“He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee” (2 Corinthians 5:5 ESV)
Is there the expectation that -somehow- the believer will go from basic faith in Jesus to resurrection glory without any change in between?
Or is there the belief that – as outlined in this verse- the Holy Spirit isa part of a believer’s experience of God?
With the Holy Spirit as the ‘down payment’ or ‘guarantee’ of our resurrection the believer can not only know the transforming power of God in their life in the emergence of the fruit of the Spirit but may also be blessed with one or more gifts of the Spirit to enable the work of Jesus to continue in building up the church until he comes again.
Surely there must be some purpose for God ‘giving us the Holy Spirit as a guarantee? It must be more than some secret, personal knowledge of resurrection? What then of the promise of Jesus that the disciples would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them and the commission to go into all the world?
While the guarantee is a blessing to us, it is also the subject of our witness to others – “I know that my Redeemer lives”. Our experience of the Holy Spirit and the demonstration of the power of God is what the world needs to see and hear today.
There is much talking done ‘about’ God but not so much demonstration of God – do people need to see the evidence of the miracles themselves in order to believe …. Hence the giving of the Spirit!
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (2 Cor. 3:18 ESV)
For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.[a] The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Cor. 5:14-17 ESV)
For I know that my Redeemer lives,
and at the last he will stand upon the earth.[a]
26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed,
yet in[b] my flesh I shall see God,
27 whom I shall see for myself,
and my eyes shall behold, and not another.
My heart faints within me! (Job 19:25-27 ESV)
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to loveand good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Heb. 10:19-25 ESV)
