Ownership - His Life in You part 3

For me, living is Christ... - Philippians 1:21a

Wow. What a bold statement from Paul. How could Paul say such a thing? How could he so callously and unashamedly declare that Christ IS his life... that the entirety of his existence focuses on bringing honor to Christ?

It's all a matter of ownership.

One time several years ago I made a purchase at a store in the mall. They asked me if I wanted to be part of their members’ rewards club or something. I had to pay like a $15 membership fee and I got discounts on future purchases. Since I shopped there frequently I did. I didn’t really think much else about it. I got quite a discount on the things I bought that day.

About six weeks later, I received a magazine in the mail. I thought it was sent to me by accident. Here’s what I found out… the subscription to the magazine came with the membership. When I paid for that membership, I also unwittingly signed up for a year’s worth of marines to collect dust on the coffee table.

Listen, the payment gave me ownership. Even of some things I wasn’t aware of.

Well, Jesus paid for you. It was a payment. A payment with His own blood. But Jesus didn’t just pay for your sins. He purchased you. There you go. There it is. 

He purchased you. You belong to God.

His payment secured not just your pardon from sin, but he took ownership of you. He has come to live in you, to take over your life. Your priorities, your perspectives, your decisions. Everything. You belong to Him now.

Sound intimidated? Don't be. Don't get me wrong... we are slaves of Jesus. Paul refers to himself as such on multiple occasions.

Yet, Jesus doesn't address us that way.

I do not call you slaves anymore, because a slave doesn’t know what his master[a] is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from My Father. - John 15:15

He owns us, yet treats us as friends. His burden is light. His requirements are few. All he asks is that we give our lives to Him out of gratitude.

Tullian Tchividjian shares this story:

In the time from Civil War days before America’s slaves were freed, a northerner went to a slave auction and purchased a young slave girl. As they walked away from the auction, the man turned to the girl and told her, “You’re free.”

With amazement she responded, “You mean, I’m free to do whatever I want?” 

“Yes,” he said. 

“And to say whatever I want to say?” 

“Yes, anything.” 

“And to be whatever I want to be?” 

“Yep.” 

“And even go wherever I want to go?” 

“Yes,” he answered with a smile. “You’re free to go wherever you’d like.” 

She looked at him intently and replied, “Then I will go with you.”

You see, it's all a matter of ownership. 

The amazing grace of Jesus purchases us. It is this grace, not duty or fear of punishment or religion, that compels us to loyalty. It is out of gratitude and thankfulness that we, like Paul, can say, "living is Christ."

By His Grace,

Adam