That Holy Spirit of promise.

A Sample of Heaven

Heaven is ours by inheritance. It is not purchased by merit, won by our strength or good works, but obtained by birthright as a Christian.

Of this inheritance we have a foretaste or sample which is of the nature of a deposit guaranteeing our coming to full possession.

A deposit is of the same nature as the ultimate blessing. A pledge is returned, but a deposit is retained as part of the thing promised.

The Holy Spirit is himself the earnest of the heavenly inheritance.

He is not only the deposit but the foretaste of everlasting joy.

His entrance into our soul brings that same life when we enter heaven: eternal life.

His work in us creates that same holiness essential to heaven's enjoyment.

His influence over us brings us that same communion with God which we shall enjoy forever in heaven.

The Holy Spirit brings us many joyful foretastes of the heavenly inheritance.

Delightful help in service. .

Joy over repenting sinners.

Communion with saints.

Growing knowledge of God and all divine things.

Victory over sin nature, Satan, and the world.

Security in Christ Jesus.

By these samples, we look forward to the things that God has prepared.

There is a very dark contrast to this.

There are tokens or pledges of trouble.

There are also pledges and samples of the eternal state of misery.

Sinful men may guess what their sin will bring them to when it has ripened. They learn from—

. Their sins in this life births fruit: shame, rags, disease, etc.

. Their fear of death, alarm at the thought of it.

. Their frequent anxieties and fears.

. Their disappointments in their companions, their mutual quarrels and hates. Imagine being locked up with such persons forever?

. Their distaste for good things, inability to pray

It's such a joy to find heaven's sample here!

I thank the great preacher-pastor C H Spurgeon for the initial basis of this teaching. I recommend any of his brilliant books.