I would ask you to open your Bibles, please, to Ephesians, and the first chapter, Ephesians, and chapter 1. Now, in our study of the ordo salutis, or order of salvation, come again to the gift of the Holy Spirit and his various ministries. In our two previous installments, that is, last Lord's Day, we looked at the sealing of the Holy Spirit. You find it mentioned three times in the New Testament explicitly, 2 Corinthians 1.22, and then twice in Ephesians. Notice verse 13 of Ephesians 1. In him, that is in Christ, you also trusted after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also, having believed, or when you believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit. a promise, you were sealed. And then later in chapter four in verse 30, it talks about our being sealed by the spirit, with the spirit for the day of redemption. So as a seal, kind of an official stamp or the impress made by a king's signet ring, that mark of authority, well, as such seals were used of old, to authenticate genuineness, to mark out ownership, and to keep secure, Paul is here saying that that is the Holy Spirit himself to us as a seal given to each believer upon their trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ. So by his presence, by his work within, it's not simply something he does, he himself is the seal. And therefore, again, by his presence and by his work, he authenticates and assures that we are truly his God's saved people, that we're marked out as belonging to God, and now the spirit working in us, securing us to the end, all sealed for the day of redemption. In connection, with this sealing, more than once scripture tells us something more about the Holy Spirit in being given to us as God's seal. The Holy Spirit with his operations is also God's guarantee to us. Notice we've already read verse 13, but having talked about you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, Paul then says, verse 14, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of God. of his glory. So we're given the Holy Spirit as God's seal, and as such, Paul says, he is the guarantee. And this we find also in 2 Corinthians chapter 1, and that other passage in which sealing is mentioned, 2 Corinthians and chapter 1. Verse 21, now he who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. And this is the same word that's used there for sealing and for guarantee in Ephesians 1, 13 and 14. And you come back to, or you come to this matter of the spirit as a guarantee again later in this epistle. Come now to 2 Corinthians chapter five and notice verse five. Now, he who has prepared us, well, let me back up to verse four. For we who are in this tent grown, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now, he who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the spirit as a guarantee. Well, what does this mean? What does the Holy Spirit guarantee? How does he do that? And what practical application or effect should this have on us as the Lord's saved people? Well, I've just given you our four-point outline that we're going to follow in our consideration of these things. Firstly, what does this mean that the Holy Spirit Well, I think we all understand that language, a very familiar English word, guarantee. It's the assurance of a particular outcome. Maybe you see some item that's got a money back guarantee on it. That is to say, you use our product and we promise you, we guarantee it will have this particular result. If not, well, we'll give you your money back. You haven't lost a thing. English dictionaries define it as a pledge that something will be performed in a specific manner, and that's certainly included. in this as a guarantee. However, the word actually goes beyond that. That doesn't capture the full, that English wording doesn't capture the full meaning here. It's a word that was used in commercial transactions and perhaps it's better thought of as a down payment on something. In fact, I think the old King James translated earnest. Well, that's the idea. It's an old word. you know, partial payment is made in advance and assures that the rest would be coming. Well, that's a very common idea. I think everybody understands that even in today's world. You know, if somebody's buying a home, well, they come with their down payment, or they're buying a car, they come with a deposit. So the idea of a percentage paid in advance, like a deposit, to guarantee that full payment will come in due course. Well, that's the idea of the word here. With our receiving the Holy Spirit upon believing, well, he is God's seal, and he has given to us as a kind of down payment, a first installment, or if you please, as the pledge of more to come. That's what Paul is here saying. Now, Paul used a different word and concept to communicate, illustrate the same idea in Romans chapter eight. So I would ask you to come there, please. Romans chapter eight. And notice verse 23, because it's really saying the same thing, though it's using a different perhaps word picture to communicate it. Romans 8.23, not only that, but we also have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves, grown within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. So here we have the first fruits. of the Spirit. Now what's meant by firstfruits? Well, it's a word that was used for the first portion of the harvest. It makes sense, right? Firstfruits of it. It has, in the Old Testament, it was to be, that part was to be set apart and given to God, acknowledging that it all comes from Him. But also, at the same time, this offering up of the firstfruits, well, from