[metmom]

What's with the idea that God makes the down payment but we're responsible for the mortgage payments??? Don't they get it that it is WE who are the purchased and the Holy Spirit is given as God's guarantee that He will complete the deal?

That's a really good point/analogy.

If God puts down the down payment and guarantees the deal will go through, it HAS to, else God is a liar. If HE promised the rest is forthcoming, it is, and NOTHING can stop that.

People who claim otherwise are basically making God out to be a liar.

[boatbums]

Does anyone think God would default and go into foreclosure and LOSE His earnest payment? That’s the Holy Spirit we’re talking about!

And yes, it is calling God a liar when we don’t believe what He said in His word:

Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1 John 5:10-12)

[ealgeone]

This analogy of God putting the downpayment down is clearly expressed in the NT. Jesus was not only the downpayment, but the whole payment.

He's paid off the debt.

We either take God at His word or we don't.

This has been one of the best discussions in a while on this thread. Learned a lot of good stuff.