Settling The Issue Of Ownership: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“19) Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20) For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
When we embrace our new life “in Christ”, we return to the creative order of body, soul and spirit… with the human spirit being in charge. But our bodies are still important to God. On the one hand, we do not abuse our body. On the other hand, we do not worship our body either. We merely bring it into subjection to our revived spirit and ultimately to God.
We are called to crucify the flesh, but our body becomes the “temple of the Holy Spirit.” At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit indwells us. He is give as a seal of ownership. (See 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 1:13-14)
Think about this, Adam and Eve were created in the image of God with body, soul and spirit, but they were not indwelled by the Holy Spirit. Wow! The born-again believer has a new life that is beyond their created order. We have the very Spirit of God dwelling within us.
Notice in 1 Corinthians 6:20, Paul stressed the point that “you have been bought with a price.” The theological term is “redeemed.” Jesus bought us or redeemed us with His own precious blood. (Read 1 Peter 1:17-19) He went to the cross to pay our sin debt. By doing so, He “redeemed us”, “bought us” or “purchased us.” We became His!
In the Old Testament, this was the picture of God redeeming Israel from slavery to Egypt. (See Isaiah 58:3-4, 62:12) It was also based on the Law of Redemption found in Leviticus 25:23-55. It is a meaningful picture of what Jesus did for us on the cross.
The important principle is that redemption transfers ownership. It was often pictured as purchasing an indentured servant or a slave. For the Christian, this means we no longer belong to Satan or ourselves, we belong to God. He redeemed us from our slavery to sin and Satan and at the same time took ownership of us. We became His!
In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Paul applies this to our physical bodies. Because we were bought with a price, we should now dedicate our body to glorify and serve God. Notice his emphasis on our “body.”
Technically, this means Jesus Christ is now our owner, master or Lord. We belong to Him. Until you settle the issue of ownership or Lordship, you will struggle with both sin and purpose in your life.
Paul took this so literally that he often referred to himself as a “bond servant” of Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:1, Philippians 1:2, Titus 1:1) He used the Greek word “Doulos” to describe his relationship with Jesus Christ. It means; “one who is in a permanent relationship to another, his will altogether consume in the will of the other.” It was used of a servant or slave. He viewed Jesus Christ as his sovereign Lord and Master.
As believers, Jesus Christ has set us free from sin and bondage. He redeemed for His own possession. We still have free will, but ownership of our life was transferred from sin and Satan to Jesus Christ.
There are only two kingdoms in the Bible; the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light. There is no kingdom called “self.” This is where people get deceived. Both non-Christians and Christians alike are fooled into thinking they reign over the “Kingdom of Self.” It doesn’t exist! “Self” is the capital of the domain of darkness! The temptation of the serpent to Eve was that she could become her own god and rule her own life. (Genesis 3:4-5)
Look at Colossians 1:12-14. After talking about being transferred from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of His beloved Son, verse 14 says; “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” There is that word “redemption.”
The question now becomes; “What kind of Master or Lord rules over the two opposing Kingdoms?” The contrast is shocking. We are not going to dive into it at this time, but Colossians 1:15-23 describes the Lord over the Kingdom of Light. He is not campaigning for office; Paul is merely rehearsing a small part of His resume.
I am eternally thankful that Jesus Christ is my Master and Lord! I have dedicated my body and life to love and serve Him. I have totally surrendered to Him. As a result, I no longer have many of the temptations and battles that used to wage war against my soul.
Don’t get me wrong, I am far from perfect… but I am no longer in bondage. Jesus Christ has set me free from the domain of darkness and I have fixed my eyes on loving, serving and worshipping Him with a clear conscience and a sincere faith. I have surrendered to Him as my Master and Lord. I no longer belong to myself. I have embraced the fact that I am a “doulos.” Jesus Christ has redeemed me and I am His “bond servant.”
This is His call for every born-again and Spirit filled believer. Ownership is a key concept of “Zoe Life!” (John 10:10) Who is Master of your life?
