What Belongs to us in Christ?

1 Corinthians 3:21-23 (ESV)  21 So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

In Christ, everything that is needed belongs to the believer: 

a. Preachers. no matter who they are, belong to the believers. All preachers exist to serve and minister and meet the needs of God's people. If a church or a believer takes advantage of only a few preachers or of only one or two types of preachers, the church and the believer are limiting their chances to be enriched and blessed. They are limiting their growth.

b. The world, the physical universe, belongs to believers. God is going to remake the universe, that is, the heavens and the earth; and believers are to inherit it all, ruling and administering the functions of it all with Christ Jesus. 

c. Life belongs to the believers. This means real life, abundant life—a life with purpose, meaning, and significance—a life that triumphs and gains the victory over the trials and sufferings of this life.

"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).

d. Death belongs to the believers. That is, death has no sway or hold over the believers, but instead, the believer holds death in his grip through the Lord Jesus Christ. Death has been conquered by Christ.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:24).

"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" (John 11:25-26).

e. Present and future things belong to the believers. The believer is the heir of the world, the heir of God Himself.

"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together" (Romans 8:16-17).

Let us live for the One through whom we have been given all things!

- Bro. Dave