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for the piece of land, witnessed by all   Permanence
        who were present. The expression used
        concerning the silver that Abraham used   “The field, and the cave that is therein,
        for  the purchase was “current money   were made sure unto Abraham for a
        with the merchant” (Gen 23:16). This   possession” (Gen 23:20). All those who
        would remind us of Abraham’s honesty   have been redeemed by precious blood
        and integrity.                        have been made sure as the purchased
          Ephron, the Hittite, felt that the 400   possession of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul
        shekels of silver was not much between   reminds us in the book of Ephesians that
        them. We could never put a monetary   we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of
        value on the purchase price paid in order   promise (Eph 1:13). The word “sealed”
        that you and I might be redeemed. Peter   in that particular reference indicates the
        tells us, “Forasmuch as ye know that   security and permanency of our salvation.
        ye were not redeemed with corruptible   There is also the thought of ownership
        things, as silver and gold … but with the   implied in the context.
        precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb   The Lord Jesus says in the Gospel of
        without blemish and without spot” (1Pe
        1:18-19). The Lord Jesus willingly took   John that we have eternal life and that no
        our place on dark Calvary, bearing the   one is able to pluck us out of His hand;
        punishment that our sins deserved. Paul   neither is anyone able to pluck us out of
        wrote, “In whom we have redemption    the Father’s hand (10:27-29). Peter assures
        through his blood, the forgiveness of   us that, based on the resurrection of the
        sins, according to the riches of his grace”   Lord Jesus, we are “kept by the power of
        (Eph 1:7).                            God through faith unto salvation ready
                                              to be revealed in the last time” (1Pe 1:5).
        Possession                              Paul wrote in the book of Romans, “For I
          The silver was weighed and the      am persuaded, that neither death, nor life,
        transaction was completed. The field   nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers,
        of  Ephron,  which  was  in  Machpelah,   nor things present, nor things to come, nor
        became the possession of Abraham. When   height, nor depth, nor any other creature,
        the Lord Jesus cried from the cross, “It   shall be able to separate us from the love
        is finished” (Joh 19:30), it signified the
        completion of a transaction; the purchase   of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”
        price was paid in full, in His own most   (8:38-39). We are made as sure as the blood
        precious blood. Now, too, we who have   of Christ can make us.
        been redeemed belong to Christ; we are   We see also that the purchase price
        His possession.                       included the field, the cave that was in
          Paul wrote, “Know ye not that your   the field, and all the trees that were in all
        body is the temple of the Holy Ghost   the borders round about (Gen 23:17). This
        which is in you, which ye have of God, and   reminds us of the totality of the purchase;
        ye are not your own? For ye are bought   nothing was left out. So it is in our case.
        with a price: therefore glorify God in your   We have been saved from the penalty and
        body, and in your spirit, which are God’s”   power of sin, and one day we will be saved
        (1Co 6:19-20).                        from the very presence of sin.


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