When someone believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, which is the news of the Gospel, they become a child of God. Their sins are forgiven, they are put into the family of God, and they are given a new nature.

The new nature is the Person of the Holy Spirit. He moves into the heart of the individual and makes him or her a “new creature in Christ” (II Cor. 5:17). The above verses reveal that the Holy Spirit becomes our “seal,” or evidence of ownership by God Himself.

He is in the newly saved person “until the redemption of the purchased possession.” The redemption spoken of here is not a reference to salvation, but to the time when Jesus comes to take His people to glory. This speaks of the Rapture.

The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit becomes the “earnest,” or downpayment of salvation. His presence and working in your life is proof that you have been purchased by the blood of Christ. Romans 8:9 says that “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

He will be there in your heart until the Rapture and will not leave before it takes place. This guarantees salvation.

Certainly, it is something to praise Him for. Like He said in Hebrews 13:5: “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

In John chapter 13:33, Jesus had just told His disciples that He is going to a place where the disciples cannot go. It is near the end of His earthly ministry.

Jesus tells them that they had believed God already, now it was time for them to believe Him. He is going to give them some good news about His return.

He indicates that His Father’s house has many mansions. He must leave to make preparation for His bride (the church) to live with Him. In Bible times, it was Jewish custom that the bridegroom make a place ready he and his bride to live, and when it is ready, he will come for her.

Jesus also promises to return to take His Bride away to be with Him in glory. It is definitely a picture of the Rapture. Note that He says that where He is (in Heaven), He will receive us unto Himself.

By way of observation, the Heavenly city (described in Revelation 21) is 1,500 miles square, or 2,250,000 square miles on the first floor. There are 640 square acres in 1 square mile. If each believer received 1 acre with his or her mansion, there is room for 1,440,000,000 lots. If each person received 5 acres, there is still room for 288,000,000 5-acre lots – all on the first floor! And remember – there are 12 floors!

Are you looking for His soon return! What a glorious day it will be for those who have remained faithful to Him – that they receive a full reward (II John 1:8)!