Every human being on the planet is just that: a human being, born of this world and in this world. Christians have been called out of this world and we no longer belong to it when we accept the payment Jesus made for our sins on the cross, when we confess our sins, repent of them, and work every day to choose Jesus’ way instead of our own. So, do you belong to the world or the Father?

“Jesus continued, ‘You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not. That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I AM who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.’” (John 8:23-24)

Jesus told the crowd that they would die in their sins because they belonged to the world. The only way to escape this fate is to believe Jesus is who He said He is. Notice I AM is in capital letters here, meaning this is the name of God that Jesus is using, the same name God used to identify Himself to Moses. (Jesus often claimed to be God in the Scriptures and this is one example.)

“Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6)

“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” (Romans 3:23)

“For I was born a sinner—yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.” (Psalm 51:5)

Jesus is the only way to the Father. We are all born sinners and we all fall short. We are from below, thus no one from earth can save us. Jesus is from above—He is the only one worthy to save us and the only one who can.

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” (1 John 1:9)

“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Jesus paid the price for our sin. Have your accepted that payment? Are you bought at that high price? Everyone is going to die. We’re all going to leave earth eventually. Is your ticket pierced with three nail holes? In the end, who will it show you belong to: the world or the Father?

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.