SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1140

“You are Not Your Own”

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

In contemplating the events of the Passion of Christ this Easter season I was struck by the enormity of the price Jesus paid to make a way for our salvation.

…knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. – 1 Peter 1:18-19

We need to realize that we cannot earn our way into eternal life in Heaven. We cannot be good enough, do enough – these are all ‘futile ways’ that amount to nothing but ‘filthy rags’ in the presence of God.

We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. – Isaiah 64:6

It is only by accepting the free gift of salvation through the sacrifice that Jesus willingly made to pay the price for our sins and ransom us that we are saved.

…even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. – Matthew 20:28 – Hebrews 10:10

Having accepted Christ we are born again and the Holy Spirit dwells in our heart.

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. – Ephesians 1:13-14

We were bought with a high price – we are not our own. We must not become enslaved by the rules, rituals, and works righteousness taught by men.

You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. – 1 Corinthians 7:23

Jesus ransomed us by His death and resurrection – we are not our own. We must walk in the Spirit, glorifying God in this earthly body that is now a sanctified temple of His Holy Spirit.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. – Ephesians 2:10

Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for us – we are not our own. Yet we have a freedom in Christ but not to indulge the sinful desires of our flesh and defile our bodies as the temple of His Holy Spirit.

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. – 1 Corinthians 6:12-13

There is no greater love than the love demonstrated by Jesus at Calvary. We were bought with a price. We are not our own. Let us serve Him in love and glorify Him in the body.

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. – John 15:13