinances performed on earth becoming binding in heaven, and are of endless duration. Precious promises require obedience and full purpose of heart to make them come to fruition. And so it is the Holy Ghost, who places a stamp of approval, ratifying each ordinance and associated covenant, causing them to be of eternal significance.
All three of these passages mention the role of the Spirit, or Holy Ghost, in the Lord's inheritance planned for you. But how do we endure the mortal and mundane, while keeping hope alive for eternal promises appearing to be so distant in the future? In reality, your "purchased possession" has already been purchased in full--lock, stock, and barrel.
The word earnest in each of these passages is actually a financial term. I can relate to this, being a banker. In all of the above passages, the word money could be added to earnest. When you buy a house and want to "seal the deal," you do so by paying earnest money to hold the purchased possession. It's like a layaway, or a down payment. Here is a link to the Greek word, translated as earnest in each passage.
I don't know about you, but for me, when I read some of the precious promises, it's impossible to wrap my little finite mind around eternal concepts like these. The Lord promises,
"And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them—Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths . . . and if ye abide in my covenant, . . . it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever.
"Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them" (D&C 132: 19-20).
That's a lot to comprehend! So God gives bits and pieces, an earnest deposit here and there, for you and me to glimpse the things of eternity. Maybe you feel an intense outpouring of the Spirit as you attend the temple and everything seems transported to a higher realm, where you actually feel a little heaven on earth. Maybe it's a little tender mercy of the Lord--something you perceive might have gone terribly wrong, and you were spared. Maybe you feel forgiveness in spite of weakness, and felt you were given more than you deserved. Perhaps you feel sorrow at the loss of a loved one, as members of our family are feeling at this time, and yet the Spirit comforts as it whispers those precious promises of reunion and the sweet peace testifying that you will see them again and "God shall wipe away all tears . . . and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" (Revelation 21: 4).
To keep you and preserve you until that final redemption, God gives a down payment to keep you pressing forward on the path. You taste of His goodness and know there is more--much more, when you are ready to receive the gift, until the final redemption when you receive of His fullness, and of His grace (see D&C 76: 94).
But just like buying a house, there comes a day of settlement. You go to a closing and a HUD-1 Settlement Statement is given showing the full purchase price, minus the down payment or earnest money. In finite, mortal terms, it's easy math, but in eternal measure dealing with infinite terms, like those listed above, it's rather staggering.
The apostle Peter explains the purchasing power:
"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
"But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Peter 1: 18-19).
All the silver and gold in this world could not purchase you and redeem you, but Jesus Christ can.
The full balance was paid in a garden, and again on a cross.
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