It was the truth concerning Jesus Christ in the Gospel, God’s Word, that came to us by God’s providence at some point in the past. And when we believed that Word, we were saved from the guilt of all our sins and given the Holy Spirit whom Christ had promised to send to his people. The Spirit’s presence in us is a “down payment” (earnest) of the full and final salvation to come at the time of resurrection of the saints.
And we pray:
Seeing the work of The Spirit in our hearts and lives, O Lord, we know that our conversion was real and that you have yet more blessings in store for us in the future. Help us to patiently wait for that day when our salvation from sin’s power and from even physical death is complete. Let us work while we wait and be found diligent servants of You at Your coming. Amen.