BOUGHT WITH A PRICE.

 BOUGHT WITH A PRICE

THE DEATH OF JESUS LAUNCHES ON A JOURNEY of becoming like Him–a journey that will culminate when we meet Him face to face. (See 1 John 3:1-3). As believers, we celebrate life as new creations. Yet we must never lose sight of what that cost Christ. The theme that we are not our own, that we were bought by the Lord Jesus Christ with a price is one that recurs across the New Testament. I have given a few examples of this in the essay below.  

1. 1 Pet 1:18, 19 - For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

This is an argument for a holy life, derived from the fact that we were redeemed, and from the manner in which our redemption took place. There is no more effective way to induce true Christians to consecrate themselves entirely to God, than to refer them to the fact that they are not their own, but have been purchased by the blood of Christ. The blood, or the life of Christ offered as a sacrifice, effected the same purpose in regard to justice which the punishment of the sinner himself would have done. God was pleased to accept Jesus' work at Calvary, His vicarious death on the cross, in place of the punishment of the sinner, as answering the same great ends in His administration. The principles of His truth and justice could as certainly be maintained in this way as by the punishment of the guilty themselves. Consequently, there was no obstacle to their salvation; and they might, on repentance, be consistently pardoned and taken to heaven. 

2. 2 Peter 2:1 But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach their destructive heresies about God and even turn against their Master who bought them. Theirs will be a swift and terrible end.

‘The Master who bought them,’ asserts Peter boldly– reminding us slave trade existed when he wrote his letter– and because Jesus purchased us, He owns us! Runaway slaves, when they are stopped, and asked who they belong to, will say they know nothing about him. Likewise, here is the runaway’s denial, ‘denying the Lord that bought them.’ The people about whom the Apostle is saying that they have ‘denied the Lord that bought them’ can, by no means be supposed to be true Christians, but were enemies that had crept into the Church without any real allegiance to Jesus Christ, and were trying to wreck it, and to destroy His work. 

The slave’s owner has absolute authority over the slave. Yes!

Absolute authority is His; so what should be our position under the circumstances? We don't have any other option than unconditional submission. It is no use calling ourselves  Christians unless that is our attitude.  Do we, day by day, yield to the absolute Master total submission? And has that rebellious will--which is in us all--been put to death?

3. Acts 20:28 And now beware! Be sure that you feed and shepherd God's flock—His church, purchased with His blood—over whom the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.

If the Holy Spirit has made ministers overseers of the flock, that is, shepherds, they must be true to their trust. Let them consider their Master's concern for the flock committed to their charge. It is the church He has purchased with His own blood. The blood was His as Man; yet so close is the union between the Divine and human nature, that it is there called the blood of God, for it was the blood of Him who is God. This put such dignity and worth into it, as to ransom believers from all evil. 

Paul spoke about their souls with affection and concern. He directs them to look up to God with faith, and commends them to the word of God's grace, not only as the foundation of their hope and the fountain of their joy, but as the rule of their walking. The most advanced Christians are capable of growing further, and will find the word of grace to help their growth. Those who are unsanctified cannot be welcome guests of a Holy God; heaven would be no heaven to them. But the chosen ones are those who are born from above, spiritually transferred, and on whom the image of God is renewed. 

4. 1 Corinthians 7:23 God purchased you at a high price. Don't be enslaved by the world.

You are bought with a price, the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. You are, therefore, of inestimable worth in His sight and are bound to be His. Don't become servants of men. Even in your humble relation of life, even as servants under the laws of the land, regard yourselves as the servants of God, as obeying and serving Him. Every true Christian must consider himself the bonded servant of God. See 1 Corinthians 7:22 that says you were slaves to the world, but you now free in the Lord. In this relation, therefore, esteem yourselves as the servants of God, as bound by his laws, as subject to Him, and as really serving Him, while you yield all proper obedience to your master. 

Be cautious  and stay away from the many needless rites and customs which the false teachers might try to impose on you. You belonged to God, and you should serve Him carefully to do everything that was in accordance with the will of God with a quiet conscience. If at any time you were commanded to do that which God had forbidden, you must be prepared to disobey them and face the consequences. See Acts 4:19, 20 where you find a classic example of the above situation. Peter and John were warned not to preach in the name of Jesus and they replied the temple authorities “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

(5) Revelations 5:9 And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation…”

It is the great victory in suffering and death which inspires this 

song, and makes them sing, “Thou art worthy;” and so they speak of that work of Christ as a work completed. The suffering Saviour has died, has broken the bond of the oppressor, has claimed, by right of purchase, mankind as His own; and the price was His blood. It is well to notice the harmony between this passage and the statements of other Apostles: “you are not your own;” “you are bought with a price”, “He has made us His kingdom and His priests who serve before God His Father” etc. Give to Him everlasting glory! He rules forever and ever!” (See Revelations 6:20).

This kingdom and reign is the outcome of Christ’s work. “Every precept of Christianity is quickened by the power of the death and resurrection of Christ. It is by the presence of this power that we are Christians, and it is as Christians that we conquer the world. We reign on the earth. Christ named us  “a kingdom and priests.” We reign with and in Christ, but we also reign on the earth. Christ has given us kingship and sovereignty—the first, best, and most philanthropic of all kingships. He gave us too, a kingship on the earth among men, for we are exerting those influences, promoting those principles, and dispensing those laws of righteousness, holiness, and peace which in reality rule all the best developments of life and history. 

In His role as the Promised Messiah and the Saviour of the world, Christ Jesus carried His own blood into the altar of Calvary (Hebrews 9:12; 13:12) and became our sin offering, our guilt offering and our burnt offering. Through His death on the cross and through His resurrection, He delivered the death blow to Satan, snatched up Satan’s control over Death and Hades having crushed his head. Death was swallowed up in victory, death lost its sting through the Lord’s work on the cross. All power, authority and glory be to Him!

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