Slave of Sin or Slave of God?

Your Choice in Light of Absolute Eternal Truth

Romans 7:14 (English Standard Version) 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin.

Colossians 3:22 (English Standard Version) 22 Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.

Years ago, before returning to faith, I took a college course in comparative religions. I was rather proud of an essay I wrote 20 or so years ago. I compared the whole of religion to barbeque sauce, caterpillars and butterflies. It being my viewpoint at that time that it was the self, seeking fulfillment, that chose to practice faith based principles to metamorphasize the core personality to develop a pattern for living and coping. As a caterpillar enters a christalys and over time changes, it becomes a new creature. A materialistic worldview supported by something easily observed in nature. Barbeque sauce was the various differences in doctrine and godly embodiments, describing cultural differences with which to worship. So I thought at the time. I got an A+ grade from the instructor of the course, but I remember a man being very upset about it. His name was Ben. Ben was a Methodist deacon in a nearby church. His essay merited a C+, and in class, he voiced his disagreement with what was in his view, disparity of the grading by the instructor and held me aside after class to voice is consternation for my position. He was right to do so. Today, in light of what I know and believe about God and the world, I understand more his distress. I had made a rather huge mistake that neither I nor the instructor failed to recognize. Only now, years later, I am able to see the error of my thinking. In my effort to create an essay about world religions and the purpose for doing religion, I had completely ignored the idea of eternal and absolute truth. I had thrown the living God, into the pile of idols and icons of other faiths and completely ignored the difference between the physical and the spiritual realms. Not only that, but I had also completely missed, in my egotism, that we are not own, but slaves. The only question is which master will you serve.

Lord God, Forgive me my ignorance and arrogance. I was wrong . Thank you for showing me my error Father. I have sinned against you and come to you with a contrite heart. I submit myself to you wholly,

Today and every day hereafter, Believing that Jesus Christ, your beloved son, Is the eternal and absolute truth. Break me and mold me, if it be thy will Lord, So that I may beyour glad and humble servant. Bless me that I may be awake when you come. Amen * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Three things I am grateful for today: 1. That my spider bite healed without professional medical intervention 2. For the desire to grow a more personal relationship with You 3. For the ability to take some time off this week and rest

Luke 16:13 (English Standard Version) 13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."

Paul was able to use the illustration of slavery to illustrate an eternal truth concerning grace. Both types of slavery, God or material, bears fruit. Paul explains righteous fruit of the spirit in Galatians 5. Paul explains that these fruits are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, and temperance. In Romans 6:22, Paul puts all that in one word - holiness, or sanctification. In the Gospel, we see that slavery has a development, fruit, an end result and that we are faced with a choice; becoming a slave of God, or of materialism. No fudge room there, it’s an either/or choice. The end result or “wages” of sin is death. The end result of a holy or sanctified life in this world is the gift of everlasting life. We indeed born slaves. The question then becomes, will we be a slave to sin or a slave to Jesus Christ? Freedom is an illusion. We need to understand that, when consider the spiritual realm, there is no such thing as total freedom. We are not our own, but are a slave of sin and Satan, or a slave of God the author of righteousness.

Romans 6:16-30 (English Standard Version) 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 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, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Luke 12:37 (English Standard Version) 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them.

I pray that we, who are His slaves and good servants will be awake then the master, He comes.