Yes—earnest money, or the earnest spoken of in Scripture, is God's down payment of the Holy Spirit, guaranteeing that He will complete every promise concerning the believer's redemption.
Les Feldick teaches that the word 'earnest' means exactly what we mean by a down payment. The Holy Spirit is called the earnest of our inheritance in Ephesians 1:14, a sufficient down payment to make sure the transaction is completed. At salvation the soul and spirit are redeemed, but the body is not yet redeemed; the Holy Spirit's earnest guarantees that even the body will one day be fully redeemed.
Ephesians 1:13-14 — This is the central text Les uses: believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession.
2 Corinthians 5:5 — Paul says God 'hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit,' directly connecting the concept of earnest or down payment to the Holy Spirit.
In Ephesians 1:13-14, Scripture says, "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory." The passage explicitly calls the Holy Spirit the earnest of our inheritance and places that earnest in the time before the redemption of the purchased possession. Second Corinthians 5:5 says, "Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit." Jude 1:1 also describes believers as "sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called." So Scripture identifies the Holy Spirit as the God-given earnest and shows that believers are preserved by God Himself.
Les teaches that when Paul writes 'earnest' in Ephesians 1:14, he means exactly what we mean today by a down payment. He compares the indwelling Holy Spirit to earnest money in a transaction: it is a sufficient down payment to guarantee that the transaction will be completed. Les applies this to redemption in two stages. When a person believes, God seals them with the Spirit, and the soul and spirit are redeemed completely. But the body is not yet redeemed; it is still in the flesh, prone to pain, accidents, and sin. The earnest or down payment assures that even the body will be redeemed at the future resurrection. Les also describes the sealing as God's mark of ownership, similar to a rancher's brand, and he connects it to Jude 1 where believers are sanctified by God the Father and preserved.
Les uses the modern real estate term to explain 'earnest.' He says, 'that means just exactly like we use the term today'—the earnest is the down payment. A down payment is a holding pattern until something later consummates, and the Holy Spirit is 'a sufficient down payment to make sure that the transaction is completed.' In Ephesians 1:14 the Spirit is called 'the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession.'
Les answers that the soul and spirit are redeemed in full at salvation, but the third part of us—the body—still has to be ready for eternity. The body is still prone to pain, accidents, and sin, and it will be separated from the soul and spirit at death. The down payment guarantees that the body will be redeemed—changed to be like Christ and never die. This is the redemption of the purchased possession that Ephesians 1:14 points to.
Les, who describes himself as a cowman, explains that a brand demarks ownership. The sealing of the Holy Spirit is God's mark of ownership on the believer. After a person believes, God seals and brands them with the Holy Spirit of promise. He connects this to Jude's description of believers who are 'sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ.'
Preserved in Christ
Les reads Jude 1 and highlights that believers are sanctified by God the Father and preserved, showing the security that accompanies the sealing of the Spirit.
Earnest Means Down Payment
Les equates 'earnest' with our modern use of down payment, linking Ephesians 1:14 directly to the question of earnest money and God's promise.
Down Payment of the Purchased Possession
Les explains that while the soul and spirit are fully redeemed, the body is the third part still awaiting redemption—the purchased possession the earnest guarantees.
Earnest Guarantees the Body's Future Redemption
Les says the down payment assures that the physical body, still prone to pain and sin, will one day be redeemed.
Sealing as God's Brand of Ownership
Les compares the sealing of the Holy Spirit to a rancher's brand, showing that it is God's mark of ownership on the believer.
A Sufficient Down Payment
Les emphasizes the Holy Spirit is a sufficient down payment ensuring the full transaction—the inheritance and final redemption—will be completed.
Earnest as a Holding Pattern
Les explains why God used the concept of a down payment: it is a holding pattern with the Spirit as our earnest until the later consummation.
What Does Revelation 22 Really Mean? Eternity Explained
And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this Book. Don't shut them up. My, if anything, open them up, for the time is hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still. And he who is filthy, let him be filthy still. In other words, those who are doomed are not going to be changed. They are in their place, and they are going to stay there for all eternity.
Ephesians 1:13: In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
This verse shows that sealing with the Holy Spirit happens after a person believes and is directly tied to hearing the gospel.
Ephesians 1:14: Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
This verse is the key text: the Holy Spirit is the earnest or down payment of our inheritance until the full redemption takes place.
2 Corinthians 5:5: Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
Paul identifies God as the giver of the Spirit, who is our earnest—the guarantee of what God is preparing for us.
Jude 1:1: Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:
Les points to this verse to show that believers are both sanctified and preserved by God, reinforcing the security implied by the earnest.
It is not literal money; it is the Holy Spirit. In Ephesians 1:14 the Spirit is called 'the earnest of our inheritance,' meaning God's down payment that guarantees future redemption. Les compares it to a substantial down payment that secures the transaction.
Les teaches that the body is the one part still waiting. At salvation the Holy Spirit is the down payment; at a future event the body itself will be redeemed and changed. This is what Ephesians 1:14 calls 'the redemption of the purchased possession.'
No. Les teaches the sealing and earnest are God's actions—a brand, a down payment—guaranteeing that He will finish what He started. Jude 1 says believers are sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ.
Watch the Teaching: Eternal Security: Can Anything Separate Us From God? | Romans 8 Bible Study