… who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance …
Summary: Deposits come in all amounts, large and small. The deposit paid for you and I was beyond measure.
What do you think of when you see the word “deposit?” You might laugh at me (and you wouldn’t be the first!) when I tell you that what comes to my mind is a bottle deposit. Bottles that had the words “DEPOSIT 5¢” marked on them were worth five cents each when returned to the store. The deposit mark was molded right into the glass.
Back in the days when I was in high school, we had very little money. When we wanted to raise money for a school activity, collecting bottles for the deposit refund was an easy choice. People who wanted to support the school kids could give away their old bottles instead of money, and the kids helped clear out stuff that was just taking up space.
I remember once coming across a person who had been saving beer bottles. (These little brown bottles had a 1¢ deposit on them.) I can still see it in my mind’s eye. They led me out to their garage, and when the garage door opened, the dusty air revealed boxes and boxes of old bottles. I felt like I had struck gold! It was so much that the little trailer behind Dad’s VW couldn’t hold all the bottles.
Now you might laugh at my analogy, but the only reason I carried all those dirty brown bottles back to the store was for the deposit! It was the deposit that made them worth keeping. It was the deposit that gave them value.
In a lot of ways, we are like those old empty beer bottles. On our own, we have little to offer. Yet God loves all of us! He wants us to be redeemed. He understands about the dirt and how we have been used in the past. In his great love, through his Son Jesus, he looks past all of that.
The deposit on a bottle is paid at the store when the bottle is purchased. That kind of deposit is a retainer of sorts, a promise to do something. A more direct translation of the original Greek text would be a “pledge.” When we leave a deposit for something, we are promising to come back and redeem the deposit. Obviously, a penny deposit isn’t much of a commitment. In our case, God has paid for us with his Son’s life. The Holy Spirit is a deposit representing that life. Do you think he will come back for that? Absolutely!
The power of the Holy Spirit is a “deposit” of great value. Not only does God’s Spirit in us make us worth redeeming, but he provides counsel and guidance while we live out this life waiting for our redemption.
Application: Think about the value God places on your life, knowing that he paid for it with the life of his Son, Jesus.
Food for Thought: How is being marked with a seal the same or different than being given a deposit?
I get confused trying to play this analogy out in my head…am I the bottle or the nickel or what? I’m just kidding. I believe that it is our will that God has put a deposit down for. It is one thing that has been given to us by Him that He won’t take away from us. When we accept Christ’s gift, ask Him to be the Lord of our life, and seek to follow His Will instead of our own, God seals us (takes ownership of) and send His Holy Spirit so that we can know that God is with us.
I also believe though that in Ephesians 1:14, that the seal and the deposit are the same. It gets confusing because I am trying to picture it using physical examples. In your example the “1-cent” stamp is the seal and the 1-cent coin is the deposit, but with spiritual eyes, the Holy Spirit lives within us, and God see’s that, so the Spirit is both the seal and the deposit.
Good thoughts Chris.
LOL!
Thanks Chris!! I didn’t say it was a good analogy! 🙂
Trying to describe the spiritual realm in physical terms is – in some ways – impossible. Jesus himself talks about this when he says,
“I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?” (John 3:12)
Of course, he knew what he was talking about!
Good example in the devotion brother.
One way in which it might be different is that being marked with a seal implies ownership. A deposit is a guarantee or promise to do something, the seal demonstrates personal ownership and personal involvement.
I like that my Lord cares enough that He bought us at a high price. He places great value on us which is very humbling. The question is – do we place appropriate value on Him? The groom is excited about the wedding – is the bride?
Brother Rich,
Thank you! Yes, you raise a great question! Are we excited to see our Lord? It is easy to get distracted in this life. So many opposing truth claims, so many things that entice the flesh… Yet, I believe that when the time comes, and all that is physical drops away, we will be very excited to see our Lord and Redeemer!
02-27-2023, How is being marked with a seal the same or different than being given a deposit?
2 Corinthians 1:21-22, Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Ephesians 1:13-14, 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.
Also see: Galatians 3:13, Ephesians 1:7, Titus 2:14, Isaiah 44:22, Romans 6:22
The Holy Spirit is described as a seal or an insignia. The seal is a sign of ownership, it can also be a protective barrier applied to something of value to prevent contamination. God seals those who believe in Jesus Christ with His Holy Spirit. We are identified as belonging to Him and protected against any contamination, allowing God to have a relationship with imperfect beings through the holiness of His Son, Jesus Christ.
When we accept Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit who indicates that He now owns us. He resides in the hearts of all believers for our security and sits us apart from the world which has lost its power over us. It is because the Spirit has sealed us that we are assured of our salvation. No one can break the seal of God.
Jesus Christ Himself is our great and all-powerful Redeemer, He gave His life, has paid the full price for our salvation and is returning to redeem all His people who look forward to His return.
Ron,
Thank you for pointing out that the Holy Spirit is a “protective barrier.” Your words bring to mind John 17:15 —
“I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I do ask you to protect them from the evil one.”
Great verse Brother!
Ron