The Freedom Of Slavery

Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave.

1 Corinthians 7:22

In a speech to a regiment of Union soldiers during the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln said, “Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.” He was referring, of course, to the coercive form of slavery. But many people have personally, and permanently, made themselves slaves of a different kind.

Some of the most unusual language of the New Testament comes from the pens of the apostles Paul, Peter, James, and Jude. Each of these church leaders, along with other coworkers, referred to themselves as slaves. Modern Bible translations soften the Greek word doulos to “servant” instead of “slave.” But in the first century, a doulos was a person who voluntarily submitted himself to a master to be a permanent slave. A doulos willingly laid everything he had at the feet of his master, then picked it up again to accomplish his master’s will.

The apostles were free to live or free to die because of their obedience to their Master. Have you considered living your life as a voluntary doulos of the Lord Jesus Christ?

If perfect freedom is found in perfect obedience, how would you measure your own freedom?