Who's in Charge?
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
'Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you at a high price. So you must honor God with your body."
Observations:
Paul wraps up his very serious discussion with the Corinthian church regarding their warped attitudes towards sexual immorality and various other vices by pointing out that such behaviors and attitudes are incompatible with a lifestyle that claims to be devoted to Christ. His closing argument is pretty convincing- your body and the rights to your life (lifestyle) were purchased by Christ, therefore He now has sole ownership (exclusive rights) to your life (lifestyle). Consequently, "you don't belong to yourself" (vs. 19). That statement is a powerful truth many people miss. The question of ownership answers once and for all the question, "who's in charge of my life?" If I am the owner then I can reserve the right to call the shots regarding my lifestyle and choices. However, if Christ owns me, then my "rights" were sold when the purchase price was paid, which means that I no longer have the "right" or the "freedom" to choose for myself how should live. If I belong to Him then the decision has already been made for me, "so you must honor God with your body." (vs. 20).
Application:
If you've ever met someone who claims to be a Christian yet who consistently exhibits behaviors and attitudes that are inconsistent with the character and nature of Christ- welcome to 1st century Corinth. First of all, that kind of lifestyle, according to Paul in this passage, "will not inherit the Kingdom of God" (vs. 9-10). But the application here is universal- lifestyle matters. You can pretty much tell from your lifestyle whether or not someone has truly been purchased by God; not always, but most of the time. The question for us though is this, "can the people around me detect from my lifestyle alone that I belong to Christ?" The reason Jesus paid such a high price on our behalf was not simply to forgive our sins. In sacrificing His life on the cross He was, in fact, purchasing the rights to our entire existence. He bought us so that we would become completely His, not someday in eternity, but right here in the present. If we belong to Him then He owns us. If He truly owns us then our lifestyle should reflect the fact that it is He and not we who are now calling the shots and that our decisions, actions, and attitudes have been realigned and our lives are now being transformed into His likeness.
Prayer:
Father, thank You for paying such a high price on our behalf. Help us to live our lives as those who have been bought and sold as slaves of Christ. We acknowledge that You alone have complete ownership of the rights to our lives. May we honor you with the new life You have given. Amen.
Daily Bible Reading Plan
'Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you at a high price. So you must honor God with your body."
Observations:
Paul wraps up his very serious discussion with the Corinthian church regarding their warped attitudes towards sexual immorality and various other vices by pointing out that such behaviors and attitudes are incompatible with a lifestyle that claims to be devoted to Christ. His closing argument is pretty convincing- your body and the rights to your life (lifestyle) were purchased by Christ, therefore He now has sole ownership (exclusive rights) to your life (lifestyle). Consequently, "you don't belong to yourself" (vs. 19). That statement is a powerful truth many people miss. The question of ownership answers once and for all the question, "who's in charge of my life?" If I am the owner then I can reserve the right to call the shots regarding my lifestyle and choices. However, if Christ owns me, then my "rights" were sold when the purchase price was paid, which means that I no longer have the "right" or the "freedom" to choose for myself how should live. If I belong to Him then the decision has already been made for me, "so you must honor God with your body." (vs. 20).
Application:
If you've ever met someone who claims to be a Christian yet who consistently exhibits behaviors and attitudes that are inconsistent with the character and nature of Christ- welcome to 1st century Corinth. First of all, that kind of lifestyle, according to Paul in this passage, "will not inherit the Kingdom of God" (vs. 9-10). But the application here is universal- lifestyle matters. You can pretty much tell from your lifestyle whether or not someone has truly been purchased by God; not always, but most of the time. The question for us though is this, "can the people around me detect from my lifestyle alone that I belong to Christ?" The reason Jesus paid such a high price on our behalf was not simply to forgive our sins. In sacrificing His life on the cross He was, in fact, purchasing the rights to our entire existence. He bought us so that we would become completely His, not someday in eternity, but right here in the present. If we belong to Him then He owns us. If He truly owns us then our lifestyle should reflect the fact that it is He and not we who are now calling the shots and that our decisions, actions, and attitudes have been realigned and our lives are now being transformed into His likeness.
Prayer:
Father, thank You for paying such a high price on our behalf. Help us to live our lives as those who have been bought and sold as slaves of Christ. We acknowledge that You alone have complete ownership of the rights to our lives. May we honor you with the new life You have given. Amen.
Daily Bible Reading Plan
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