God's perspective, it was a token of assurance that full harvest would be given and enjoy it. So there's the firstfruits. And so the word firstfruits, it expresses the same idea as the guarantee. Here's a pledge. Here's a proof of more to come. In fact, you can certainly see that illustrated. Remember when it talks about the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, the firstfruits from the dead of the resurrection? That is to say, his resurrection is proof of ours. That was the first installment, but now then there's going to be this great and glorious resurrection of all of his people. Well, that's the idea. It's the pledge of more to come. And so what Paul is saying here, Romans 8.28, or 8.23 rather, is the same thing he said, Ephesians 1 and 2 Corinthians, about the spirit as a guarantee. He's been given to us as a pledge, or as a deposit, guaranteeing more to come in the future. But now, that brings into our second question, or head, and that is, exactly what does the Holy Spirit guarantee? I mean, God's given them to us to guarantee something. Okay, but what? Well, these texts and their contexts speak of it in different ways, but they're all saying the same thing. The idea is he is given as a guarantee of our future blessedness, our everlasting future and blessedness. That's what's being guaranteed. Notice here in Romans chapter eight, it makes it clear that's what he's talking about, the redemption of our bodies. He's the first fruits, proving that. On Resurrection Day, when, as Paul's already said earlier in Romans 8, that we will be glorified together with Christ as joint heirs. Material creation will be set free from its bondage to corruption. We will be revealed as the sons of God by that glory given us at the end. And he says, we now have the first fruits. of the Spirit, that is the Holy Spirit has been given as the first fruits of all of this as the pledge of that coming glory. Well, Ephesians chapter 1, Perhaps you noticed the wording there when he said the Holy Spirit is given as a guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption, the full possession of those things. The idea, the concept of inheritance, as you know, is used consistently in the New Testament in particular to speak. of our future glory. Remember when Peter writes in 1 Peter 1 and verse 14, how there is for you laid up this inheritance, this uncorruptible, undefiled, will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you. It's your inheritance. Or when we read the Lord Jesus saying in Matthew 25, the king will then say to those on his right hand, come, you blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom. prepared for you from the foundation of the world, or even when we see our blessedness described in Revelation 21 and verse 8, sorry, verse 7, it speaks of how we inherit all things as God's sons. Well, that's common. Our future blessedness, our glory, described in terms of an inheritance, and it's a very significant wording. It's instructive in a number of ways because the word inheritance underscores that that which we receive, that eternal glory, it's all of grace. An inheritance isn't deserved, right? It's not somehow earned, worked for. No, it is bestowed because of a relationship. And so it is, our future glory is freely bestowed because of our relationship to God, which is our blessedness as his own children, and he's saying that the Holy Spirit has been given to us now as the guarantee of that future blessedness that we will inherit. That's Ephesians 1. Well, the passage in 2 Corinthians 1.22, it simply leaves it as saying the Spirit is the guarantee. But as we've seen, you come to 2 Corinthians 5, and Paul expands on that when he tells us what it is that the Spirit guarantees, 2 Corinthians 5, 5 again. Now he who has prepared us for this very thing is God who also has given the Spirit as a guarantee. As a guarantee of what? Well, he's just got through saying how this immortal is gonna put on immortality, it's gonna be swallowed up by immortality. He has clearly showed that what God is guaranteeing is our eternal blessedness, future. And the Spirit is given as a pledge of that and that we shall have these glorified bodies, much like what we saw there in Romans chapter 8. You notice what he says in verse 17 of chapter 4 here in 2 Corinthians, same context, our light affliction which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory while we do not look at the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal, for we know. that if our earthly house, this tent is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, and so forth. And so we groan now for this earnestly. And in light of it, because the Holy Spirit has given to us as the pledge, of that glorified body and of our eternal glory, our eternal blessedness and the glory that we will enjoy in those new bodies. Well, you notice he did say God has prepared us for this. This was God's purpose all along, that we should be glorified together with Christ. And he is then saying, and the Holy Spirit is given to you as his guarantee of God's personal pledge to each of his people of your future blessedness that he has promised us in Christ. God's deposit or even down payment. Now, let me ask you, do you appreciate what these verses say. The Holy Spirit is the guarantee, dear brother, dear sister, of a glorious outcome. You have been given the Holy Spirit as the pledge that he who began that good work, he's gonna complete it. The pledge as to what Jesus said, if I go again, I will come and receive you to myself and there we shall ever be with the Lord. The