How do we know that we belong to the Lord?

“Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you. And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone, just as we also do for you. May He make your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Amen (I Th 3:11-13).”

How do we know when we belong to the Lord? When we love Him most and we love Him first. We know that we belong to the Lord when we place our greatest value upon what He values. When the Holy Spirit convicts us we can see so clearly our sinfulness and that, apart from the Holy Spirit, our hearts long to share common values and, additionally, even celebrate with our sin-nature.

However, when we submit to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and, with humility and brokenness, bring our sinful hearts before the Lord, declaring Jesus as Victor over sin and death, asking Him to take over our hearts, He redeems us. He then makes us His own (meaning, He adopts us as sons and daughters) and we belong to Him.

As the Holy Spirit is renewing our disposition, then our natures are being transformed by His holiness from the inside, out! We are then no longer able to be comfortable sharing in common value with sin, our hearts will, evermore, long to share in agreement with the holiness of the Lord. Those common desires and values that are in agreement with the holiness of God become the evidence(s) that we belong to God. All of this is only possible by what Jesus has done for us - notice that Paul says: ‘May He make your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father - Jesus’ overcoming sin then forges for those who are repentant an adoption certificate into the family of God.

I love you, Highland.

Rob