A DEBT OF LOVE: FREE TO BE A SLAVE

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 But we all, with unveiled faces, looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.

Galatians 5:13

A quick survey in the New Testament will reveal the radical nature of the freedom Jesus Christ endorses and encourages. In essence, Jesus came to set us free to spiritually change (2 Cor.3:18) and serve others in love (Gal.5:13). No matter “where” you are at, there is liberty by the Spirit of Lord to approach the Father with confidence to initiate needed transition or transformation in your heart, mind and body. Being stuck is your choice not God’s. “Where” the Spirit of Jesus is there is always freedom to help others in time of their need. We all often fall short of this glorious call to “seeking” and “serving” God, I certainly do. The good news is we can constantly start afresh through humility and repentance to secure the grace to move forward and progress in our call to be conformed to the likeness of Christ!

The highest expression of FREEDOM is to place oneself under the Lordship of Jesus by the loving power of His Spirit! Our Independence is best expressed in Dependence on God.

Slavery in the First Century was widespread in the Roman Empire. Some historians believe before the rise of the Roman Emperor’s (1st Century B.C.) perhaps 66-90% of the population were slaves. In the first century jC.E. an estimated 60,000,000 slaves existed within the borders of Roman domination. Of the 6,000,000 people in Italy, 2,000,000 were slaves.  

Thus, the radical message of EMANCIPATION by the Gospel of Jesus Christ cut to the core of the life and identity of the majority of the masses.  Unlike slavery in the United States, slaves in the Roman Empire were made in two primary ways.  Slaves were taken as spoils of war.  Secondly, people sold themselves into slavery or their children to make a living, pay off debt etc.  Slaves could be  highly skilled, educated and coveted among the Roman elite citizenry.  Slavery was a brutal reality with little dignity in the industry.  When paraded to be sold in the market places, they would have a written sign hung about their necks divulging strengths and weaknesses to inform potential slaveholders.  Sex-traffiking was not unusual with young girls.  Some slaveholders set aside a little money in a freedom account for their slaves. Over time they could then use that savings account to purchase their freedom. Unfortunately, often the amount needed could take anywhere from seven years to a lifetime of servitude. The early leaders of the church did not seek to disupt the institution of slavery, rather, they appealed to both slaves and slave-masters to exhibit respect and dignity in the sight of Jesus who would judge all (Eph.6:5-9).  

A “bond-servant” (gk.doulos) was someone who sold themselves into slavery to serve another. The Apostles adopted this understanding to describe their voluntary allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ. We are set free as ‘sons and daughters’ of God only to sell ourselves into service of His Lordship by the power of the Holy Spirit!  To proclaim “Jesus is Lord” was a crime against the state which declared “Caesar is Lord” (1 Cor.12:3).  True freedom is ultimately expressed in submission to the kingdom of God not the respective government. A man or woman who picks up their cross, denying a selfish life  to follow the decrees of God in Christ are not restrained nor ruled by the decrees of governments.

As a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ what exactly have we been set free from? Three platforms of genuine Christian Liberty:

• Free from spiritual ignorance (John 8:32,36)…Freedom releases the Spirit of revelation into the true knowledge of Jesus in our hearts to conquer unbelief, apathy and fear!
• Free from the “dominion of darkness” (Col.1:13-14)…Freedom redemptively transfers us to the kingdom of God and His forgiveness! The devil loses control of our lives under the dominion of God in Christ. This is triumph of the goodness of God over Evil!
• Free from the ruling power of sin (Rom.6:18,22)…Freedom ushers in the King of Grace to rule over our sinful nature in the power of the Holy Spirit! This is the progress of sanctification in all seasons of life when walking in the law of the Spirit of life (Rom.8:1-3).

Freedom, boiled down to its essence according to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and His apostles,  is manifested in a life marked by moral transformation and servanthood.  A truly free human being does not focus on their “rights” but upon the glory of God and His right-eousness.  A disciple who is sincerely worshipping  by  sitting at the feet of Jesus to learn His ways will rise to wash the feet of others.  

The Spirit of the Lord gives us all the resources we need to personally be restored into the likeness of Christ. This inward transformation of the heart will always lead us to serve others with the very love and power He imparted to us.  

True Freedom is manifested in voluntarily becoming a Slave, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ to do His will to repay the debt of love!

WORTHY IS THE LAMB OF GOD WHO RELEASED US FROM OUR SINS TO WORSHIP AND SERVE HIM IN LOVE!