Guaranteed Inheritance

The preaching of the gospel is God’s soul-saving ordinance. It hath pleased God by the “foolishness of preaching” to save them that believe. In every age God raiseth up men who faithfully proclaim his Word, and, as one departs, another arrives.

It is of little use to hear that which is not the Word of truth, nay, it is worse than useless, for by error we shall soon be misled. And if the preaching be not concerning the Word of truth, even though it should be a word of truth, yet it can be of no value to the getting of faith: it must be the Word—the Word peculiarly above all others having truth and substance in it.

It is called the message of the truth because it reveals man’s true condition, proclaims and advocates the only true way of escape, and admonishes saved sinners to show true gratitude in their whole lives. It is, accordingly, “the gospel of your salvation,” not in the sense that in and by itself it saves anyone, but thus that, when accepted by true faith in Christ, its good tidings of great joy become “the power of God for salvation” (Rom. 1:16)

When the very practical question is asked, “How did the Ephesians—or how does anyone—get that seal, that inner assurance?” the answer is: not merely or mainly as the result of agonizing self-searching to see whether all the “marks” of having been elected are present, but rather by a living faith in the triune God, as revealed in Christ, a faith “working through love” (Gal. 5:6). That those addressed had indeed received it in no other way is a fact to which the apostle immediately calls attention (Eph. 1:15).

The first instalment is, accordingly, a pledge or guarantee of glory to come, a glory arriving not only when soul and body part but also and especially in the great consummation of all things at Christ’s return. The fruits which this indwelling and sanctifying Spirit bestows (Gal. 5:22, 23)—such as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control, and their marvelous product: assurance of salvation (2 Peter 1:5–11)—are “first-fruits” (Rom. 8:23). They are a foretaste of future, ineffable bliss.33 The full inheritance—salvation viewed as God’s gracious and abiding gift, not bought with money, nor earned by the sweat of human toil, nor won by conquest—will one day be the believers’ portion, for them to possess and to enjoy, to God’s glory.

“Therefore (on account of the contests arising out of the doctrine of election) it has occurred to some, that we ought not to preach at all to Christians in the church about the foreknowledge and choice of God, because it is dangerous to both sides, as it is said, leading either to security or despair; but because God has revealed this very doctrine to us so often and in so many parts of the Scripture, we must not put it under the table, may not and should not say, that it is unprofitable, obnoxious or injurious, yet we must so look into it, as not to run too far or climb too high, but have and hold in all simplicity the true understanding and proper use thereof.” [It may well be added, that such use is for Christians alone (ver. 5: “us”), and that this use will lead on the one hand to trustful security in view of the fixedness of God’s purpose, on the other hand to profound humility in view of the entire freedom of God’s choice irrespective of our merit. Others may, nay some must speculate on this subject, but they find no solution of this problem save so far as God’s word gives one; and this solution can be fully apprehended only by a believing soul; it is above logic and philosophy, and even technical, theology, even as on many subjects, and these the most important, the heart is a better teacher than the head. Still even the most advanced Christian, seeing that God’s word alone gives any solution, may well say with the martyr Ridley: “In these matters I am so fearful, that I dare not speak further; yea almost none otherwise than the text does, as it were, lead me by the hand” (from EADIE).—R.]

Two epithets are here applied to the gospel,—the word of truth, and the gospel of your salvation. Both deserve our careful attention. Nothing is more earnestly attempted by Satan than to lead us either to doubt or to despise the gospel. Paul therefore furnishes us with two shields, by which we may repel both temptations. In opposition to every doubt, let us learn to bring forward this testimony, that the gospel is not only certain truth, which cannot deceive, but is, by way of eminence, (κατʼ ἐξοχὴν,) the word of truth, as if, strictly speaking, there were no truth but itself. If the temptation be to contempt or dislike of the gospel, let us remember that its power and efficacy have been manifested in bringing to us salvation. The apostle had formerly declared that “it is the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth,” (Rom. 1:16;) but here he expresses more, for he reminds the Ephesians that, having been made partakers of salvation, they had learned this by their own experience. Unhappy they who weary themselves, as the world generally does, in wandering through many winding paths, neglecting the gospel, and pleasing themselves with wild romances,—“ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth,” (2 Tim. 3:7,) or to find life! But happy they who have embraced the gospel, and whose attachment to it is steadfast; for this, beyond all doubt, is truth and life.

But is it not the faith itself which is here said to be sealed by the Holy Spirit? If so, faith goes before the sealing. I answer, there are two operations of the Spirit in faith, corresponding to the two parts of which faith consists, as it enlightens, and as it establishes the mind. The commencement of faith is knowledge: the completion of it is a firm and steady conviction, which admits of no opposing doubt. Both, I have said, are the work of the Spirit. No wonder, then, if Paul should declare that the Ephesians, who received by faith the truth of the gospel, were confirmed in that faith by the seal of the Holy Spirit

Thus, when we have received the Spirit of God, his promises are confirmed to us, and no dread is felt that they will be revoked. In themselves, indeed, the promises of God are not weak; but, until we are supported by the testimony of the Spirit, we never rest upon them with unshaken confidence. The Spirit, then, is the earnest of our inheritance of eternal life, until the redemption, that is, until the day of complete redemption is arrived. So long as we are in this world, our warfare is sustained by hope, and therefore this earnest is necessary; but when the possession itself shall have been obtained, the necessity and use of the earnest will then cease.