Posted on 01/21/2016 1:43:06 PM PST by metmom
You were sealed with the Holy Spirit "with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory" (Eph. 1:14).
Someday God will take full possession of all that is rightfully His.
Yesterday we saw that God seals us with the Holy Spirit as a pledge of our eternal inheritance. Here Paul says He does so "with a view to the redemption of [His] own possession." That refers to when God takes full possession of all that is rightfully His.
Everything is God's by creation, but Satan has usurped God's rulership to become the "god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4) in whose power the whole world currently lies (1 John 5:19). Consequently, all creation is in bondage to decay and "groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time" (Rom. 8:22, NIV). It eagerly awaits the time when the curse of Genesis 3 is reversed, all Christians are fully glorified, and sin is eternally vanquished. What a glorious time that will be!
You are God's special possession because you are His by redemption as well as creation. In Revelation 5:9 the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders sing to the Lord, "Worthy art Thou . . . for Thou wast slain, and didst purchase for God with Thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation." In Acts 20:28 Paul charges the Ephesian elders to guard carefully "the church of God which He purchased with His own blood."
That makes you a priceless commodity to God-part of "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God" (1 Pet. 2:9-10).
As God's special possession, you should reflect His ownership and sovereign rule in everything you do. Remember, "you are not your own . . . for you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body" (1 Cor. 6:19-20).
Suggestions for Prayer
Thank God that you are His treasured possession. Seek His Spirit's leading in proclaiming His excellencies to others through your words and deeds. Ask Him to teach you to esteem other believers as highly as He does.
For Further Study
Read Ephesians 2:1-13, noting the spiritual privileges and responsibilities that are yours in Christ.
Studying God’s Word ping
"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey,
his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or
of obedience unto righteousness?" (Rom. 6:16 AV).
Literally, a bondslave, owned by the Master.
"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost
which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body,
and in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Cor. 6:19-20 AV).
The local assembly is the temple of the Holy Ghost, each regenerated believer-member figuratively being a living stone of it's structure, and the price of it being The Holy, Pure, Incorruptible Living Blood of The Lord Jesus Christ, now on dislpay on the True Heavenly Mercy Seat before The God and Father, there for all to see forever.
"Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 2:5 AV).
Being a Christian is more, much more, than nerely confessing one's past sins, changing one's mind about them (repenting), being initiated, and reporting to an assembly center periodically for attitude adjustment.
It is acknowledging Who one's new Owner is, admitting that His Will is to repurpose His new Possession, and submitting to being retrained for use in His Kingdom economy, then doing His Will.
Count the cost, Candidate. In the New Life, you are not going to be your own!
Scriptures tell us that a good parent raises up a child in the Way that they should go. As newborns in Christ, born from above, His indwelling Spirit will raises us up in the Way that we should go to the degree that we submit our will to His parenting.
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