I OWN You!

I OWN YOU!

While going through life, after becoming a Christian, one must come to a point where we learn we no longer are free to do with ourselves as we please, but rather that we are not our own; we are owned! That's right, we who are Christians are bondservants! 1 Cor. 6:19-20 tells us distinctly that we are not our own, and that we were bought with a price, and further tells us our purpose in life, which is to glorify God in our body and our spirit, because they belong to God. In other words, act like and think like you belong to Him. Obey His commandments, and you're glorifying Him.

Now one might wonder where the term came from, but Christians were first called Christians in Acts 11:26. The disciples were in Antioch at the time, and there was where they first received the title.

There may be some out there who read this and think they don't like this concept of being owned, but we all are, regardless of whether we want to accept it or not. Gen. 2:7-8 and 21-23 gives us good reason; He made us! God spoke the world into existence, but He formed man from the dust of the earth; how special is that? All who believe in creationism that is documented in the bible understand by this passage that we are decendants of that first living soul, and that every one of us He made. Melchizedek in Gen. 14:19 also recognized that God possesses, or owns, all heaven and earth.

Now in knowing that the Lord made us, He can also destroy us! He thought about it in Gen. 6:7, and, except for Noah, who found grace in His sight, we almost didn't exist for very long! Think that was a one-time almost? Check again, because in Gen. 19:24-26, He totally destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone, and Lot's wife looked upon it, and she was destroyed to for her disobedience! If one were to think He wouldn't bother with only one person, guess again! Acts 12:21-23 explains that even if one offend Him, He can destroy them! If He should choose to give mercy and not destroy, He could also allow affliction to overcome an offensive person, such as in Acts 13:8-11, where a sorcerer was caused to be blind.

But let not your mind settle on these things of the disobedient, for all who accept Christ as Savior and believe in the Father have good things to look forward to. First of all, He saved us! That's right; we deserve death for our sinfulness, but John 3:16-17 clearly gives us the joyful good news that Jesus came to save us from our sins, and we only need believe on Him! God didn't send Him into the world to condemn us, but rather to save us. Now if you don't understand the need for being saved from death, Rom. 6:20-23 explains that sin creates a debt to be paid in blood, in death, but Jesus paid that debt, and so as a gift from God, we have eternal life through Christ Jesus. No other stipulations apply.

As God owns us, we should also understand we are to be His obedient servant, just as Paul proclaimed to be in Rom. 1:1. As believers in Christ, we willingly do His will, understanding that living as He wants of us gives us forgiveness and eternal life. This leads us to owning grace, Rom. 8:1; "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Okay, what's that mean, exactly? Let not sin own you (Rom. 6:14, 16-18). Learn what sin is, and don't do it anymore. This involves reading the bible and going to church, as when you go to a GOOD church, the pastor will answer questions that arise from reading the word and also orchestrate a good bible study plan for anyone who will attend. As your pastor gives you Christian truth, and you learn it over time, guided by the Holy Spirit, you apply it to your lives, and you become servants of righteousness.

At this point you may be wondering where I'm going with all this being owned by God, but trust that it's all good. Rom. 8:13-17 explains that if we kill the deeds of the body, and live and walk in the Spirit, we are then adopted by God, and when we are adopted by God, we are His children, and thus joint heirs with Christ of the Father's kingdom!

So now as you understand that it is good, yea, even fabulous to be owned by God, that we should inherit the kingdom, let us with emphatic joy shout, "Amen!"