How Firm a Foundation
by Laurence Windham

What is the foundation of the Christian's hope? What particular knowledge, regarding our relationship with God, gives every Christian, no matter what their level of sanctification and maturity, confidence and peace? What was the singular emphasis of the two greatest apostles, Peter and Paul, to the members of the early church to encourage them and inspire commitment? The answer is: ownership.

The exhortation of Romans 12 to, "Present your bodies a living sacrifice..." is preceded by Paul's' explanation to the Romans in chapter 11 that they were, wonder of wonders, grafted into the true vine by the grace of God. Chapter 11 actually ends in the apostle breaking out in doxology over the magnificence of Jehovah' plan to extend His grace to the pagan Gentiles. That is why Romans 12:1 states that sacrificing ourselves to the will of God is, "our reasonable service."

Peter writes to persecuted Christians, reminding them that they are, "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who were once not a people but are now the people of God..." The focus of Peter's encouragement to these who were disenfranchised was the fact that they were simply passing through this world to the next. They no longer belonged to this temporal, passing existence. They had become the people of God. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope..." (I Peter 1:3)

Again, Paul writes on this theme by reminding the Corinthians that they should conduct themselves according to the knowledge that, "you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."

This fact that we do not belong to ourselves, but to the One who has redeemed us, should give us great comfort in uncertain times. After all, He who created and sustains the whole universe is quite capable of caring and providing for creatures that He loves and sent His Son to die for. This first thing, this fact of who owns whom, is the foundation of our faith. A conscious awareness of this emboldens the believer to face persecution. How much more the possible fallout from Y2K? Or being downsized? Or whatever? Again, it is in Him that we live and move and have our being. That is how connected we are to the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God. We belong to Him. We are His possessions. Do you look after and protect your stufp!

But there is more here than comfort; there is also responsibility on the part of the people of God. We are to be obedient servants to the Master who purchased us. Bond slaves who serve out of love. Willing soldiers ready to enter battle for their beloved captain. We are not our own. We have to remember this fact. As we do the sovereign will of God becomes the air we breathe and the food we eat. Life decisions are made with this truth in mind. We look more at the wishes of God in His word than what we want in our hearts.

When we consider the fact that we have never been free, that independence has never been our state in life nor free will one of our attributes, we are at peace. That we started life in the worst form of slavery to the vilest master ever known, but now have been purchased, redeemed, rescued, made alive, and adopted by the King of kings to rule and reign with Him should give us joy. Our hearts should beat with the thanksgiving and our lives should reflect the gratitude due to our great deliverer.

Without His work of grace we would still be servants of sin. But now we are free to serve Him. As the proclaimers of old were wont to say,

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand
of the enemy,
And gathered out of the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the south.'

The Reformers dealt with this great truth of ownership and possession in the answer to the very first question of the Heidelberg Catechism. This document formed for the purpose of instruction in the faith, taught from the beginning who is owner and who is owned. The beauty of the first answer is only eclipsed by the beauty of the relationship it portrays. Read it out loud. It sounds like the declaration of a person who truly realizes the depths from which they have been pulled.

That I, with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ; who, with His precious blood, hath fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation; and therefore, by His Holy Spirit, He assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready henceforth to live unto Him. I ask you Christian, what is your only comfort in life?