During Jesus time an engagement/BETROTHAL was a legally binding contract. Marking the start of the marriage covenant. To show commitment the groom paid a bride price (Mohar). Jesus/our Bridegroom paid the ultimate price (1 Cor 6:20, 7:23, Acts 20:28, Eph 1:14).
The EARNEST:
2 Cor 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
2 Cor 5:5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
Eph 1:
13 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,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
2 Tim 1:14 The Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you
(MY NOTE: The Holy Spirit dwelling within us. Is God's good deposit dwelling in us)
Vines Expository Dictionary of NT Words: EARNEST - "arrabon", noun, Strongs ref #728
originally, "earnest-money" deposited by the purchaser. In general usage it came to denote "a pledge" or "earnest" of any sort; in the NT it is used only of that which is assured by God to believers; it is said of the Holy Spirit as the Divine "pledge" of all their future blessedness, 2 Cor 1:22, 5:5, Eph 1:14, 4:30, 2 Timothy 1:14
(MY NOTE: The Lord knows the true heart of man. 1 Sam 16:7, Pro 21:2, Acts 15:9, Rom 8:27)
Acts 11 is a reference to the event the took place in Acts 10:44 & 45.
(MY NOTE Vs 45 (B) that on these believing (by FAITH ALONE) the GIFT of the Holy Ghost was given. A GIFT is GIVEN not earned).
Acts 11:
15 When I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as He did on us at the beginning [at Pentecost].
16 Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
17 “So, if God gave Gentiles the same gift [equally] as He gave us after we accepted and believed and trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ [as Savior], who was I to interfere or stand in God’s way?”
Scripture references about the Holy Spirit as a SEAL: Eph 1:13, 2 Cor 1:22 & Eph 4:30.
2 Cor 1:22 Who hath also "sealed us" & "given the earnest" of the Holy Spirit in our hearts
(MY NOTE: God has placed His Holy Spirit in the believers heart. As a DEPOSIT/PLEDGE & SEAL, until the soon coming day of the believers redemption. Eph 4:30)
Eph 1:13 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,
(MY NOTE: You heard about Christ's finished sin redemptive payment & resurrection. When you believed/trusted, Christ sealed/baptized you with His Holy Spirit).
Eph 4:30 grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are "sealed" unto the day of redemption
(MY NOTE: Believers are SEALED until their next sin? NO! SEALED until the day they receive their heavenly body. Christ's indwelling Holy Spirit is Christ' pledge/promise that He will come for every believer. The Jews first received this Promise at the Acts 2 Pentecost, the gentiles at Acts 10 Cornelius house & now any/every Jew or Gentile that believes/places their faith in Christ' sin atoning death & resurrection. Is GIVEN the GIFT of eternal life. Acts 10:45, 11:17)
1 Jn 5:13 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
(MY NOTE: That you may know ""PRESENT TENSE"" that you have """RIGHT NOW""" eternal life.)
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words: Seal
(d) ownership and security, together with destination are conveyed in Ephesians 1:13, in the metaphor of the "sealing" of believers by the gift of the Holy Spirit, upon believing (i.e., at the time of their regeneration, not after a lapse of time in their spiritual life, "having also believed," not as AV, "after that ye believed;" the aorist participle marks the definiteness and completeness of the act of faith); the idea of destination is stressed by the phrase "the Holy Spirit of promise" (see also Ephesians 1:14 ); so Ephesians 4:30 , "ye were sealed unto the day of redemption;" so in 2 Corinthians 1:22 , where the Middle Voice intimates the special interest of the Sealer in His act; (e) authentication by the believer (by receiving the witness of the Son) of the fact that "God is true
(NY NOTE: The SEAL is a promise/sign/seal of Ownership & Security. Conveyed in Eph 1:13, in the metaphor of the "SEALING" of believer, by the gift of the Holy Spirit. Action upon believing/at the time of their regeneration, NOT after a lapse of time in their spiritual life)
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words: Salvation
(2/b) of the spiritual and eternal deliverance granted immediately by God to those who accept His conditions of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus, in whom alone it is to be obtained, Acts 4:12 , and upon confession of Him as Lord, Romans 10:10 ; for this purpose the gospel is the saving instrument, Romans 1:16 ; Ephesians 1:13 (see further under SAVE);
https://studybible.info/vines/Salvation
(MY NOTE: "ETERNAL DELIVERANCE GRANTED IMMEDIATELY" by God. To those who accept His conditions of repentance (from unbelief to belief) & faith in the Lord Jesus death & resurrection)
CONCLUSION: Ancient Jewish wedding custom had 3 stages:
1) Betrothal/Kiddushin: A formal agreement with dowry - Paralleling the believer’s Spiritual indwelling/baptism by Christ with His eternal salvation sealing Holy Spirit.
2 Preparation: The groom went to prepare a place - Mirrored by Christ' Jn 14:2,3 promise.
3) Wedding feast: The final marriage celebration is realized - See Rev 19:7,8,9 Blessed are those invited! Christ/the Lamb & His Bride: United into a covenant of intimacy, celebration, victory & eternal redemption!
