What does it mean that “you were bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23)?

Answer

Twice the apostle Paul informed believers in Corinth, “You were bought with a price.” In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul made a fervent plea against sexual immorality. He concluded his argument by stating, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20;ESV).

A Christian’s body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. At salvation, the Holy Spirit dwells within, sanctifying the believer’s body as a holy place, a dwelling for God’s presence «By which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. », (Hebrews 10:10). In Christ, the Christian receives a new nature and identity «Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. », (2 Corinthians 5:17). Engaging in sexual immorality as a believer violates this new creation, purchased at a great cost.

The price we were bought with is revealed in 1 Peter 1:18–19: “For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God” (NLT).

When Paul said, “You were bought with a price,” he meant that believers were redeemed and paid for with the sinless, spotless perfection of Jesus Christ’s blood. Jesus Himself stated that He came to give His life as a ransom for us «evAs the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28). Since we were obtained at such a tremendous expense, we are to use our bodies to honor God with good deeds: “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago” “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.” , (Ephesians 2:10, NLT).

Paul reminded the Corinthians that ownership of their bodies had been transferred to Christ. They no longer had the right or freedom to use their bodies any way they wished. Just as slaves were purchased in the ancient world, we were bought with the price of Christ’s blood on the cross. We now belong to Him “For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.” , (1 Corinthians 7:22). We don’t have the right to rebel against our Master by using our bodies in ways He forbids.

Paul repeated this teaching in 1 Corinthians 7:23, but with an emphasis on spiritual freedom: “You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings.” Believers are set free from the dominion of sin through the death of Christ “who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.” , (Galatians 1:4). Our spiritual freedom comes at the price of Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross “who His own self bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should”

Live righteously; by His wounds, you have been healed.” , (1 Peter 2:24). Therefore, as we are now part of Christ, we should not allow ourselves to be controlled by other people.

Paul’s expression “become slaves of human beings” was intended metaphorically. We should not allow human philosophies and worldly structures to dominate us. For instance, legalism should not govern us; we are not obligated to follow human regulations. Instead, we are “accountable to God” «Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them. », (1 Corinthians 7:24). Jesus Christ is our only Master.

In one aspect, Christ’s blood paid for our freedom, releasing us from sin; however, in another sense, His sacrifice altered our ownership, making us servants of God alone. “You were bought at a price” signifies that God was willing to acquire us at Calvary by paying the ultimate price—the blood of His Son «Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. », (Acts 20:28).