Earnest
Textsâš¡ IN BRIEF (SUMMARY)
The term 'earnest' translates the Greek word arrabon, denoting a down payment or pledge that guarantees the fulfillment of a contract, and is used in the New Testament to describe the Holy Spirit as the divine guarantee of a believer's future inheritance.
What is the meaning of Earnest in the Bible?
The term 'earnest' translates the Greek word arrabon, denoting a down payment or pledge that guarantees the fulfillment of a contract, and is used in the New Testament to describe the Holy Spirit as the divine guarantee of a believer's future inheritance.
TEXTUAL SIGNIFICANCE
Recognizing this legal metaphor clarifies that the Holy Spirit serves as a binding guarantee of complete redemption rather than a temporary presence, offering believers assurance of future salvation grounded in the certainty of the initial divine payment.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
- Why did the biblical author mention Earnest in this passage?
- What cultural or historical assumption does Earnest clarify?
Source Attribution & Provenance
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been editorially modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and formatted for fast contextual reference.