Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, a called apostle, severed for the evangel of God.
Romans 1: 1, Concordant New Testament
It's a phrase used often in jest by the working man, "Hey, man, slavery is outlawed!" Yes, they're right, for the thirteenth amendment to the United States constitution permanently outlawed slavery in this nation in 1865. To many of our citizens, the evils of slavery and the slave trade are but stories from a history book. However, too many woke hippies feel the need to resurrect the injustices of the past every now and then. While I agree that slavery was, and is, an evil we never need to revisit, there is One master who endures to this day. Yet, this slave master is not bent on personal gain and evil, but on the Love of the Father. Now, many well meaning Christians will read this and think to themselves, "Christianity, slavery?" Once again on cue, the chorus proclaiming me as a blasphemer of the gospel will clang like a symbol. However, I present to you the words of the apostle Paul we find in the beginning of the book of Romans. It is Paul who introduces himself here as "a slave of Christ Jesus" {Romans 1:1, Concordant New Testament}. Now, I'll set aside the practices and traditions of the mainstream church, which are all too often themselves akin to slavery, and focus instead on what Paul was saying here in Romans. Recently I had an ongoing back and forth text conversation with a good friend of mine as to what in the world Paul meant when he referred to himself as a "slave" of Christ Jesus. It was what they call a teachable moment. So, why is it that Paul, the outspoken advocate for all things Jesus, would proclaim himself a subservient slave to Christ Jesus? Indeed, Paul had to know that Jesus Himself was no fan of the evils of slavery. For good reason, for the slave is not free but chained to the will of the slave owner. Yet in Galatians, Paul appears to say that slavery is no longer an issue. In Galatians 3, Paul proclaims that we are but one in Christ {Galatians 3:8-9}. So, Paul, which is it? Are you a slave to Christ or are you one with Him?
In Whom there is no Jew nor yet Greek, there is no slave nor yet free, there is no male and female, for you all are one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3: 28, Concordant New Testament
You might ask yourself after referring to a few of these passages if Paul is being just a bit hypocritical. Is he a slave of Christ Jesus? Yes. Is he one with Him as well? Again, yes. This won't take a Department of Justice politically slanted investigation to figure out, trust me. I believe what Paul was attempting to illustrate in the beginning of Romans is that Christ Jesus is his Lord and master. His one devotion is to Christ. He is, absent the chains, a slave to Christ Jesus and proudly proclaims himself as such. This is not a situation where we would condemn Jesus for advocating slavery, but applaud the apostle for his unwavering devotion to his Lord and Savior. I don't see how we can see it any other way. The question isn't how can Jesus be a slave master, but how strong is our devotion to Him. For all intents and purposes, Paul was a slave to Jesus. So can a slave be free at the same time? Again, we turn to Paul. In Galatians he proclaims that, "For freedom Christ has set us free"{Galatians 5:1}. Yet, in the second part of this passage Paul advises the reader, "Be not enthralled with the yoke of slavery." Whoa! Make up your mind, Paul. So, has Jesus set us free? Yes. Are we to never again be enthralled (submit ourselves) to a yoke of slavery? No! Is Paul STILL a slave of Christ Jesus? Yes! Did he submit himself once again to the yoke of slavery? No! What Paul is doing here in Galatians I believe is illustrating slavery with a life of disobedience and sin. We are definitely supposed to refrain from that no doubt. However, we are not to be so foolish as to equate a life in Christ with a life in disobedience and sin. Our devotion is to our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. He is our master.
For freedom Christ frees us! Stand firm, then, and be not again enthralled with the yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5: 1, Concordant New Testament
~Scott~
No comments:
Post a Comment