Bought with a Price

We Christians say things such as, "I gave my life to Christ" or "He bought me with a price." Well, if you gave your life to Christ and if he bought you, doesn't he own you — not only you, but also your desires, wants, passions, future, plans, skills... everything? I would encourage you to know not what you want to do with your life — what a selfish thought — but rather to realize who you are in Christ already. There is a calling on your life that will take your whole life simply because of the association to Christ and his country that you have. There is no time to worry about what you want to do with your life because of the business the Lord has called you to be about. Be busy in that and then come to the end of your day and the end of your life and see if you have any time left over for you.
Published: 7/15/2008 | Share: Facebook / — I'm reading: "Bought with a Price" by @natemhansonTwitter

2 comments:

  1. The Goldman FamilyJuly 27, 2008 at 12:23 AM

    Well spoken mr. Hanson. However I wanted to ask how you could GIVE your life to Christ when He BOUGHT you first? Is it not His to change whether you consent or not?
    Anyway, I just wanted to say hi!

    -Alex

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  2. Nate HansonJuly 27, 2008 at 7:31 AM

    Good observation, Alex.

    When Christ calls a person, they are called and can't do anything about it ("Irresistible Grace.") In the church, however, people often refer to their actual accepting of the grace as "giving their life to Christ." It makes sense, because, often before "giving their life to Christ" they have been living for themselves with their will in mind. When they "give their life to Christ" they are now living with His will in mind in hopes to glorify Him, not themselves. So, as humans, we view this as giving our lives away, even though, if we're called, we have no other choice but to do so. It still doesn't make it not giving our lives away, simply because we don't have any other choice.

    Did I explain that well enough?

    It's one of those confusing things where Christ bought certain individuals with a price (limited atonement,) but those individuals must still "choose" that irresistible grace -- even though they are going to choose it. But it is all up to God.

    I would love to discuss Calvinism further, Alex. Also, I do not want you to miss the point of the post. That being, often times Christians throw around terms such as "bought with a price" and "I gave my life to Christ" but we do not understand the implications of the reality of those statements on the way we are to live. If someone bought you with a price, they own you! If you gave your life to someone, it is not your life anymore. But, often times Christians live like it is still their life.

    Thanks, Alex.

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