June 22, 2022

Romans 6: 22 (NIV)

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

He rules whether or not we admit it.*

We Americans tend to have a negative reaction to the idea of being slaves to anyone or anything. We are free! We are similar to the Jews who got so indignant at Jesus’ suggestion that the truth would set them free: “We have never been slaves of anyone!” (John 8: 33 and 34) (Never mind that they were slaves in Egypt, Babylon, and even at that moment in the Promised Land under Roman rule.)

Paul uses slavery as an analogy to contrast our old life with our new life in Christ (see Romans 6: 6). In human terms, a slave has no control over his choices but spiritually, we are free to choose our master: impurity and ever-increasing wickedness; or righteousness leading to holiness (Romans 6: 19).

While we sort through our feelings about slavery, we overlook the real point: the Lordship of Jesus. In Matthew 28: 18, Jesus says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” That makes him Lord of Everything. And when we choose to be his slaves, suddenly the analogy changes and we become his children – heirs who, if we choose to share in his suffering, may also share in his glory (Romans 8: 17).

As His children, we have family privileges, assume family responsibilities, and dwell in family affection.*