What is the Holy Spirit of promise an earnest of?
The Holy Spirit of promise is the earnest, or down payment, of our inheritance. The indwelling Holy Spirit serves as God's mark of ownership, sealing believers as His own, and is given as the down payment of the inheritance that is to come.
Les teaches that salvation is not church membership or baptism—whether sprinkle, pour, or immerse—but after a person believes, God seals and brands them. Using his ranching background, he explains that a brand demarks ownership. The indwelling Holy Spirit is God's mark of ownership, and believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest, or down payment, of their inheritance. Les then points to Romans 5:8, stressing that everything is based on God's love.