25 Sep October 27th Daily Devotional

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PAUL’S SECOND LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

GUARANTEED!

2 Corinthians 5:5 “Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”

Have you wondered whether you will go to heaven when you die?  I suspect there are many Christians who have had this concern.  It is one that Satan desires you to have.  He wants you to doubt God’s promise given you at your baptism just as he tempted Adam and Eve at the tree in the Garden to doubt God’s word.

God, Paul writes here in 2 Corinthians 5:5, “fashioned you for this very purpose. . .”  What purpose would that be?  God created you, adopted you at your baptism as His very own child, and sends His Holy Spirit into your heart daily to assure and guarantee that you will live with Him for all eternity.

It doesn’t take a Philadelphia lawyer to read the words of the guarantee you have of everlasting life.  First and foremost, it is sure and certain because it is signed by Jesus with His blood shed on Calvary’s cross.  You have His word that, “Whoever believes and is baptized shall be saved.”

God has placed His Holy Spirit in your heart as His earnest money (Paul says “deposit.”)  This divine deposit guarantees the Holy Spirit’s work in you.  He has called you to faith in Jesus through the power of the Gospel.  He keeps you in that faith to life everlasting.  The faith He works in your heart trusts completely that by God’s grace through faith in Jesus your sins are forgiven and you have a place in heaven reserved for you. Note the words of Romans 8:9-11, 16-17 “. . . if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.  And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in you. . . The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.”

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, sanctify and keep me in the true faith to life everlasting.  Amen.

O Holy Spirit, grant us grace That we our Lord and Savior

In faith and fervent love embrace And truly serve Him ever

The hour of death cannot bring loss

When we are sheltered by the cross

That canceled our transgressions.

Help us that we Thy saving Word In faithful hearts may treasure;

Let e’er that Bread of Life afford New grace in richest measure.

O make us die to ev’ry sin, Each day create new life within,

That fruits of faith may flourish.

And when our earthly race is run, Death’s bitter hour impending,

Then may Thy work in us begun Continue till life’s ending.

Until we gladly may commend Our souls into our Savior’s hand,

The crown of life obtaining.

(LSB 693)