Holy Spirit - the Seal and Down Payment (1-7-2013)

January 7, 2013 - 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

1:21		那 在 基 督 裡 堅 固 我 們 和 你 們 、 並 且 膏 我 們 的 、 就 是 　 神 ．
1:22		他 又 用 印 印 了 我 們 、 並 賜 聖 靈 在 我 們 心 裡 作 憑 據 。 〔 原 文 作 質 〕

²¹ Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, ²² set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Thanks God that it is You who makes us stand firm in Christ that we are still his followers, and at the same time it is also God who anointed us with the Holy Spirit in us. The Holy Spirit signifies two things: (1) The Spirit being a seal of God's ownership on believers - we believers know that we belong to God forever. In the past, we belong to the world or to the sin, but now we belong to God that we are His children, his members of God's household, or his inheritance. (2) The Spirit being a guarantee, a deposit or even a one being kidnapped that awaits the time of the ransom to be paid that is at Christ's second coming. 

The Holy Spirit is the most precious gift given to each believer. Through the Holy Spirit, I know that I belong to God forever no matter how weak, imperfect, or of little faith I am. The Holy Spirit whispers in my heart that I am God's beloved son. He loves me forever. The Holy Spirit also affirms my faith that God one day, though I don't know when, will come back again to receive me into his eternity to be with Him forever as God must come back to be with His Spirit who now is indwelling in me. My Holy Spirit, I desire to speak with you and also hear from you that I know that I am not alone to walk this spiritual journey until to the day that God comes back again to receive me.