As members of the Body of Jesus Christ, we are all considered sent by God, just as He sent Jesus and the apostles. The Body of Jesus Christ represents the Israel of God in this New Testament period, tasked with witnessing for God in the world. We are in this elite group, the called, only because the great God of heaven and earth specifically and personally summoned us, forcibly bringing the good news to our attention so we would be motivated to respond freely to it. He then led us to repentance, to a personal understanding of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and to an acceptance of it. Through this summons, we see in Christ the pattern of what we ought to be, and the motivation to be in His image begins to arise in us. Thus, we are urged to walk worthy of this great calling, to purify our conduct and attitudes to conform to His image, and to prepare as the bride of Christ through righteous acts for the resurrection to the Kingdom of God.

In understanding who we are, we must recognize our unique position as those summoned by God, belonging to Him through Jesus Christ. As saints, we are dedicated, consecrated, and separated for His purpose, joined to an exclusive group tasked with glorifying God through our lives. This belonging is not a future state to be earned but exists immediately upon God's summons, as seen in Romans 1:7, where we are called saints, beloved of God from the moment of His call. Our vocation, our work, is to be a witness for God, reflecting His glory by striving for a purity of life that matches our Savior's. Jesus Christ Himself exemplified this belonging and purpose, as He was sent by the Father to do His will and finish His work, as stated in John 4:34. His motivation and refreshment came from the desire to accomplish God's will, invigorating Him even in exhaustion. In John 20:21, He extends this mission to His disciples, declaring, "as my Father has sent Me, even so send I you," showing that we, as part of His body, are also sent to labor in God's work. This connection to Christ and His mission transforms our lives, making them significant as we participate in God's magnificent operation of reproducing Himself, joining the labors of those who came before us. As members of the body of Jesus Christ, we are laborers together with God, as described in I Corinthians 3:9, each contributing to His building and husbandry. This responsibility extends to all, not just the ministry, for every man's work will be made manifest, as noted in I Corinthians 3:13. Our belonging to God makes us holy, part of His temple, dedicated and separated for His purpose, as affirmed in I Corinthians 3:16-17. Through this summons, we are called to walk worthy of our vocation, as urged in Ephesians 4:1, living lives that reflect our high calling and the privilege of being part of God's elite group, the few chosen to fulfill His will on earth.

In the profound prayer of John 17, Jesus Christ reveals the deep connection of belonging between Himself, the Father, and those given to Him. He prays specifically for those whom the Father has entrusted to Him, stating, "I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them." This mutual possession underscores that those who belong to the Father also belong to Jesus, reflecting a shared interest and value between Them. Jesus values these individuals simply because they are the Father's, expressing a concern for what is His Father's as His own. He acknowledges that the Father continues to hold an interest in them, even as they have been given to Him, emphasizing a joint and intimate connection. Furthermore, Jesus highlights three reasons for His intercession: first, because they belong to the Father and are valued by Him; second, because He and the Father share a mutual interest in them, as all that belongs to One belongs to the Other; and third, because He is glorified in them through their salvation, trust, holy living, witness, and dedication to His coming Kingdom. This belonging is not merely a transaction but a profound relationship, where the concerns of the Father and the Son encompass those given to Jesus, integrating them into a spiritual family. Jesus' prayer reflects that this belonging anchors their salvation in the Father's purpose and power, ensuring they are kept by Him through their earthly journey and ultimately united with Him in glory.

Paul knew that he belonged to God. He identified Him as the God to whom he belonged. Paul told others who really owned him. He was not his own but belonged to Him. Believers belong to God as the bride belongs to the bridegroom. Since the church is the bride of Christ, nothing is going to tear the bride from the arms of Jesus Christ. Believers also belong to God as a child belongs to his or her father. God cares for His children far more perfectly than a human father can. Believers belong to God as sheep belong to the Shepherd. Jesus searches until He brings the lost sheep back.

If you do not have the Spirit of Christ, you do not belong to Christ. If you belong to Christ, you have the Spirit of Christ. If you have the Spirit of Christ, you will not be controlled by the sinful nature but by the Spirit. If you belong to Christ, you will live like it. If you do not live like it, you do not belong to Him, regardless of your outward profession. The description of those who are not controlled by the sinful nature but who live in accordance with the Holy Spirit applies to all Christians, not just to so-called spiritual ones. There is no such thing as a secular Christian here. The Holy Spirit has joined us to Jesus Christ so that we have been delivered from the wrath of God against us for our sin and been brought into an entirely new realm. If we are Christ's, if the Holy Spirit has joined us to Him, the past is dead for us and we must live now as what we truly are. If a professing Christian lives like a non-Christian, dominated by sinful nature rather than living according to the Spirit of God, he will perish like a non-Christian because he is a non-Christian. If you really are a Christian, you will not live according to the sinful nature. Instead, you will acknowledge what you actually are in Jesus Christ and live accordingly.