Responding to New Ownership

Chuckle: "Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on."

Quote: "After we bow our heads seeking Divine Guidance, we often bow our necks in resistance to His will." --William Arthur Ward

". . . you are not your own. For you are bought with a (high) price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are (belong to) God's" (1 Corinthians 6:20 KJV).

When I was about to go away to college, and later to enter the U. S. Army, my dad asked me to remember to whom I belonged -- to God first and then to our family. He counseled me to "keep my feet on the ground," which was his way of saying I should remain rooted in the Christian principles I had learned at home and in church. I should live my live in such a way as to bring honor to my Savior and to my earthly family. This wise counsel helped me to avoid yielding to many temptations and served as a constant reminder of the price Christ paid for my salvation and my inclusion in the family of God.

We live in a society that says "everything is about me and what I want." "I don't belong to anyone and am not obligated to anyone." Our passage refers to slaves being purchased at auction. Using this analogy, Paul reminds us that we have been redeemed from slavery to sin and that the price of that redemption was the life of our Lord freely given on the cruel cross of Calvary. The terrible price paid for our salvation reminds us of God's indescribable love for us and also reminds us of our obligation to serve Him and bring honor to Him by the way we live.

Perhaps now, or sometime in your life, you have lived in a rented apartment or house. While living there, you were obligated to take care of the dwelling and follow the owner's rules because it belonged to someone else. When we accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, we become Christians and our hearts, minds, souls, and bodies take on new ownership. We belong to the One who purchased us and tells us that our bodies are the temple (dwelling place) of God's Holy Spirit. In other words, God owns the body (dwelling) in which we live, along with His Holy Spirit.

"Or don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God" (vs. 19). Because of what God has done for us, our sacrifice of obedience is a small price for us to pay. Because our bodies belong to God, we should never violate His standards for holy living. We should take care of our bodies as the temple of God and never forget the One who purchased us and to whom we truly belong.

Love, Jerry & Dotse