Possession (περιποίησις) describes one’s personal property. It is rooted around the concept of what you are doing or making. Therefore, possession is not equivalent to acquiring (κτάομαι) as one who purchases citizenship, Acts 22:28, or has gold and silver, Matthew 10:9.
The Church is a personal possession of God, set apart as a royal priesthood, and chosen to proclaim the praise of the One Who called her out from darkness into His marvelous light, 1 Peter 2:9. Therefore, Christ gave the Church the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of her inheritance until the full redemption of the possession, Ephesians 1:14, for she is called to possess His glory, 2 Thessalonians 2:14.
When Christ ascended, He gave gifts to men. One of these gifts is a Pastor even teacher, who is responsible for the edification of the assembly to bring her to a oneness of the faith until a full experiential knowledge of the Son of God so that she is no longer tossed around by every wind of teaching by the trickery of men seeking to deceive her. Therefore, the Pastor is to take heed to himself so that he oversees and shepherds the assembly, for Christ purchased her through His blood and, consequently, she belongs to Him, Acts 20:28. Pastors who serve well in this duty will possess a good standing and great boldness in the faith, 1 Timothy 3:13.
The tribulation period is a time of judgment. First upon the dispensation of law, then in the latter half judgment upon the Gentiles. The Church will not be upon the earth at this time because God has not appointed her to any wrath but to possess salvation, 1 Thessalonians 5:9.
As possessions (περιποίησις) of God, for He is the One who made us who we are in Christ, we are to know how to acquire (κτάομαι) our own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in the passion of lusts like the Gentiles, 1 Thessalonians 4:4-5. Therefore, we of the Church are to flee fornication, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, for God has not called us unto uncleanness but to be set apart, 1 Thessalonians 4:7. Those who do not draw back from the grace of God possess their souls so that their emotions are not governing their actions, Hebrews 10:39. In living by faith, we will maintain control over our emotions, overseeing them through the truth rather than the desires from the flesh.