Soon very Soon! AMEN & Amen
The EARNEST:
2 Cor 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
2 Cor 5:5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
Eph 1:
13 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,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
2 Tim 1:14 The Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you
(MY NOTE: The Holy Spirit dwelling within us. Is God's good deposit dwelling in us)
Vines Expository Dictionary of NT Words: EARNEST - "arrabon", noun, Strongs ref #728
originally, "earnest-money" deposited by the purchaser. In general usage it came to denote "a pledge" or "earnest" of any sort; in the NT it is used only of that which is assured by God to believers; it is said of the Holy Spirit as the Divine "pledge" of all their future blessedness, 2 Cor 1:22, 5:5, Eph 1:14, 4:30, 2 Timothy 1:14
(MY NOTE: The Lord knows the true heart of man. 1 Sam 16:7, Pro 21:2, Acts 15:9, Rom 8:27)
Acts 11 is a reference to the event the took place in Acts 10:44 & 45.
(MY NOTE Vs 45 (B) that on these believing (by FAITH ALONE) the GIFT of the Holy Ghost was given. A GIFT is GIVEN not earned).
Acts 11:
15 When I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as He did on us at the beginning [at Pentecost].
16 Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
17 “So, if God gave Gentiles the same gift [equally] as He gave us after we accepted and believed and trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ [as Savior], who was I to interfere or stand in God’s way?”
Scripture references about the Holy Spirit as a SEAL: Eph 1:13, 2 Cor 1:22 & Eph 4:30.
2 Cor 1:22 Who hath also "sealed us" & "given the earnest" of the Holy Spirit in our hearts
(MY NOTE: God has placed His Holy Spirit in the believers heart. As a DEPOSIT/PLEDGE & SEAL, until the soon coming day of the believers redemption. Eph 4:30)
Eph 1:13 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,
(MY NOTE: You heard about Christ's finished sin redemptive payment & resurrection. When you believed/trusted, Christ sealed/baptized you with His Holy Spirit).
Eph 4:30 grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are "sealed" unto the day of redemption
(MY NOTE: Believers are SEALED until their next sin? NO! SEALED until the day they receive their heavenly body. Christ's indwelling Holy Spirit is Christ' pledge/promise that He will come for every believer. The Jews first received this Promise at the Acts 2 Pentecost, the gentiles at Acts 10 Cornelius house & now any/every Jew or Gentile that believes/places their faith in Christ' sin atoning death & resurrection. Is GIVEN the GIFT of eternal life. Acts 10:45, 11:17)
1 Jn 5:13 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
(MY NOTE: That you may know ""PRESENT TENSE"" that you have """RIGHT NOW""" eternal life.)
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words: Seal
(d) ownership and security, together with destination are conveyed in Ephesians 1:13, in the metaphor of the "sealing" of believers by the gift of the Holy Spirit, upon believing (i.e., at the time of their regeneration, not after a lapse of time in their spiritual life, "having also believed," not as AV, "after that ye believed;" the aorist participle marks the definiteness and completeness of the act of faith); the idea of destination is stressed by the phrase "the Holy Spirit of promise" (see also Ephesians 1:14 ); so Ephesians 4:30 , "ye were sealed unto the day of redemption;" so in 2 Corinthians 1:22 , where the Middle Voice intimates the special interest of the Sealer in His act; (e) authentication by the believer (by receiving the witness of the Son) of the fact that "God is true
(NY NOTE: The SEAL is a promise/sign/seal of Ownership & Security. Conveyed in Eph 1:13, in the metaphor of the "SEALING" of believer, by the gift of the Holy Spirit. Action upon believing/at the time of their regeneration, NOT after a lapse of time in their spiritual life)
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words: Salvation
(2/b) of the spiritual and eternal deliverance granted immediately by God to those who accept His conditions of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus, in whom alone it is to be obtained, Acts 4:12 , and upon confession of Him as Lord, Romans 10:10 ; for this purpose the gospel is the saving instrument, Romans 1:16 ; Ephesians 1:13 (see further under SAVE);
https://studybible.info/vines/Salvation
(MY NOTE: "ETERNAL DELIVERANCE GRANTED IMMEDIATELY" by God. To those who accept His conditions of repentance (from unbelief to belief) & faith in the Lord Jesus death & resurrection)
CONCLUSION: Ancient Jewish wedding custom had 3 stages:
1) Betrothal/Kiddushin: A formal agreement with dowry - Paralleling the believer’s Spiritual indwelling/baptism by Christ with His eternal salvation sealing Holy Spirit.
2 Preparation: The groom went to prepare a place - Mirrored by Christ' Jn 14:2,3 promise.
3) Wedding feast: The final marriage celebration is realized - See Rev 19:7,8,9 Blessed are those invited! Christ/the Lamb & His Bride: United into a covenant of intimacy, celebration, victory & eternal redemption!
Soon very Soon! AMEN & Amen