For it is said, “The two shall be one flesh.” ¹⁷ But anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. ¹⁸ Shun fornication! Every sin that a person commits is outside the body; but the fornicator sins against the body itself. ¹⁹ Or do you not know that your body is a temple^[f] of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? ²⁰ For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:16-20

“As Saint Paul reminds us, we are “not our own”. We belong entirely to Christ. His spirit has taken possession of us at Baptism. Every baptized Christian is obliged by his [her] baptismal promises to renounce sin and to give themselves completely….to Christ in order that the [baptized] may fulfill their vocation, save their soul, enter into the mystery of God, and find themself “…in the light of Christ.” Sin is…the rejection of the inner order and peace that come from our union with the divine will.” (Thomas Merton, “Called Out of Darkness”, Life and Holiness, p.12)

We are constantly reminded, by our society, that we are supposed to be independent—to be “our own”. The bible teaches us just the opposite—we are not our own—we belong to Christ through our baptisms. This is one of the most important reasons that we baptize. It is through our baptisms that we are claimed by G-d—we are plunged into Christ’s tomb in the waters of baptism—and rise with Him in the resurrection. Of course, Christ told us to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit—because G-d claims us through Christ.

Pastor Dave