Sovereign Grace Chapel, located at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia, invites you to listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ our Lord. If you'd like to follow along, I'm gonna be in 1 Corinthians chapter six. 1 Corinthians chapter six. And I wanna read the last two verses, verses 19 and 20. What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own. For, for, ye are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

This letter is written by Paul. Now this is kind of a strange one in this. It says in verse two of chapter one of Corinthians, Paul called an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God and Sosthenes, our brother. So this was from Paul and Sosthenes. Who was Sosthenes? I have no idea. Gil says, Probably he's the chief ruler of the synagogue in Corinth. There is another mention of this word, the guy's name, Sosthenes, in Acts. And he was pulled up in front of some of the Jews because evidently he agreed with Paul. The only thing that's really important here is, here it is, it says, this is sent from Paul And Sosthenes, here's the word, our brother. That's the important part. And Paul didn't say, my brother. He said, our brother.

So, but here's where it was sent to. It was sent to the church of God at Corinth. Verse two says this, under the church of God, which is at Corinth, here's the other one. to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints. And I like this, this is my favorite part. With all that in every place, call upon the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, both theirs and ours.

I like this, this epistle, Paul says is written to all that in every place call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord Jesus Christ. I'm gonna tell you something, that includes us. That includes us. This letter is written to the assembly at the Sovereign Grace Chapel. And I'm gonna tell you something, it doesn't matter wherever the child of God is, this letter is written to them. Whenever and wherever they are, this gospel, this epistle, this letter about the Lord Jesus Christ is written to them.

Because here's the thing, there is no new message. Not one. There's one message, and it's the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul was writing it in a form of a letter to these people at Corinth, but he wrote it to us also. Oh, I like that. The gospel we preach here is good news, but it's not new. It's not new. It's the same gospel that was proclaimed in the Old Testament, proclaimed in the New Testament, and proclaimed in the epistles of the New Testament even.

Because this, preaching Christ, is the same message that was preached in Genesis 3 to Adam and Eve. The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent. And he did. He did. Oh, that's good news. Oh.

Now, what I wanna talk about today, My title is called You Are Not Your Own. You Are Not Your Own. But I wanna begin reading, begin in verse 19. Mainly because if I started before that, we'd probably be here all day, and I can't do that. But here, I wanna point out a few things. Starts off what? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost? And here's a glorious thing, which is in you. Or if you want it in better English, who is in you? The Holy Ghost. Which ye have of God, and ye are not your own. The Holy Ghost which is in you. Folks, that is the definition of a believer. That is the definition of a saint. If you have not the Holy Spirit in you, you're none of his. You've got no claim. There's no claim to it. A believer has the Holy Ghost in him or her, and here it is, what it says, in their body. That's grace, that's grace. What a miracle. Christ be praised.

This was the promise of Jesus Christ to his disciples while he was here on earth. The promised indwelling of the Holy Spirit. John 14 and verse 17 put it this way. These are the words of Christ. Even the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him, but ye know him. Ye know him, ye know him. For, now this is at the time of Christ, he dwelleth with you, with you. But then he says these five words, and shall be in you, in you. Oh, I like that. Because before Christ died, arose, and ascended, the Holy Spirit was with the believers. But afterwards, he sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in them. And he dwells in us if we believe Christ.

You are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. You are sealed. And I'm gonna tell you something, You go to Romans 7, Walter covered it very well. You go to Romans 7 and you see the spirit lusteth against the flesh. Why? Because the spirit's in your body. That's why there's a battle in every believer, in every Christian. And if anybody thinks that they can live a great victorious life like most preachers try to preach on TV, it's a lie. There's always a battle in the believer because the spirit lusteth against the flesh, And the flesh fights against the spirit. And here's the point though. It's my flesh that fights against the spirit. It's your flesh that fights against the spirit because it is the Holy Spirit in you, Christ in you, the hope of glory. But that's what this says. Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you. The Holy Ghost dwells in the believer.