pledge that we shall see him and when we do we shall be like him and that we shall be glorified together with Christ, sharing his inheritance forever. And this guarantee is clearly something When Paul's referring to it in these passages, it's not saying, it's like, this is like justification, something in the record books of heaven. No, it's a guarantee to you. Something that is experiential, that's recognizable, if you please. It's designed to assure, just like when somebody says money back guarantee on this particular product, well that's to assure you you're safe in buying that product. Well, same way when we're told here the Holy Spirit is the guarantee, I mean, it's experiential, it's known. to assure you that this is so. Well, is that, is the Holy Spirit that to you? The guarantee. Do you know by experience what is meant here when it says the Spirit is given to you as the guarantee? Well that brings us to another question, our third head. How is it that the Holy Spirit is a guarantee to us of our future glory, our eternal blessedness? In other words, how does this work exactly? Is it by some kind of special operation of the Spirit? A kind of mystical experience or impression put upon us? No. Rather, it is by the Holy Spirit's indwelling presence and normal operations in the lives of Christians. That is the way in which he is the guarantee. We're forced to conclude that because as we've seen from both Ephesians 1 and 2 Corinthians 1, that the guarantee is really directly connected with the sealing of the spirit, right? It's, if you please, the outworking of the sealing, or at least a work in conjunction. The Holy Spirit was given to us as God's seal, and as such, Paul says he is the guarantee. Now we noted, and I'm just gonna give a quick review again of what we looked at last week, that the sealing is not some extra work of the Holy Spirit, something experienced only by a few Christians, no. Upon conversion, when we believed on Christ, God gave us his Holy Spirit. That's true of all of those saved by Christ, and when God did so, Well, the Spirit was given to us then as that permanent seal, God's seal of approval perhaps, or more as we've seen, it's the mark of God's ownership. You've been given the Holy Spirit, mark that God owns you, the authentication of your identity. salvation and also securing us for that day of redemption all the way to the end. And it's in that connection that all Christians then have the Holy Spirit as the guarantee. Upon believing, you were given, you were indwelt by the Holy Spirit and his normal operations there in you, all that which was promised to all believers That is the guarantee. And Paul says there in 2 Corinthians 1.22, it's the Holy Spirit in our hearts that is indwelling us. That's language speaks of all Christians. Not some of you get this special blessing called the guarantee and some of you, well, sorry about that. No, no, it's the Holy Spirit himself in his presence and all of his operations in the Lord's people upon trust in Christ. You are indwelt by him. He himself is the seal, God's seal, who is then given to you as God's pledge of your eternal glory. Not by some special operation, not even the witness of the spirit. God willing, we'll come maybe even next Lord's Day to look at that. It's the spirit himself. His presence, His normal workings in us. Remember how the Lord Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit comparing Him to the wind there in John chapter 3? Nobody sees the wind, but you see it because of its effects, right? I mean, you go out on a real blustery day and you see these trees are just shaking all over the place. Well, see the wind? Well, no, you don't. You know it's windy because of the effects, right? Well, that's what the Lord was saying in John 3 about the working of the Holy Spirit, regeneration or other things. Yeah, you see Him by the effects. Well, so it is as we're seeing the effects. For instance, those who are in the flesh cannot please God, but you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. If so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you, Romans 8, 8 and 9, He made you And then he goes on there, Romans 8, to talk about how the Holy Spirit empowers his people, indwells them, empowers them to put to death the deeds of the body. It talks in that connection about the Holy Spirit leading. And that doesn't mean some kind of leading about by the nose, but it means that work of the Holy Spirit convicting of sin and inclining us and leading us on in righteousness. You see the same thing over in Galatians chapter 5, in empowering us. And Paul goes on, Romans 8.15, to speak of the Holy Spirit, given us as a spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father, that sense of filial relationship, of knowing God, of our hearts running out to Him as our Father, and so forth. Or Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3 about how the Holy Spirit taking the Word of God and transforming us from glory to glory into the image of Christ from the Scriptures. When you see These things, this is just normal operations of the Holy Spirit, right? And when you see all of this, well, see what, it's the Holy Spirit's presence and working, right? And when you see that, you see him as the guarantee of your future glory. Proof that more is to come. Here's God's pledge to you that your eternal blessedness is sure. Guaranteed especially because, well, the Holy Spirit will carry on his work and preserve us all the way to the day of redemption. Again, the pledge that God began that work, he completes that work, and he does so