The Lord does not serve us; we serve him.”
–Ken Pratt (A Love to Die For)
“They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”
–Revelation 12:11(NIV)
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“Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
–1 Peter 1:18-19 (NKJV)
“For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
–1 Corinthians 6:20 (NKJV)
Read those verses carefully. Do you understand? In this age of people clamoring for their so-called rights, what rights do you have as a Christian? Yes, you have some, do not let anyone tell you that you do not. You have a right to call God your Father. You have a right to enter the throne room with your requests. You have a right to His protection. You have a right to eternal life. You have the right to have your sins forgiven. And here is the crux of the matter–sins forgiven. Why? Read the above verses again. You have been redeemed, purchased by the precious blood of Jesus, bought with a price, therefore you are no longer your own.
“I have my rights!” No, not if you belong to Christ. Let me say this before going further, there is a difference between civil rights and spiritual rights. Yes, we all have the rights of an individual under the laws of the country in which we reside. However, in the bigger and deeper picture even those rights are precluded by being purchased by Christ. Purchasing means the transfer of ownership and purpose. No long are you, your own. Not in ownership, for God is now your Master. Not in purpose for His will must become ours. As believers we no longer have the right to direct our lives. We are under the direction, the care, and the protection of the Almighty.
Listen to the people clamor, and I will ask to whom do they belong. Listen, no one belongs to themselves. They are slaves to their sins, their ideas, their emotions, their habits and to their father the devil. Ah, but my friend, we have been purchased, we have a new master. I would encourage you to read Romans and see this marvelous change that comes about when our ownership changed. We now work for the heavenly Master; our purpose is now to serve Him. We are no longer in bondage to sin and as Barclay writes, “A Christian is a man who thinks not of his rights, but of his debts.” We had a debt we could not pay, and we have even a greater debt that He paid–grace and mercy can never be repaid, except by complete surrender of the will and life to God.
Man is not free to sin, but free not to sin. The Christian, because of his servitude to God, “can never do what he likes, because he never belongs to himself; he must always to what Christ likes, because Christ bought him at the cost of His life.” (William Barclay) True happiness and joy comes then from service to the Master. Foolish the man who thinks that he would be happier doing what he wants–self-service, selfishness. No true happiness, true joy comes from service to Christ. And I will mention part of it is to have proper respect for the Master. We are to revere Him, to keep Him in awe. “Oh the blood of Jesus; it washes white as snow.” (Gabriel Allred) and because of that precious blood we serve Jesus.
“They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”
–Revelation 12:11(NIV)
——————————
“Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
–1 Peter 1:18-19 (NKJV)
“For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
–1 Corinthians 6:20 (NKJV)
Read those verses carefully. Do you understand? In this age of people clamoring for their so-called rights, what rights do you have as a Christian? Yes, you have some, do not let anyone tell you that you do not. You have a right to call God your Father. You have a right to enter the throne room with your requests. You have a right to His protection. You have a right to eternal life. You have the right to have your sins forgiven. And here is the crux of the matter–sins forgiven. Why? Read the above verses again. You have been redeemed, purchased by the precious blood of Jesus, bought with a price, therefore you are no longer your own.
“I have my rights!” No, not if you belong to Christ. Let me say this before going further, there is a difference between civil rights and spiritual rights. Yes, we all have the rights of an individual under the laws of the country in which we reside. However, in the bigger and deeper picture even those rights are precluded by being purchased by Christ. Purchasing means the transfer of ownership and purpose. No long are you, your own. Not in ownership, for God is now your Master. Not in purpose for His will must become ours. As believers we no longer have the right to direct our lives. We are under the direction, the care, and the protection of the Almighty.
Listen to the people clamor, and I will ask to whom do they belong. Listen, no one belongs to themselves. They are slaves to their sins, their ideas, their emotions, their habits and to their father the devil. Ah, but my friend, we have been purchased, we have a new master. I would encourage you to read Romans and see this marvelous change that comes about when our ownership changed. We now work for the heavenly Master; our purpose is now to serve Him. We are no longer in bondage to sin and as Barclay writes, “A Christian is a man who thinks not of his rights, but of his debts.” We had a debt we could not pay, and we have even a greater debt that He paid–grace and mercy can never be repaid, except by complete surrender of the will and life to God.
Man is not free to sin, but free not to sin. The Christian, because of his servitude to God, “can never do what he likes, because he never belongs to himself; he must always to what Christ likes, because Christ bought him at the cost of His life.” (William Barclay) True happiness and joy comes then from service to the Master. Foolish the man who thinks that he would be happier doing what he wants–self-service, selfishness. No true happiness, true joy comes from service to Christ. And I will mention part of it is to have proper respect for the Master. We are to revere Him, to keep Him in awe. “Oh the blood of Jesus; it washes white as snow.” (Gabriel Allred) and because of that precious blood we serve Jesus.