Anyone who has a total aversion to slavery cannot be saved. The Bible teaches that whoever wants to become great must be a servant (Matthew 20:26). In fact, in order to be saved, one must become a servant. Matthew 7:21-23 says, “…he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Who must we serve? Jesus said, “My Father will honor the one who serves me.” (John 12:26) We should be “… like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.” (Ephesians 6:6). But how does one know that he is serving God? What principles does God stand for? Romans 6:19 says, “…you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and ever-increasing wickedness (lawlessness), so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.”
In addition to serving God (or how we are to serve God, in a way), we must also serve others. The one who rules should be the one who serves (Luke 22:26). Paul made himself “a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.” (I Corinthians 9:19) Phoebe was a “servant of the church in Cenchrea”. (Romans 16:1) “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Mark 9:35)
Jesus set the example of what being a servant is all about. (Matthew 12:18) As I mentioned in a previous post, Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, a task usually only performed by the lowest of servants. This was the way Jesus showed them how much he loved them. (John 13:1) Christ set the example for us in that “he made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father.” (Philippians 2:7-11). In the same way, we should be slaves to obedience (Romans 6:16). “Christ has become a servant of the Jews (circumcision) on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs” (Romans 15:8).
The only other alternative to being a slave to God is being a slave to sin. The Simon the sorcerer was a “captive to sin” (Acts 8:23). To serve sin means to serve one’s appetite (Romans 16:18), in a lawless and impure way (Romans 6:19) which leads to corruption (II Peter 2:19). Serving sin leads to death (Romans 6:16). Everyone who sins is a slave to sin (John 8:34). (Read my earlier post “God Made Man in His Own Image” if you haven’t already.) But by the Spirit, one may put to death the misdeeds of body (Romans 8:13) and the body of sin is done away with by being crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6). One is disqualified unless he makes his own body his slave (I Corinthians 9:27). No one can serve two masters (Luke 16:13). But Paul makes a distinction between being a slave to sin in mind and being a slave to the law of sin in the flesh (Romans 7:25). The former means being free from the control of righteousness (Romans 6:20). The latter means the struggle between the mind and the flesh explained in Romans 7:14-24. A person can follow rules which sound good to the world, but which fall far short of God’s standards. Such a person is a slave to a law (of Moses, for example) but this is really only another way of being a slave to sin. (Galatians 4:8-11, 21-31)
For those of us who choose to follow in the way of Christ’s teachings, that is, in the truth, we have the promise of being set free by the Son (John 8:31, 32, 36, Galatians 5:1-6). Though we must share in his sufferings (Romans 8:14-17), the servant of Christ will become the friend of God (John 15:14, 15). Because “God sent his Son, born of woman,” and “born under law” we can go from being slaves to sons of God (Galatians 3:28-4:7). But slaves of sin have already become sons of the devil (John 8:40-47). Our adoption as sons comes with the redemption of our bodies (Romans 8:23). This comes with being free from fears such as the fear of death (Hebrews 2:15, Romans 8:15). Even creation itself will be free from its bondage to decay (Romans 8:21). The 2nd law of thermodynamics will come to end.
Do you want to be set free?
Friday, July 07, 2006
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July 14, 2006
ReplyDeleteDear Fellow Patriots,
A good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit (Matt 7:18). It is time you opened your eyes and thoughtfully absorb the consequences of supporting an administration for partisan, patriotic, or even religious purposes. I am sure that many of you who have staunchly defended these leaders have done so for altruistic purposes. However, there comes a point in time that one must sincerely consider, critique, and act upon facts rather than rhetoric.
How can any of you believe that George W. Bush is a man of God when the fruits of this man’s presidency are burning before our eyes? He has lied from day one of his candidacy for 2000, beginning with his claims of being a “Compassionate Conservative,” and a “Uniter, not a Divider,” and he continues to lie. Has America been a good neighbor under this administration? Have we been good world citizens? I would argue that we have not. We have not considered the innocent people of Iraq in our calculations, under the leadership of an administration that contradicts itself as it claims, “We are the liberators of Iraq,” while telling us that “We’d rather fight them over there.” We have not considered the brave patriots that we have squandered in our battle of false premise. We have not thoughtfully scrutinized not only the devastating impact upon the Middle East, but the impact that these actions have and will ultimately continue to have on American families. What happened to the good-will of the entire world for our country? They have not been wise stewards.
When will this man be held accountable for his lies and the devastating consequences of those lies? There was courage upon the “Hill” to impeach a president guilty of personal indiscretions, personal dishonesty, but when it comes to a president and his administration that has cost this world unquantifiable hardship and a disturbing loss of life that continues to unfold; cowardice is the mode of operation.
Our political leaders have used their pens to send our bravest citizens into what has now become a nest of barbarity while tacitly encouraging savagery that has already cost our soldiers and their families dearly. Why? They have flagrantly dismissed the rules of war and have consistently strived to circumvent the Constitution that they claim to defend. Why? They said is was to protect us. That was a lie. They said it was to liberate. That was a lie.
Are you going to be complacent in this struggle? We are fighting for more than the prevention of terrorism—we are fighting for our true moral purpose in this world. And I ask you, what is it that you think the moral purpose of our country is? Is it to bear good fruit, or is it to complacently rally our leaders regardless of their actions or the consequences of those actions?
We must fight with our pens now—pick up your pen for this country. Pick up your pen for our service men and women; pick up your pen in opposition to greed, in opposition to arrogance, in opposition to deceit, and in opposition to the oppression of our neighbors. This administration must be held accountable.
The pen is mightier than the sword.
A Tax Paying Citizen of the
United States of America
By "aversion" I meant anyone who is totally against (the idea of servitude).
ReplyDeleteThe reason why I said that we can become children of God, rather than we are children of God is that I was including all of my audience in the term "we". Perhaps this was bad phrasing.