especially through the normal operations of the Holy Spirit. So, Holy Spirit, Guarantee of what? Well, of our future glory. But there's something more to see in this connection, especially because of God's choice of wording. It's not guaranteed like some warranty stamped on the back of a package, not simply a written warranty there or just any kind of a pledge, because as we noted earlier, this particular Greek word for guarantee conveys the idea of a deposit, a down payment. And therefore, it speaks of that which is part of the purchase price, if you please. Or like the first installment, which means there's a similarity in nature between the deposit and the full payment. So here, you're going to buy something. Ultimately, here's the price. The guy wants this much money. Well, your deposit is not three bushels of grain and some other items here. You're paying him the same thing, although you'd be paying him money with a promise of more monies to come. That might not be the best illustration, but hey, best I can do in the moment. So that's the idea of this word. The Holy Spirit is given to us now as the first installment of our eternal blessedness. In other words, a similarity between now and what will be. And this idea is even more clearly set forth in Romans 8.23 when it refers to receiving the first fruits of the Spirit. You know, you go out, you're going to harvest wheat. Well, the first fruits will be wheat. And the full harvest will be More wheat, right? There's that similarity. Well, that's the idea of the word here, a correlation between the guarantee and what it is that's guaranteed. So with the presence and the work of the Holy Spirit in us now, and that which we will enjoy in everlasting glory, there's a real correlation. There's some similarity there, now true, The down payment speaks of a smaller portion compared to the full payment. But again, there's this correlation or similarity. You know, talk about God giving the Holy Spirit as a guarantee. God could have given us any kind of thing for a guarantee, right? But he chose to give us the Holy Spirit as such. Well, why that? Well, to put it this way, to give us a foretaste now. of our eternal blessedness. Here's the first installment in your future glory. The Spirit's presence within, his normal operations are in some sense similar in nature to our never-ending blessedness. Not as large a portion as that which we will receive, but enough to give us at least some idea of that blessedness. Let me illustrate this way. We're told in Galatians 4 and verse 6, that God has given us the spirit of His Son into our hearts whereby we cry, Abba, Father. That is, there's our heart running out to God and having a sense of God's love and fatherly disposition toward us. To make that relationship very experiential. Remember, adoption is a legal transaction, but God has given us the spirit as a spirit of adoption, Romans chapter 8, whereby we cry Abba, Father, for it to be very experiential in that we know God even as our father and we as his sons. Well, that's now. Well, what about at last? When we're glorified together with Christ, and he's the firstborn among many brethren, and we inherit the kingdom of our father, we really will know him more than even now as his glorified sons. Or now, the ministry of the Holy Spirit's described, Romans 5.5, of shedding the love of God abroad in our hearts. This great effusion, if you please, of the love of God within. Some sense of that. Well then, there'll be a far greater understanding and appreciation for the immensity of that love toward us as his children. Now, well, there's progress in holiness, increasing likeness to Christ by the Spirit, who, 2 Corinthians 3, 18, conforming us to that same image from glory to glory. But then, not just progress, but rather we will see him and we will be like him. But what we have now is a foretaste. Or Romans 14, 17 talks about by the Holy Spirit now there's righteousness and love and peace. Or the fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, and so forth. Well, that's known now in measure, right? Because of the working of the Holy Spirit. Oh, that's just a foretaste. because that's the pledge that the day comes in which there will only be righteousness and peace and joy, and that in fullest measure, that we inhabit that new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwell. Now, well, we have measures of fellowship with God, the enjoyment of God by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Oh, but then, Well, we shall see him. Revelation 22.4, that we will be, that God himself will be among us and that we will know him. Even the language used in Revelation 22.4, we'll see his face. These are just illustrations. By the Spirit's presence, by the Holy Spirit's ministries to us now, we now enjoy glory begun. the first installment. It's only a deposit. Much more greater blessing is to come. But there is this similarity in nature. And it's given us as the guarantee, or to put it this way. Do you like what you've received so far, Christian? I've referred to some of these operations of the Holy Spirit and what he's doing in you. Huh? You like what you received so far? You want more? More is guaranteed. And what the Holy Spirit's doing now, He is the guarantee. His presence, His work. It's a pledge, but at the same time, a foretaste of our future glory. Is that how you view the gift of the Holy Spirit and His ministries in you? And do you appreciate and enjoy Him, that work that He's doing? I think we would say our blessedness now by the Holy Spirit is great and glorious, right? And yet, I say