"Ye are not your own"; let us never forget this. The purchase price has been paid, and the Holy Ghost has taken possession of those whom God has purchased, for "Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you?" Not our souls only, but body, soul, and spirit are His henceforward and forever.
Had you purchased a house and agreed to take possession of it at a certain date, you would think it strange if the old owner still remained in it, and insisted upon occupying some of the rooms. Would you not point out to him the unreasonableness and unrighteousness of such a course? Yet how often we are found acting somewhat after that fashion. We say, "Yes, Lord, we are Thine!" but we do not yield ourselves to Him, and we like to use our bodies for our own selfish ends. Ponder well the unrighteousness of this, and let us hold it as our sacred privilege to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, that He may be glorified in our body.