This week someone blindsided me by breaking a promise. Immediately a swarm of emotions began to swirl in my heart: betrayal, frustration, disappointment, and an unwillingness to trust.

Broken promises do that. Sometimes this unwillingness to trust extends beyond the person whose promises failed. Because of this, especially in business, we insist on guarantees. 

For example, one summer my family vacationed on a popular beach in Southern California. When we rented boogie boards, the vendor asked for my driver’s license as a security deposit. Holding on to such a vital document guaranteed the safe return of his equipment. 

God has never broken any of His promises. Yet He lovingly guarantees His most precious one:

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14 ESV)

The Greek word translated as inheritance, kléronomia, means the gift of God to His people. In the Old Testament, this meant the Promised Land, but in the New Testament, this word indicates both a present and a future gift. 

As Christians we already possess the gift of salvation. But someday, in the future, we will take possession of the second part of our inheritance, eternal life in heaven.

To guarantee this part of His promise, God seals believers with the Holy Spirit. Historically, people sealed documents or containers of merchandise. These seals served three purposes. 

The unique, engraved image of a seal identified the owners and provided proof of their authority. When dipped in wax or clay and attached to the package, the seal also protected the contents. Unbroken seals meant nothing had been altered. 

The Holy Spirit fulfills all three purposes of the ancient seal. As believers, we place ourselves under God’s ownership. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 14:8) We minister under Jesus’ authority. (Matthew 28:18-20) Finally, we live under His protection. (John 10:28)

The Holy Spirit also acts as the guarantee (or down payment) for our inheritance. The Greek word translated as guarantee, arrabón, can mean pledge, or down payment. Ancient Greek transactions regularly exacted these types of guarantees. Since anyone who broke a promise forfeited their deposit, these payments guaranteed contract completion. 

Although God could have used any means to guarantee our inheritance, He chose the Holy Spirit, an integral and vital part of the trinity (2 Corinthians 13:14). 

Just as the California vendor knew I would return for my driver’s license, we can be assured God will come back to claim His Holy Spirit. When He does, we will receive the final payment of our eternal inheritance which is kept in heaven for us. (1 Peter 1:3-5) 

The Holy Spirit is a lifetime guarantee we can trust. 

Wherever you are in your journey today, I pray you can take heart in knowing God guarantees our inheritance, both here in the present, and for eternity.