Now don't brag or get puffed up or boast about it. Paul very clearly tells us we have no reason to boast. Not of ourselves. You can boast in God. You can boast of Christ. Oh my. Because here's the thing. What did Paul write? Which you have of God, of God, of God. It's not because of your decision, your decision, that you have the Holy Spirit in you. It's not because of your works, your thoughts, your attitude, or here it is, folks, it's not even because of your prayers that the Holy Ghost dwells in you. It's of God, it's of God. My matter of fact Paul's actually said a variation of this back in 1st Corinthians Chapter 1 and verse 30 those great eight words But of him and that's of God are ye in Christ Jesus I'm gonna tell you something. It's but of him that the Holy Spirit dwells in you It's of God, it's of God. And who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, that according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord, in the Lord. Excuse me. It is of God and only of God that anyone is in Christ Jesus. And it is of God and only of God that you have the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, indwelling you. Oh my.

Here's the point. Being in Christ Jesus is not up to you. Having the Holy Spirit is not up to you. I'm gonna tell you, but here's the thing. Being in Christ means you have his Holy Spirit dwelling within you, inside, inside. Oh my. And, let me get back. Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God? And ye are not your own. You're not your own. Paul states this clearly. What does this mean? Well, this is the deeper meaning, okay, if you really want the deep theological meaning of this. It means you are not your own. You're not your own. But you believer, saint, part of Christ's church, a member of his body, are not your own. You're not your own master. You're not your own teacher. You certainly aren't the reason you were saved. I know, I've heard all kinds of things. The believer is not his own master.

As a believer, you have been given the faith of God's elect, the faith of Christ Jesus who made faith, created faith. He's the author of it and the perfecter of it, the finisher of it. Understand, we don't add anything to his faith. His faith is perfect. His faith is perfect and he gives it to as many as he does. Oh, the faith given by the Holy Spirit within you and you are not your own. That's what he says. You're not your own. Can I be any clearer?

Well, let's say this. Yes, you will call upon the name of the Lord. You will call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. You will believe on him and in him, the Lord Jesus Christ. And I will tell you this, you'll walk in him. You'll walk in him. Understand, when he digs us out of the pit, he sets our feet on a rock. But that's not it. He doesn't leave you there just to wander off. He orders our steps. How? We have the Holy Spirit within. His Holy Spirit and His guiding hand. Oh my. You'll walk, you'll believe, you'll call upon the name of the Lord. Of God. Because of God. That comes from God. It's the gift of Jesus Christ to his people, to every one of his people. The Holy Spirit is in you because God gave him to you. And you are not your own. It is that simple and that profound at the same time.

I think I just quoted this the other day. I know I did a couple of weeks ago. John 17, 10. All mine are thine. And thine are mine. Who's this conversation between? This is a conversation between the Son of God, Jesus Christ, and the Father. He's telling the Father, all mine are thine, all thine are mine. And I am glorified in them. Oh my, oh. Matter of fact, Christ just said before that, I pray for them. I pray for them. Who? All of mine that are all of thine, and all of thine that are all of mine. I pray for them. But then he says these other words that nobody wants to say, not on TV. I pray not for the world. but for those that you gave me out of the world. Oh my. You understand, people don't wanna have a Jesus that doesn't, Jesus gotta pray for everybody, because it wouldn't be fair if he didn't. I pray not for the world. Those are his words, folks, not mine. And he meant every word he said. Meant every word he said. I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me. What? They're thine. That's what he told God, they're thine. And all thine are mine. And I prayed for them. I prayed for them. Oh my.

What's that mean? Well, if you're Christ and you're God's, here's the thing, you are not your own. You are not your own. He continues on. For you're not your own. For you are bought with a price. Bought with a price. Understand, the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost. purpose before the world began, prophesied in the Old Testament, performed in the New Testament, this price was paid. You are bought with a price. And the price is, was, the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Without spot, without blemish, And yet the sins, our sins, the sins of his people, the sins of all thine that are mine and all mine that are thine, those sins were laid upon him and his blood was shed for them.

I keep running into that in songs and even these old songs where they talk about it being spilt. And I remember how much Earl hated that. Christ's blood wasn't spilt, it was shed, and there's a certain truth to that. It was willingly shed. He was there by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.

Now these wicked men did take him with wicked hands and crucified him, but he willingly gave up his body. He told them. Know you not that I can call 12 legions of angels? I'm gonna tell you something, folks. Back in those days, one legion of angels would have been plenty. 12 would have been what we call overkill. But that's what he said. I came, the good shepherd, what? Lays down his life for his sheep, for the sheep.

