In Possession of Stolen Property…?

Two drugged up guys broke into the church and did much damage on the inside. They stole $900 from the church safe. They raided the kitchen, ate what they wanted, and made a mess of what was left. They tore through the Pastor’s office and stole a set of keys from a drawer. They ended their rampage by taking the church van for a joyride. They managed to crash into 6 other vehicles, and after a police-chase they ran head-on into another FORD van. That’s as far as they got. They were in possession of stolen property. They did what they wanted to do, and as a result of that they caused pain and problems for others. Property was damaged, carpeting and materials were ruined, cars were totaled, and the list goes on and on – thousands of dollars worth of damages.

If you’re a Christian – let me rephrase that: if you have asked Jesus to be your personal Savior – than you have been bought and paid for. You are no longer your own (I Corinthians 6:20, 7:23). Your body is the temple – the very dwelling place of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:19)! Therefore, you no longer have the right to do what you want to do, go where you want to go, say what you want to say, dress how you want to dress, look at what you want to look at, etc. What rights have the servants over their Master? None. They are to do, go, say, and work as the Master commands.

If you then live like you want to live, rather than living as God would have you to live – you are in possession of stolen property. I will say it again because it bears repeating: “You are not your own. You have been bought and paid for.”

Once you have been saved, if you still live like the world lives, talk like the world talks, go where the world goes, and act like the world acts – you are damaging the cause of Christ. Your poor testimony will cause people to look at Christians and think: “well, who do they think THEY are…? I know ________ and he claims to be a Christian, but he still does ________ and ________. So why are they preaching at me for it?” -or- “She claims to be a Christian, but I know who she really is… I’ve seen her at ________ and I heard she does ________ all the time.”
Those “Christians” are in possession of stolen property! By living unholy, worldly lives they are hurting the cause of Christ. And we wonder why church ministries are at a stand-still: not growing, indifferent, cold, dead. We wonder why so little is getting done for the Lord.
You’re argument: “I have my rights!” My reply: “What rights?”
We have been bought with a price (I Corinthians 6:20, I Corinthians 7:23) – and we weren’t cheap, you know. The price the wages of our sin set was the death of perfection, the shedding of innocent blood, the sacrificing of the Only Begotten Son of God. So I ask again: What rights do the servants have over the Master? None. We are the servants of Christ (or rather, “co-laborers” WITH Christ), held hostage by His love, and a prisoner of hope by the faith which we have in His everlasting promises.

We have been commanded to: “therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” Our heart’s prayer should be as David asked: “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).

Are you in possession of stolen property?

(Thought from Pastor Rick Williams)