Here is a provocative thought: 1 Peter 2:9 says, ". . . you are . . . a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (English Standard Version).
This scripture really impressed me this morning--particularly the phrase "his own possession". The idea of being God's possession is tough to get my modern mind around. How does God "own" me? From the day we are born, American culture marinates us in the idea that we in fact belong to ourselves and no one else. You belong to yourself and so you have the right to make choices that benefit the self. The problem with this is that we don’t really know what’s best for us.
The Apostle Peter's words fly in the face of this modern definition of human personhood. In the Bible humans are not presented as pickers and choosers. We don't own ourselves. The Bible tells us that we are either slaves to the work of the devil or that we are slaves to Christ. Belonging to Christ is true freedom because it makes us dependent upon God who can do all things well. Belonging to Christ liberates us from the tyranny of our self-centered desires, which can be harmful to us and other people.
We should all realize that our choices are not ours alone. Our choices must glorify God who purchased us at the cross. We are his adopted children. Since we belong to him, our choices in life should honor him as well. He spent the blood of his precious Son on us. Know today 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 . . .” (ESV, 1 Peter 1:18-19).
This scripture really impressed me this morning--particularly the phrase "his own possession". The idea of being God's possession is tough to get my modern mind around. How does God "own" me? From the day we are born, American culture marinates us in the idea that we in fact belong to ourselves and no one else. You belong to yourself and so you have the right to make choices that benefit the self. The problem with this is that we don’t really know what’s best for us.
The Apostle Peter's words fly in the face of this modern definition of human personhood. In the Bible humans are not presented as pickers and choosers. We don't own ourselves. The Bible tells us that we are either slaves to the work of the devil or that we are slaves to Christ. Belonging to Christ is true freedom because it makes us dependent upon God who can do all things well. Belonging to Christ liberates us from the tyranny of our self-centered desires, which can be harmful to us and other people.
We should all realize that our choices are not ours alone. Our choices must glorify God who purchased us at the cross. We are his adopted children. Since we belong to him, our choices in life should honor him as well. He spent the blood of his precious Son on us. Know today 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 . . .” (ESV, 1 Peter 1:18-19).
Matt
No comments:
Post a Comment