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BIBLE S T U D Y FEATUR E
The Earnest o f the Spirit ^
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by Rev. W . A . Haggai, Pastor Calva ry Bap tist Ch u rch , Bingham ton , New Y o rk
M a n y y e a r s a g o while reading my Arabic New Testa ment, I was struck with the word translated “ ear nest.” This word is found three times in the English New Testament, never in the Old. However, the corresponding Hebrew word is found there many times, translated “ pledge” , “ surety” , “mortgage.” The verbal form is trans lated “ engage”, “ give pledge” and “undertake.” The word in the Arabic New Testament was one commonly used in the city of Damascus in my early boyhood days, and always, so far as I could remember, it denoted betrothal, which at that time was a public ceremony consummated in the presence of a clergyman and included the presen tation of a ring by the man to the woman. Tracing the English word “ earnest” back through the Latin and Greek languages to the Hebrew, I found that it was the term used of the ring signifying betrothal or engage ment. We all understand the term“ engagement ring.” When a Christian young man and a Christian young woman come to the mutual agreement that they are in love with one another, that they feel God is leading their lives together as husband and wife, the token of this agree ment is a ring which is placed on the finger of the girl— the “ earnest.” Applying this to the truth concerning the Spirit of God, in all reverence let me put it this way: The Holy Spirit deals with your soul and reveals your sins to you. The Word of God is proclaimed and in your mind and heart He convicts you that you are lost, that you need a Saviour and that the Saviour is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. You receive Him as your Lord and Saviour. Something takes place then. The Spirit of God comes into your life and serves as the engagement ring. He is the earnest, the engagement ring, upon your soul that says to you, “ Now this will bind the relationship until the day of marriage.”
Is this found in the Word? Most certainly. In Hosea 2:19 and 20 we read of the Lord’s saying to Israel: “ And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord.” In the New Testament the Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians: “ For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2). And we read in Rev. 19 about the marriage of the Lamb, how, His bride having prepared herself, He comes and takes her unto Himself in marriage, the consumma tion of the relationship. What is the significance of an engagement ring? There are four thoughts that can be given in this con nection. In the first place, it is used to declare the rela tionship and let it be known. I do not know any girls who are ashamed of their ring. They usually like to show it and they are glad when people notice it. Conversing with a girl during the first World War, I wondered why her concern was so great when mention was made of a certain person who was then in France. Holding her hand right in front of my face, she asked, “ Don’t you see?” There was the ring to declare their relationship. And so it is the Holy Spirit in the believer who will declare to the world the relationship between him and the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, those who are ashamed of wit nessing for Christ have reason to ask the question, “ Am I really His?” In the second place, the engagement ring sets apart. Up to the time of engagement a girl is perfectly free to go with different fellows. But when she becomes engaged, then she is set apart to one individual, and whenever she does go with others, to use the common language, she
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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