it reverently, you ain't seen nothing yet, okay? This is the down payment. This is the pledge. that we indeed should be glorified together with Christ. If right now we are the sons of God, what of then when we see Christ and are like him? Well that brings me then to the final question or heading. What practical effect should the fact of this guarantee now have upon us? because biblical doctrines are not only to be studied, notice I said not only to be studied, that means they are to be studied, but they're not only to be studied, they're to be lived. Okay, well how so with regard to this matter that we've seen? Well, firstly this, since the Holy Spirit was given to us as a guarantee to assure us of future glory, then be assured of it. Be assured of it. It's absolutely certain for all who trust in Christ. Those who are mature in the Lord, but also those who are babes immediately upon being made alive in Christ. Those who are strong in the faith, but those who are weak, those who are struggling, those who have their own corruption and so forth. All of the Lord's people. even as part of our great salvation, which is its design. Remember, our Lord's work is described in Hebrews 2.10 as bringing many sons to glory. Well, so it is in Romans 8.29, whom he foreknew, he predestined to be conformed to the image of his own son, even that we should be joined heirs together with Christ. Or there in Ephesians chapter 1, that we were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world to be adopted as sons and therefore to have this inheritance as God's children. That's the end in view and it's that which is guaranteed. Or I've referred already, Matthew 25-34, Come ye blessed of my Father. inherit the kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world. This is God's plan. This is God's purpose. In fact, that's what we read there in 2 Corinthians 5.5. He who has prepared us for this very thing. This is God's purpose. Well, his purpose could not be thwarted. And God has assured all believers of this by repeated promises. by constant affirmations throughout his word. If we just took a few moments to start spouting out Bible verses, I would suggest that we'd get quite the collection here. You know, even John 3.16, God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him should not perish. Doesn't stop there, but have everlasting life. That's not just existence, that's life. We've looked at Romans 8 and it's repeatedly underscored there about even the redemption of our body and joint heirs with Christ. 2 Corinthians 4 and 5, I've referred to that. Revelation chapter 15, you know what Revelation 15's about? Sorry, not Revelation. 1 Corinthians chapter 15, let me get it. 1 Corinthians 15, you know what that's about? Our resurrection. The whole chapter basically is dealing with the resurrection of believers. Our future glory. Much is said in that connection. Or when Paul would write to believers who perhaps were experiencing the pain of bereavement, he says, you know what, we don't sorrow as those who have no hope. Because we believe that Christ died, rose again, and he's coming again, bringing the spirits of those departed who are asleep in Jesus with him. And then these very bodies will be resurrected, and there shall we ever be with the Lord. Well, there's another text that asserts it very clearly, or I've already made reference to 2 Peter 3, verses 10 and following, how we're looking for a new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells. Or how about Philippians 3, 20, 21, our citizenship is in heaven from whence we await the Savior, who's going to transform these bodies of our humility to be like unto his glorious body. That's just a few samples, just a very few samples. Text after text. The word of him who cannot lie is certainly enough to assure every believer that this is our future, right? But God gives further assurance of it, giving us the Holy Spirit even to each believer. as the guarantee. His word, that's enough, no. Here's the pledge of your inheritance, especially as we're aided and kept by the Holy Spirit until it's all fully received. But why this guarantee? We've got God's word, isn't that enough? Why does he give us the Holy Spirit then as the guarantee of that blessedness? Well, surely a primary reason is so that our glorious future will be very real to us now, in this world, even for the entirety of our time in this world. Think of the persecution and the struggles and the doubts, perhaps, the sins, which the Lord's people struggle. Now, the Holy Spirit's been given as a guarantee so that even in the midst of all of these things, come what may, our future, our eternal blessedness will indeed be very real to us. In fact, it's to be so real that we now do, as Paul said there at the end of Romans 5.2, please come to Romans chapter five, Romans chapter five. I'll start with verse one, therefore, Romans 5.1, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand. Right now, being justified, that is declared and forever treated as righteous in Christ through faith in him, you right now stand, as it were, immutably fixed in God's favor. That's what that means. But that's not all. And rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. having such hope. having such confident expectation of that coming glory, he says, we now rejoice. Rejoice is perhaps a bit of a weak word there. Sometimes it's translated glorying, or sometimes it's translated to boast, right? The kind of thing you're just so tickled with, you gotta brag about this thing, you gotta boast about, well that's the idea here. We're exalting, that's another way the word is sometimes translated. That is, we're that confident in Christ. We're that reconciled and accepted right now. Therefore, eternal glory is certain. And in fact, we're to be so certain of it that we're not simply mindful of it. We think of it now and again and, oh, that's great. Happy about it. No. He's saying, here's the norm consistently. that we now glory in that glory which is to come. We now exalt in that glory that God will put upon us, that we will share with Christ as joint heirs, glorified together with him. To be so real that we now exalt, that we now boast in it. Look what God has given us. Well, we see much the same over in 1 Peter 1. Please come there. 