You Are Not Your Own

Purchased at the Highest Price

Corporate Worship

The first step to enjoying public worship services is to understand that Christians are not their own.  1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price.” Christians were purchased at the highest price that can be paid, the death of Christ upon the Cross for their redemption.

Everyone who has received Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord plays a key role in worship to God in Christ’s Name.  Christians who enjoy all the benefits of congregational worship have the heart of the Apostle Paul who wrote, “…a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God.”  (Romans 1:1)

“Servant” (doulos) here means “a bond-servant” or “slave,” one who is in a permanent relation of servitude to the one who paid the highest price possible to set someone free.  The practical application is the person who accepts the purchase price paid for him sets his will to the will of Jesus Christ.  Jesus teaches that a faithful servant does the master’s will. (Matthew 24:45-46) Jesus is God in the flesh and He sets the example by making “…Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant…” (Philippians 2:7)   Jesus lived the life of a bond-slave, one completely surrendered to the will of His Father.  At least three times the Apostle Paul describes himself as a bond-slave. (Romans 1:1; Galatians 1:10; Philippians 1:1)  The authors of James, 2 Peter and Jude also described themselves as bond-slaves.  According to 1 Peter 2:16, 1 Corinthians 7:22 and Ephesians 6:6 Christians are to consider themselves as bond-slaves of God and Christ.

In what condition does the Holy Spirit find your spiritual heart?  Jesus says, “No one can serve two masters.  Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other…”  (Matthew 6:24) Which master are you enslaved to, the flesh, the world’s view, Satan’s lie or the Christ who died for you? The Bible says, Christians are not to avoid public worship services and they are to be fulfilling their part sacrificially.

God’s Will - Participate in Corporate Worship!