DOWN PAYMENT

Down Payment

There have been two transactions, not one. The first payment, the price of our redemption, was made in order to satisfy all other claims over all men everywhere. Twice in Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians he tells the believers that they have been bought with a price, which price Peter tells us is “the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1: 18, 19). However, a second transaction was, and is still being, made to those who turn to Him in faith … to us. Jesus did not just settle the debt I owed, He purchased me and therefore has rights over me, His purchased possession.
The second payment is not the price that has been paid for sin, to redeem us to God: that price is the precious blood of Christ. The second payment is the gracious Holy Spirit of God.
In Ephesians 1: 14 the AV uses the term “earnest” to denote this payment which is translated literally as pledge, alternatively a down payment. Strong’s identifies the Greek word as “arrabon”, which means a pledge, or surety. It is a commercial term, referring to that part of the purchase-money or property given in advance as security for the remainder – the balance of the purchase price. In modern parlance we would speak of a security deposit. 
In modern Greek “arrabona”, a slightly different word, refers to an engagement ring - an expression that some prefer as linking with the concept of the Church as a bride. Whilst this has appeal it confuses two thoughts:

• the modern Greek usage as referring to an intended bride, which in the scripture is a collective, being the Church which is the body of Christ; with
• the original meaning of a pledge - or down-payment - which is singular, being a transaction with each individual soul.

The pledge is made for a time and ultimately claimed back, but a down payment is an installment and proof of the bona fides of the purchaser. Installment is preferred as expressing a continuing transaction with each individual soul … with you, and with me. The installment made is the Holy Spirit who has been sent to take us home. His presence with us marks and identifies us as His possession:

• Firstly, among believers: Paul in Titus, and then Peter, refer to the people of God as a “peculiar people”, which is properly translated as special possession.

But ‘earnest’ or ‘Pledge’ is used only by Paul, and only three times; twice in Corinthians and once in Ephesians. This is significant since in these Churches there were likely more so-called gentiles than so-called Jews. The Holy Spirit was in fact the only evidence gentile believers of that time had of Paul’s assurances, and the only evidence Jewish believers had that their gentile brothers and sisters had indeed been accepted by God.

• Secondly, to unseen hosts and powers: In paying the deposit God has marked us. When a man or woman, boy or girl, turns to Jesus in faith, believing, God sees it from His throne in making that first installment, marks them as belonging to Him in Christ. In paying the deposit God announces to all the hosts of heaven, as well as to the “rulers of the darkness of this world” (Ephesians 6: 12) that’s Mine; that … belongs … to Me!
• Thirdly, to us: W. E. Vine points out that I have been purchased, yes, but in a very real sense I also have been purchased - by mutual agreement. My affections and conduct should confirm that I am no longer for sale to or hire by the world or its masters. I have received a security deposit, a first installment, and have no desire for the empty promises the world makes but cannot keep.

God Himself has also marked me as His own, with His own sign declaring I have been SOLD!

All Christendom has the Scriptures in common, but not all who handle the Scriptures belong to Jesus. What then makes the difference?
The gracious Holy Spirit of God! He is the difference

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