To whom You belong

You are Christ’s. 

1 Corinthians 3:23 NKJV 

You are Christ’s. You are His by donation, for the Father gave you to the Son; His by a costly purchase, for He paid the price for your redemption; His by dedication, for you have consecrated yourself to Him; His by relation, for you are named by His name, and made His sibling and joint-heir. Choose, in practical ways, to show the world that you are the servant, friend, and bride of Jesus. When you are tempted to sin, reply, “I cannot do this great wickedness, for I am Christ’s.” Immortal principles forbid the friend of Christ to sin. When you may win wealth by sin, say that you are Christ’s, and don’t touch it. Are you exposed to difficulties and dangers? Stand fast in the evil day, remembering that you are Christ’s. Are you placed where others are sitting idly, doing nothing? Rise to work with all your power; and when your brow is covered with sweat and you are tempted to loiter, cry, “No! I cannot stop, for I am Christ’s.” When the siren song of pleasure would tempt you from the path of right, reply, “Your music cannot charm me; I am Christ’s.” When the cause of God invites you, give your goods and yourself away, for you are Christ’s. Never contradict your profession of faith. Always be one of those whose manners are Christian, whose speech is like the Nazarene, whose conduct and conversation are so fragrant of heaven that all who see you may know that you are the Savior’s, recognizing in you His features of love and His countenance of holiness. “I am a Roman!” was at one time a reason for integrity. Far more, then, let this be your argument for holiness: “I am Christ’s!” - C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening 

It has been a source of grieving for me on a great many occasions to see Christians excuse their behavior that is obviously not right by God's Word. 

People who excuse their choices, their decisions, to say, do, and behave just like the rest of the world.  They misplace their passion, their devotion, with things of this world. Wrongfully taken from God and placed with all manner of things.  

Oh you're being too serious! 

Wasn't Jesus deadly serious about why He came? Wasn't He deadly serious about dealing with sin on the cross?  I must not have the right English translation of the Bible if I can't find a single altercation with the Jewish leaders and Jesus where He ends the conversation with "Just kidding!".

I must not be reading my Bible right if I can't find any of the Tribulation as a joke upon mankind.  I must not be understanding Paul, Peter, Jude, James or John correctly when the seriousness of the Christian life is explained. 

When you look at the wiles of the Devil, you see subtlety, you never see an overt attack.  You see his play on his own words of "did God really say?".  

More than ample evidence is in this world today that people are easily fooled into accepting sinful behavior as normal.  That same train of thought is found in the Church today as well.  When the Church refuses to acknowledge sin as fully defined by God, then compromise has happened.  Not compassion, compromise.  When people within the professing Church swear as bad, if not worse, than those outside of it, at what point does the world see Christ and want that relationship?

When the idols of the world are INTEGRATED into the Church, where is the stand taken to live a Holy life?  The charge to all believers is "Be Holy as I am Holy". 

We are not our own, we were bought with a price. 

I have lots of interests. Things that I could desire.  But the truth is those things conflict with what Jesus wants of me in this life.   

I suggest we review 1 Corinthians 6:12 "All things are permitted for me, but not all things are of benefit. All things are permitted for me, but I will not be mastered by anything."

If your 'love' of someone or something exceeds your love n desire to be obedient to Jesus, you have a significant problem.

We who are in Christ belong to God. 

Consider this song:

All I once held dear, built my life upon

All this world reveres, and wars to own
All I once thought gain I have counted loss
Spent and worthless now, compared to this

Knowing You, Jesus
Knowing You
There is no greater thing
You're my all, You're the best
You're my joy, my righteousness
And I love You, Lord
Yeah-yeah

Now my heart's desire is to know You more
To be found in You and known as Yours
To possess by faith what I could not earn
All-surpassing gift of righteousness

Knowing You, Jesus
Knowing You
There is no greater thing
You're my all, You're the best
You're my joy, my righteousness
And I love You, Lord

Oh, to know the power of Your risen life
And to know You in Your sufferings
To become like You in Your death, my Lord
So with You to live and never die…

You need to realize that there IS a war within us between obedience to God and our corrupt sin nature.  You cannot please them both.  You cannot live 'in your own little world' and live to Jesus too.

You must choose whom it is you are going to serve.  That statement by Joshua applies to all who call upon the Lord Jesus Christ.  Choose this day whom you will serve.  But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. 

Don't do like the Jewish leaders of Jeremiah's day. Thinking that they could embrace their personal idols as well as serve God.  Note well THEY WERE BUSTED!!!

YOU will be busted too.  It isn't my interpretation of Scripture here. This is you either ignoring the Word of God or obeying it.  Plain pure and simple.  

If your passion for a sports team exceeds your passion for the things of God, then my friend, your idol means more to you than God does. 

If you know more about sports than your Bible, then my friend, your idol means more to you than God does. 

Jesus is very graphic about lukewarm people.  You would do well to look at your life and acknowledge where your heart is.

Again, no where is anyone ever excused in their sin in the Bible all because something was "just for fun". 

I did not single out anyone's worldly desires in this post. As God leads, I write. 

You need to clean your glasses.  You need to realize God's truth about what constitutes idolatry and sin is what is truth, not our version of it.  Billions will attempt to persuade Jesus that their lives were ok at the Final Judgment of everyone.  Christians will give an account of their lives both the good and the bad while living for Jesus. 

The realization of to whom we belong should be paramount in our thoughts. 

As Scripture says in Corinthians as well: 

When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 1 Corinthians 13:11