in turn you belong to Christ; Christ, in turn, belongs to God.”​—1 Cor. 3:21-23.

As Paul wrote to the congregation at Rome: “Now we know that God makes all his works co-operate together for the good of those who love God, those who are the ones called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8:28, 29) Christians should realize this and not let themselves come to ‘belong’ to or be the followers or servants of any man or group of men, or of the world or the things in it.​—1 Cor. 7:23.

As to belonging, therefore, Christians do not belong to any man or anything of this world. They do belong to Christ, who bought them with his blood. (John 6:51; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19)