So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.
I Corinthians 3: 21--22
In this remarkable revelation, Paul declares that we, the redeemed in Christ, will inherit all creation. All things belong to us in principle now; all things will be granted to us in reality as the Kingdom of God comes.
Calvin comments upon the text as follows:
The godly have a taste of this in the present life, because they partake with a peaceable conscience of those things which God created for their use, and enjoy earthly blessings from a favourable and willing Father as pledges and foretastes of eternal life. Their poverty does not prevent them from acknowledging earth, sea, and heaven as their right.It is nothing, then, but a churlish slur to accuse Christians of escapism and being deniers of reality. That shoe fits far more comfortably on the Unbeliver, who abides in this world, outside of Christ, as a usurper--without right or title.
Although the ungodly devour the riches of the world, they can call nothing their own, but rather snatch what they have by stealth, for they usurp it under the curse of God.
1 comment:
So applicable to the whole debate on water rights at the moment. Not that it is about rights or even guardianship or stewardship as these words have disappeared from the discussion, now and the real truth for the basis of the argument has emerged: that of a certain group believing that they own the water. Who sends the rain on the just and the unjust - is not the water His and His alone?
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