19cYou are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
This violates every statement of individuality that Western society spews. We thrive on individuality, self-rule, autonomy. The Jesus-follower recognizes the folly of this type of utter nonsense. We are not free to choose, the hallmark of western freedom. We have hundreds of influences on our lives, pressures that pull and tug on our choices, closing off some options and narrowing others. Our family upbringing, peer pressures, fear of going to jail, laziness, physical limitations, intellectual disparities, food poisoning, a bad hair day, lack of money, greediness. The list could go on for pages. Every choice we make is influenced by many factors, perhaps unconscious, but influenced none the less. And then there is God’s influence, ever calling us to right-standing with Himself. He is calling and speaking even to those who deny His existence. So much energy wasted on a God who doesn’t exist! And yet the calling continues, a calling that is universal and never ending. But for Jesus-follower the choices are freeing. We can actively make chooses, not only for the present life, but for the life to come. We recognize that our surrender-life brings true freedom. We are free from the inevitable negative consequences of selfishness. And when we recognize our new ownership, we live out our eternity-life moment by moment, thus putting God in His proper place, a place of honor.
The Arnold Journey 