A Sample of Heaven.

 

 

That Holy Spirit of promise.

A Sample of Heaven

Ephesians 1:13-14

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.

 

Grace for You ?

 

 

Grace and its means

Most people get where they want to go by car. The power, the force in the car, takes them where they want to go. All the person has to do is position themselves correctly. In other words, if the car is in the garage and if the person is in the house, they may have what they need to make the trip, but they will not be located in the right relationship to it. The problem is not the individual’s inability to make the trip; the problem is that they are not in correct relationship to the thing designed to bring them to a certain location.

Many times we stay stuck in the Christian life because we are not in the right relationship to the provision, to the force, to the engine designed to get us where God wants us to be. It’s not that we don’t have the power or know the guidelines. The interesting thing about grace is that God has put the motor inside you. It’s called the new nature. If any man is in Christ, he’s a new creation. The motor has already been planted inside of you. All we have to do is be in alignment.^[1]

---

^[1] Tony Evans’ Book of Illustrations: Stories, Quotes, and Anecdotes from More than 30 Years of Preaching and Public Speaking.

 

A Christian ?

 

 

 

 

Call Yourself a Christian?

Romans 2 v 17–29

Remember, in this whole chapter Paul is addressing the religious person, who thinks, “I am not like the pagan. I am moral and religious, so I am not under God’s judgment.”

Relying on Goodness?

Read Romans 2 v 17–24

What were the Jews of Paul’s day proud of (v 17–20—I count six things)?

All this boils down, basically, to a pride in their moral decency and virtue.

What is the challenge to them at the beginning of verse 21?

Paul asks them to consider three ways they may not be practicing what they preach (v 21–23). The third is striking, because there is no record of Jews taking idol-statues from pagan temples. So this is likely figurative; Paul is saying that underneath their outward religiosity, the Jews are worshiping idols just as much as those who go to idol-temples. They may “abhor idols” outwardly, but if inwardly they find meaning in power, comfort, possessions, sex etc., then they are idolaters.

What is the tragic result of this kind of hypocritical religion (v 24)?

Relying on Ceremony?

Read Romans 2 v 25–29

Circumcision was the religious ceremony in which a Jew was brought into the community of Israel.

How much does circumcision matter, does Paul say (v 25–27)?

What “circumcision” matters (v 29)?

No religious ceremony or observance can change the heart. Only the Holy Spirit can do this, and he isn’t limited by whether or not someone is circumcised or baptized etc.

Insert “Christian” for “Jew,” and “baptism” or “church membership” for “circumcision,” and then paraphrase v 17–20 and 25–29.

How does this help us see how these verses might challenge us as professing Christians today?

 Apply

Just because we call ourselves Christians, doesn’t mean we have living faith. How can we tell if our faith is empty and we are facing judgment (even if we’re an active church member)? Paul alludes to four signs:

1.  A theoretical-only approach to the Bible (v 21). We don’t allow ourselves to be challenged and changed by it.

2.  A feeling of moral superiority (v 17). We look down on others, and are defensive when our weaknesses are exposed.

3.  Lack of inner spiritual life (v 29). We don’t pray, or know God loves us.

4.  Hypocrisy (v 22).

Do any of these particularly challenge you?

 Pray
Re-read verse 29 and ask God’s Spirit to work in your heart, increasing—or giving—living faith.^[1]

---

^[1] Timothy Keller, “Romans,” in 90 Days in John 14–17, Romans, James