Once a Slave Always a Slave…

Deep in the heart of mankind is a desire to be “free”.  Or at least that’s what I’ve read….  I suppose it is true.  But are we ever really “free”?  I think the Bible says, “no”.  From a spiritual standpoint we are never really free.  We are never free agents.  We all serve someone.  In Romans chapter 6 the apostle Paul talks about the idea of being a slave.  ¹⁵ What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! ¹⁶ Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? ¹⁷ But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. ¹⁸ And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. ¹⁹ I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.

The language is pretty clear.  Before we came to know Jesus Christ we were slaves to sin which ultimately leads to death.  We could not help but sin.  Our master was sin.  However, Jesus Christ sets us free from our bondage to sin….but He doesn’t set us free from sin so that we can be free from Him.  Rather, Jesus sets us free from sin so that we can be slaves, or servants if you prefer, to Him.  We go from being slaves of sin to slaves of righteousness but we are still slaves.  Redemption from sin is not intended to free us to make choices on our own or to live a life of our own choosing.  Redemption from sin is intended to free us to become slaves of the one who has redeemed us, Jesus.  We never stop being slaves, we just switch masters.  And who our master is makes all the difference.  Later in chapter 6 Paul writes about the “fruit” of our service:  ²⁰ For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. ²¹ What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. ²² But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We now have the opportunity, as slaves of righteousness, to produce fruit which is holy and leads to everlasting life.  What a difference a master makes.  As followers of Christ, we should willingly submit ourselves to His lordship in our lives.  We must willingly submit to the word of God and its commands.  When we do that, we will be a very happy slave.  So, once a slave, always a slave is true, but with Jesus as our master, we can make a real difference as His slaves.

Have a great and “service filled” day!