Thursday, July 15, 2010

Slave: one that is completely subservient to a dominating influence

I wanted to present the word slave from the biblical perspective and present what the bible has to say about being a slave or slaves.

How many of us live our lives without realizing that we are subservient to something? Whether it is a certain vice, or idol. For instance I used to be a slave to alcohol. Then it went from that to sodas.
Some people are slaves to other things. A certain lifestyle etc.
In all of this they constitute one thing. Sin!
You see without Christ we are slaves to sin. Slaves to the devil.
If we are in Christ then we are no longer slaves to the devil and sin. Not saying that we won't fail.
Again let's just look at some of what the word of God says about the word slave and slavery.

"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as ransom for many." Matthew 20:25-28 ESV

A great example of being subservient to those greater than you in a loving manner just as Jesus became subservient to the cross for our sake.

"Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever, the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." John 8:34f

Slave to sin! Yet the word says the slave doesn't remain in the house forever. Only if you repent and believe though then you will be set free.

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galations 3:28

Colossians 3:11 here it also repeats what is in Galations.

"Do you know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness." Romans 6:16-18...read the rest to 23 also.

You see again you are a slave to something, whether to sin or obedience. That scripture is pretty well self explanatory.

"Older women likewise are to be reverant in behavior, not slanders or slaves to much wine." Titus 2:3

This again tells us not to be slaves to a certain vice. In this case wine. It doesn't say not drink wine. It just says not become a slave to it.

"For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another." Titus 3:3

Again self explanatory as is all of the word of God.

"For freedom Christ has set us free, stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." Galations 5:1