“And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.”
Verse 23 is the basis for verse 22.
And you are Christ’s,
All things are ours by virtue of our relation to Christ. Although we have all these possessions, we are possessions. We cannot give ultimate allegiance to men because we owe ultimate allegiance to Christ. Christ does not exist for the church, but the church exists for Christ.
and Christ is God’s.
The name “Christ” has reference to his office and mission. Christ is God’s because of His mission. In nature, Christ is equal to the Father. In mission, Christ is subject to the Father. Authority in the church is patterned after the pattern of Christ’s authority. The church is subordinate to Christ’s mission.
PRINCIPLE:
Every believer has personal privilege before God because of his possession by God.
APPLICATION:
We cut ourselves off from the possessions we have in Christ if we follow one leader to exclude another leader that God gave the church.
