Mentoring Manna:  Now under new ownership

© 2003 Pastor Keith Hassell

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1 Corinthians 6:15-20  “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?  Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot?  Certainly not!  Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her?  For ‘the two,’ He says, ‘shall become one flesh.’ But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.  Flee sexual immorality.  Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.  Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?  For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”  Recently I passed a business that posted a sign out front that read:  “Now under new ownership.”  A reality that few Christians have realized is this: In Christ we are now under new ownership.  Our body and spirit no longer belong to us but to the Lord.  Those who are Christ’s have been bought with a price---the precious blood of Jesus. First, our physical body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are now stewards over our bodies rather than owners.  This is both an awesome and glorious responsibility. We do not have the uncontested right to make choices about our bodies without first consulting the Owner.  If we involve our bodies in any activity that does not glorify God, then we are, in effect, desecrating God’s property. Fornication, adultery, homosexuality, and other sexually deviant behavior directly affect what belongs to Him.  When we choose to make our bodies a public “window display” of our heart to show case ungodly clothing, pagan jewelry, tattoos, rebellious fads, and the like, we “dishonor” our bodies. (Romans 1:24)  Subjecting our bodies to the adverse effects of tobacco, alcohol and drugs also shows disregard for His ownership. The goal of our stewardship should always be to glorify God in our bodies rather than ourselves: “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1)  Second, our spirit belongs to the Lord.  When a man marries, he becomes one flesh with his wife.  When we are saved we become one spirit with the Lord.  Just as the heart and body of a husband and wife no longer belong to themselves but to one another, even so our spirit and body now belong to the Lord.  We are to have no fellowship with anything that would steal our first love relationship with the Lord.  We are to maintain purity and holiness.  Therefore, the Scripture tells us to “cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1)  If we struggle with Christ’s ownership in our lives, then we need a revelation of His Lordship.  If we refuse Christ’s ownership, then we do not belong to Him.  For in salvation, Christ is the undisputed Owner.  What sign is posted outside the door of your life?

Application:  How many of us have truly come to terms with Christ’s ownership in our lives?  Owners have rights and authority that non-owners do not.  We should demonstrate Christ’s ownership by seeking to glorify Him in our body and in our spirit by maintaining sexual purity, modesty, non-conformity to rebellious fads, freedom from addictive substances such as tobacco, alcohol and drugs, good physical health, godly jewelry, and choosing to keep our bodies free from tattoos or other worldly displays.  If we do not belong to God, then we are at personal liberty to do as we desire until the day of judgment.  However, if Christ is our Owner, then we are to live responsibly before Him as stewards. It is clearly an issue of ownership.  Is His ownership settled in your heart?

Prayer:  “Heavenly Father, I agree with Your Word that declares that I am not my own.  I have been bought with a price, the precious blood of Jesus.  Therefore I will seek to glorify You in my body and in my spirit which belong to You.  I declare this in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Grace Fellowship     P.O. Box 260       Rusk, Texas 75785       (903) 683-6550

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