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
“19) Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20) For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
When we embrace our new life “in Christ”, we return to the creative order of body, soul and spirit… with the human spirit being in charge. But our bodies are still important to God. On the one hand, we do not abuse our body. On the other hand, we do not worship our body either. We merely bring it into subjection to our revived spirit and ultimately to God.
We are called to crucify the flesh, but our body becomes the “temple of the Holy Spirit.” At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit indwells us. He is give as a seal of ownership. (See 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 1:13-14)
Think about this, Adam and Eve were created in the image of God with body, soul and spirit, but they were not indwelled by the Holy Spirit. Wow! The born-again believer has a new life that is beyond their created order. We have the very Spirit of God dwelling within us.
Notice in 1 Corinthians 6:20, Paul stressed the point that “you have been bought with a price.” The theological term is “redeemed.” Jesus bought us or redeemed us with His own precious blood. (Read 1 Peter 1:17-19) He went to the cross to pay our sin debt. By doing so, He “redeemed us”, “bought us” or “purchased us.” We became His!
In the Old Testament, this was the picture of God redeeming Israel from slavery to Egypt. (See Isaiah 58:3-4, 62:12) It was also based on the Law of Redemption found in Leviticus 25:23-55. It is a meaningful picture of what Jesus did for us on the cross.
The important principle is that redemption transfers ownership. It was often pictured as purchasing an indentured servant or a slave. For the Christian, this means we no longer belong to Satan or ourselves, we belong to God. He redeemed us from our slavery to sin and Satan and at the same time took ownership of us. We became His!
In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Paul applies this to our physical bodies. Because we were bought with a price, we should now dedicate our body to glorify and serve God. Notice his emphasis on our “body.”
Technically, this means Jesus Christ is now our owner, master or Lord. We belong to Him. Until you settle the issue of ownership or Lordship, you will struggle with both sin and purpose in your life.
Paul took this so literally that he often referred to himself as a “bond servant” of Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:1, Philippians 1:2, Titus 1:1) He used the Greek word “Doulos” to describe his relationship with Jesus Christ. It means; “one who is in a permanent relationship to another, his will altogether consume in the will of the other.” It was used of a servant or slave. He viewed Jesus Christ as his sovereign Lord and Master.
As believers, Jesus Christ has set us free from sin and bondage. He redeemed for His own possession. We still have free will, but ownership of our life was transferred from sin and Satan to Jesus Christ.
There are only two kingdoms in the Bible; the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light. There is no kingdom called “self.” This is where people get deceived. Both non-Christians and Christians alike are fooled into thinking they reign over the “Kingdom of Self.” It doesn’t exist! “Self” is the capital of the domain of darkness! The temptation of the serpent to Eve was that she could become her own god and rule her own life. (Genesis 3:4-5)
Look at Colossians 1:12-14. After talking about being transferred from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of His beloved Son, verse 14 says; “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” There is that word “redemption.”
The question now becomes; “What kind of Master or Lord rules over the two opposing Kingdoms?” The contrast is shocking. We are not going to dive into it at this time, but Colossians 1:15-23 describes the Lord over the Kingdom of Light. He is not campaigning for office; Paul is merely rehearsing a small part of His resume.
I am eternally thankful that Jesus Christ is my Master and Lord! I have dedicated my body and life to love and serve Him. I have totally surrendered to Him. As a result, I no longer have many of the temptations and battles that used to wage war against my soul.
Don’t get me wrong, I am far from perfect… but I am no longer in bondage. Jesus Christ has set me free from the domain of darkness and I have fixed my eyes on loving, serving and worshipping Him with a clear conscience and a sincere faith. I have surrendered to Him as my Master and Lord. I no longer belong to myself. I have embraced the fact that I am a “doulos.” Jesus Christ has redeemed me and I am His “bond servant.”
This is His call for every born-again and Spirit filled believer. Ownership is a key concept of “Zoe Life!” (John 10:10) Who is Master of your life?
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
