Luke 20:20-26 And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words… More than all visible things, we ourselves, with the faculties of body and soul, are God's. Man is God's image, God's coin, and therefore belongs to God entirely. I. ON WHAT IS THIS DIVINE OWNERSHIP FOUNDED? 1. On creation. Man is God's property. (1) As God's creature. All that is created belongs to God, by whose omnipotence it was made. (2) As God's creature he bears the Divine image. 2. On redemption. (1) The soul of the first man was a supernatural image of God, created in original justice and sanctity. (2) In consequence of the first sin, the soul was deprived of sanctifying grace (Romans 5:12). (3) God had compassion on man, and found means (through the Incarnation) to restore His image in the human soul. II. CONSEQUENCES RESULTING FROM THIS DIVINE OWNERSHIP. 1. We should render to God our soul. (1) Our understanding. (2) Our will. (3) Our heart. 2. Our body and all its members. (Grimm.) Parallel Verses KJV: And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor. |
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