2 Corinthians 1

In what I understand to be his third letter to the Corinthians, Paul tells them of the Savior that -

"Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." (New Testament 2 Corinthians 1:21 - 22)

What seemed to stand out to me was the "earnest" of the Spirit in our hearts. What seemed to cross my mind was not the earnest as defined by -

"a serious and intent mental state; a considerable or impressive degree or amount" (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

But the earnest as defined by -

"something of value given by a buyer to a seller to bind a bargain; a token of what is to come; a pledge" (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

...as used in the term "earnest money". As the sacred sacrament is blessed, we hear the covenant or agreement of this "earnest" of the Spirit -

"O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them; that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 20:77)

I see sacrament as an "earnest agreement" or covenant, a binding agreement in regards to the gift of the Spirit in our hearts, a pledge, and of greatest importance, a token of what is to come -

The Savior told his disciples -

"If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever..." (New Testament John 14:15 - 16)

The Prophet Joseph Smith wrote of this other Comforter or Second Comforter -

"After a man so devotes himself to righteousness that his calling and election is made sure, "then it will be his privilege to receive the other Comforter," the Prophet says. "Now what is this other Comforter? It is no more nor less than the Lord Jesus Christ himself; and this is the sum and substance of the whole matter; that when any man obtains this last Comforter, he will have the personage of Jesus Christ to attend him, or appear unto him from time to time, and even he will manifest the Father unto him, and they will take up their abode with him, and the visions of the heavens will be opened unto him, and the Lord will teach him face to face, and he may have a perfect knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God; and this is the state and place the ancient saints arrived at when they had such glorious visions — Isaiah, Ezekiel, John upon the Isle of Patmos, St. Paul in the three heavens, and all the saints who held communion with the general assembly and Church of the Firstborn." (Teachings, pp. 150-151)

And as we obey his commandments and prove worth of our "earnest agreement", "the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts", we are promised to be visited by the -

"...tree of life, whose fruit is most precious and most desirable above all other fruits; yea, and it is the greatest of all the gifts of God." (Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 15:36)