1 Peter 1. This is stated as the norm for believers. Let me start at verse four of 1 Peter 1. I referred to it already, I think. To an inheritance, incorruptible and undefiled, that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. In this, in that inheritance and the great outcome of our salvation, in this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials. Let me ask you, we read here the words various trials. Now Peter did not know by name, in person, all of those Christians scattered through those five Roman provinces. We mustn't think that he knew all of them personally and that he therefore knew exactly what they were each one experiencing under the title various trials. And yet he could write to all of them assured, you're experiencing various trials. Is that the norm for us as the Lord's people, various trials? Yeah, and is it really something of the norm, as he would say here, that you're grieved by them? They cause pain, they cause sorrow. Well, yeah, and by the way, that's not wrong, that we should be grieved. But he's saying even in the trials and the grief that are the norm for the Lord's people, this also is the norm. In this, you greatly rejoice, not in the trials, extreme joy, from this inheritance, this undefiled, incorruptible, not fading away, and you're kept for it. And what he's saying is that this inheritance is to be that real to us. So even in the midst of trials that would grieve us, there's still this great rejoicing. Well, it's the reality of that future glory. that is the source of the Christian's ongoing great rejoicing right now, again, come what may. And it's the reality of that future glory that explained Paul and all that he experienced. You're familiar with Romans 8. Notice how he himself, in talking about our glory, in verse 18, Romans chapter 8, verse 18, having just said that we're gonna be glorified together with Christ, In 818, Paul says, for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. He says much the same over in 2 Corinthians chapter 4. Please come there. 2 Corinthians chapter 4, where we read in verse 17, of 2 Corinthians 4, for our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. Paul saw a lot of suffering. He saw a lot of hardship. I'm not looking at things that are visible. No, these are all passing. Rather, he's looking at things that are unseen. Well, how's he doing that? How does he do that? Well, he tells us in verse seven of the next chapter, for we walk by faith, not by sight. So here's what God has said. Here's our glory. Therefore, Paul was able to look at things not seen. But wait a minute, that's not all. Because it's in that connection that we have those words that we've looked at in verse five of 2 Corinthians 5. Now he who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us a spirit as a guarantee. He was assured. His future glory was real to him, even in the midst of sufferings. Because he believed God's word, but not just that, the Holy Spirit, his presence, his working, here's the guarantee. And therefore these things were very real to the Apostle Paul. Well how real to you is your eternal glory right now? Right now. Maybe you had a terrible week, all kinds of concerns that you have. Consistently, how real is your eternal glory to you? Or to put it another way, how much joy do you now have, like we saw there in Romans five, glorying in that glory of God that will be ours? Well, from God's perspective, we can say it's entirely and unquestionably certain. Here's his purpose. Here are his promises. Here's the work of Christ. But is it so certain in our thinking? Is it so certain in our hearts? Brethren, it should be. It should be, especially because we've been given the Holy Spirit as the guarantee of these things, for our future glory to be now very real to us. That's why the Holy Spirit's been given you. Now remember, remember how it is that the Spirit's a guarantee. It's by his presence and work, what he is as that seal keeping us for the day of redemption, that convicting, that inclining and empowering us in holiness, that whereby we cry, Abba, Father, and that being conformed more and more to the image of Christ, the fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace. That's not the fruits of the Christian. That's the fruits of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of his people. And all of these things, that joy and peace and righteousness in the Holy Spirit. So when you see His ministries, see Him. See, how's this coming? That's Him. And when you see Him, see Him as the guarantee of your eternal glory. And that especially, that it might be very real to you right now. But you do have this inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, not fading away, and you're not gonna fade away either. You are kept for it. Therefore, in the midst of these grieving trials, greatly rejoicing, look, this is mine. This is mine. The Holy Spirit's