And I'm gonna tell you something, that good shepherd is not gonna lose one sheep. Not gonna lose one sheep. Not one sheep will be lost. You know why? Because he is the good shepherd. He said it twice, I am the good shepherd. And the good shepherd laid down his life for the sheep. That, my friends, that was the price. You are bought with a price. The precious blood of Jesus Christ, the perfect, sinless Son of God, shed his blood and died for his people. And the price was paid.

Now, here it is. The price was not paid to you or to you. The price was paid to the Father. the offended party, and the Father accepted, accepted wholeheartedly with complete satisfaction the sacrifice and offering of our Lord Jesus Christ. He entered in to the holy place, not made with hands, with his blood, and God accepted that price.

And here's the thing. What's it say about you and me in this? You're bought. You're bought with a price. You know what that means? You are not your own. That's what it means. You are bought with a price. You are not your own. He owned you. As the old saying goes, lock, stock, and barrel. He owned you. Oh, he's gonna say that here in a minute. Excuse me.

Therefore you are bought, redeemed, purchased, and you're not your own. And you know the wonderful thing about that? Horatius Bonar wrote this. It is to the dead that life comes. It is to the unlovable that love comes. I like that. But it is to the lost that salvation comes. Why? They're bought with a price. You are bought with a price.

Oh, I mean, we were told his name in Isaiah 44, 47, and 54, and one time in Jeremiah. But here in Isaiah 54, verse five, he says this, for thy maker is thine husband, the Lord of hosts, is his name. Now, is there any question about who Isaiah's writing about? Thy maker, what? The Lord of hosts is his name? And what else? And thy Redeemer. Thy Redeemer. And I love this part. It's not the Redeemer, although he is the Redeemer, the only Redeemer. It's thy Redeemer. Thy Redeemer.

Oh, I'm gonna tell you. His blood, that price, was for a certain specific people. He is thy redeemer. Oh my, what the holy one of Israel. And he wasn't even done there. The God of the whole earth shall he be called. Who is the God of the whole earth? Thy redeemer. Thy redeemer. The Lord of hosts. The God of the whole earth be called thy redeemer. And you know what that means? The redeemer talks about the near kinsman. Who does what? He buys back that which belongs to his family. This is a familiar thing, that word redeemer. Thy redeemer. He doesn't just buy anybody. He buys his people. He buys his family. Oh, and that's the way it worked in the Old Testament. Read the Book of Ruth. He was a near kinsman, boas. And he told that other one there was another near kinsman. He says, you redeem it, redeem it. But if you don't do it, I will. And that fun fella told him, he says, I can't do it. I can't do it. Boaz said, and I'm gonna tell you something, that's the type of Christ. Boaz said, I can do it, ooh, and I will do it. And he did do it. Oh, he bought it with a price. And we are bought with a price.

And he gives eternal life to those that he owns. That's what it says, folks. Jesus Christ has power over all flesh to give eternal life to as many as thou hast given me. Now, who has the Father given to the Son? All thine are mine. And he said, all mine are thine. And he gives us eternal life, eternal life. Oh, I like that. You and I, we are not our own. And here it is. For you are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit.

Here's three words, which are God's. What's that mean? You are God's purchase. You are God, you're not your own. You're not your own. Oh. In your body and in your spirit, you are God's. And I gotta say this, I'm gonna say it this way, you're God's property. Well, there's a lot of people running around saying they're little gods. I mean, I've heard them on TV. You are, you're God. I've looked up, I tried to look up something on the internet, see if I could find a quote, okay, for this particular scripture, and I typed in, you are gods with an apostrophe? Well, what come back was a bunch of nonsense about you are gods without the apostrophe. No, no, no, no. You're not a little god. I'm not a little god. You belong to God. You are God apostrophe S. You belong to him. You are not your own. You are his. Oh my. In body and in spirit.

Which are gods. They're gods. Understand, Jesus Christ calls us his brethren and the father calls us his children. What's that make us? That makes us family. That makes us family, the family of God, oh my. We call Jesus Lord and we call the Father, at Jesus' command, our Father, our Father. Oh my. Of God are ye in Christ Jesus.