I have been bought with a price. I belong to God.

 1 Corinthians 6:20 (ESV) — 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

What God has always been looking for is a relationship of mutual love and affection with those He created in His image. Yes, He is the Creator and we the created. Yes, we are the worshiper and He to be worshiped. Yet, as God is love (1 John 4:16), His design and desire is that the foundation for the whole of the relationship we have with Him would be love.

Love, by its very nature, must be voluntary. If love is forced, it’s not truly love. Hence, God created us with a free will. As He reveals to us His own love, goodness, faithfulness, mercy, etc., His desire is that we would respond freely with love in return.

That being said, in the context of our text verse, Paul is addressing a false teaching and dangerous attitude that was growing in the church at Corinth. That thought was, since Jesus already paid for all our sins once for all, and we’ve been born anew in our spirit, it doesn’t matter what we do with our bodies.

Paul not only in this context reminds believers that their body is the temple of the Holy Spirit – the very dwelling place of God, but, when it comes down to it. we’re not even our own – we’ve been bought with a price – with the precious blood of Jesus.

We were in slavery to sin and the devil; the ruler of this world’s sinful system. As human beings we were sold under his authority when Adam and Eve joined his rebellion (Romans 7:14). Praise be to God, through Christ we are redeemed, or purchased out of slavery, because Jesus paid the price. Now, we belong to God. Not as property . . . but as dearly loved children. Those whom He has promised to care for, provide for, and never leave or forsake. And those who seek to honor their gracious and holy Father in all they do . . . out of love for Him.