the guarantee of it. Guarantee you're on the way, and it's certain. And therefore, keep this real. as you see the ministries of the Holy Spirit in you. But I want to add something more to that by way of the effect it should have upon us that he is our guarantee. It's right we should desire and joy now in the ministries of the Holy Spirit. because of the outcome, what it guarantees, what He guarantees. But also, remember what we've seen about the nature of the guarantee? It's the deposit, it's the down payment, it's the foretaste. Brethren, while we're seeing the ministries of the Holy Spirit, and see Him present and at work, Yes, it guarantees that greater is to come, but don't overlook what He is now. It's the foretaste of that, as we've already seen. Crying in our hearts, Abba, Father, that enjoyment of God, the love of God being shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit in His work, the Spirit witnessing to our spirits that we are God's children, that fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace. Or Romans 15 and verse 13, how that abounding in hope, that confident expectation by the Holy Spirit so that we have joy and peace in believing right now as we're being conformed more and more to the image of Christ by the work of the Holy Spirit. See His work, not only as the guarantee, here's what's out there in the future, it's the first fruits. It's the down payment. It's the foretaste. Therefore it's right to draw assurance but also to see this is glory begun. Already what God is doing in you. Well see it. Desire it. Ask more. Cooperate. walk in the Spirit, being led by the Spirit in the path of obedience and holiness. Use the means. He uses the scriptures to make us more like Christ, 2 Corinthians 3.18. Use the means. Pray. This is a foretaste. Well, enjoy God now in measure. In the meantime, as you look ahead, eagerly looking for Christ's coming and that completion of the work when that which is guaranteed will be our full possession forever and ever. Dear brother, dear sister, how are you doing? How are you doing? Is your future glory real to you? Are you enjoying the ministries of the Holy Spirit now? Is that in your thinking? It's in the scriptures. It should be in our thinking. We've been given this Holy Spirit. so as to live in light of the future. Oh my God, help us. If you're not saved, and you die without Christ, do you realize that eternal glory is not your future? In fact, the extreme opposite, where Jesus will say, depart from me, you cursed and everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. Go on without Christ, die without Christ, That will be entirely certain. It's foretold in God's infallible word. You know, the Bible says much about hell. Some have argued it says more about hell than it does heaven. It says much about the eternity of the damned. Why is that? It was to warn sinners. Not just a threat. but for those sinners to turn to Christ. Even when we're told that God commands all men everywhere to repent in Acts 17, when Paul preached that to the Athenians, he says, because he's appointed a day in which he's gonna judge the world in righteousness. Repent now, be ready for that day. Go to Christ now and be ready for then. This is the God who speaks in Ezekiel 33, 11. I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn and live. This is that God of John 3, 16, who so loved the world, he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him would not perish, but have everlasting life. This is the God who came in the person of his Son to suffer the just in place of the unjust, that he might bring us to God, and now ever lives to save to the uttermost all who come to God by him. This is the God who sends forth preachers as ambassadors for Christ, as though God himself were pleading through those ambassadors, be reconciled to God. The Lord Jesus said, repent and believe the gospel. Turn from sin to God through Christ. Believing this good news, Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners and all who put their trust in him. Not simply all their sins forgiven, as glorious as that is, declared forever righteous and treated in his perfect righteousness. But more than that, God's children forever glorified together as joint heirs with Christ. And Jesus said, anyone thirst, come to me and drink. Those who come to me, no way will I cast them out. Well, what will you now do? There's the gospel. Go to Christ. Be saved by him. What will you now do? What will you now do? Go. Believe. Trust in him. Turn from sin to God through Christ. Lord, save me. He's rich to all who call upon him. What will you now do? And how will you escape if you neglect so great salvation? Let God grant mercy. Let's pray. Father in heaven, we thank you for your great grace to sinners. Even to hear good news, anything other than condemnation, what mercy. But this good news, sending your only begotten son into this world to save sinners like us, Lord, not just to forgive us, but to have us as your own children even joint heirs with Christ forever, that he should be the firstborn among many brethren, and that we should enjoy that eternal glory. Lord, you've told us of this so constantly in your word. Grant that we would truly believe it, but grant also that we would embrace the Holy Spirit's presence and workings as that guarantee that our future might be very real to us, that come what may, we would have that great rejoicing in it. Lord, we pray that you would help us to reflect on these things, to live these things. By the aid of your Holy Spirit, we ask this in the name of Jesus our Savior. Amen.