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Today's Little Lift

    by Jim Bullington

Bought With A Price (1 Cor 7:23/09)
Date Posted: July 24, 2020

In today’s civilized cultures trafficking in slavery (buying/selling people) is unthinkable. It has not been that long since it was commonplace throughout the world. In fact, there are still places where people are bought for a particular sum of money, or for services to be rendered; this does not say that the processes are legal or morally right – just that they are still being done in certain parts of the world.

Today’s message revolves around the fact that as believers we belong to another and hence owe our lives and everything in them to the one who bought us! One could call it slavery (or servitude) and not be out of step with what the scriptures state. However in these dealings every time a believer is “purchased” the transaction has the explicit approval of the one being sold; a person cannot be bought without it being according to his/her wishes! Herein lies one of the huge differences between the slavery of the world and the servitude of a heavenly sort.

Paul wrote, “Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.” (1 Corinthians 7.23 KJV). In another place he said, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6.19-20). The specific focus in today’s message is the purchase price involved in these transactions.

A small group of local pastors heard Paul say the following to them: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” (Acts 20.28). Peter, who was an elder in the Lord’s Church, wrote, “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 1.20-21).

It was blood, but it was not just blood; it was the precious blood of Christ! According to Jesus’ own words, “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20.28). The very thing that Jesus intended to do, He did! Paul looked back at Jesus’ death upon the cross and wrote, “Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2.6). The testimony of these events is, in short, the Gospel; it is the Good News! While ordinarily we would look upon the purchase of humans as a lamentable and demented act, the purchase of humanity by means of the Blood of Jesus is a happy and joyous matter; it is the Good News!

The events of the Cross were but a fulfillment of the great mystery that had been hidden from the foundation of the world. Abraham had faith that the day would come, but he didn’t see it with his physical eyes. Moses told of another Prophet who would come later who would be unlike any other prophet; He would be THE prophet! David was looked upon as the king who would be in the lineage of the King of Kings whose kingdom would never end. The prophets spoke of the coming Messiah and how He would fulfill the hopes and dreams of the ages. These all died in faith, but were not themselves recipients of the promise!

When it came time for Abraham, Moses, David, and Isaiah to die, they could rest assured that they would be (future tense) purchased, but that the purchase had not yet come! On the other hand, we can rest assured even in life that we have been (past tense) purchased! We have been bought with a price!

Questions:

1. What was the price of human redemption from sin?

2. Who paid this price? Why did He pay it? Why didn’t someone else pay it?

3. What advantage might we say we have over Abraham as regards our redemption?

4. What additional price, if any, must the believer pay for his redemption?

"God's Words For US" from Cecelia Lester

Grace

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Biography Information:
Jim Bullington - A Christian writer whose insight into the scriptures is reflected in practical application lessons in every article. The reader will find that the Bible speaks directly to him/her through these articles. God is always exalted and His word is treated with the utmost respect in this column.
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