SLAVES NO MORE

Sometimes we don’t realise that we’ve become slaves to something until we get a rude wake-up call. And all too often, that wake-up call comes in the form of some tough consequences.

So many of us are slaves: slaves to our old ways, slaves to our thoughts, to old habits, to patterns of behaviour that are devastating in our lives.

My hunch is that you know what it is in your life that enslaves you. But here’s the thing: you and I have a choice in this matter. You and I are free to choose who or what we want to be slaves to.

Before I became a Christian, I looked at the whole Christianity thing and, to tell you the truth, it appeared to me that if I accepted it I would end up with a stunted life. I thought that as a Christian, there would be so many things I couldn’t do that my life would feel really limited and dull.

But I look back on that attitude now and I realise that my life wasn’t as full as I thought it was. In fact, I was a slave to myself. I was so wrapped up in me, in making money, in climbing the ladder, in what others thought of me. It felt like freedom, but actually it was a prison cell.

In Romans, through the Apostle Paul, God reveals what He thinks about slavery and freedom:

“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? 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, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.” (Romans 6:16-18)

While we might think that doing things our own way is freedom, it’s actually slavery to sin, which leads to death.

But we have a choice to make. Instead of being slaves to sin, to ourselves, we can become slaves of righteousness – slaves to God.

It’s an incredible paradox, because we discover true freedom if we give over every part of our lives to Jesus Christ – our thoughts, our dreams, our resources, what we say and what we do. 

LIFE APPLICATION QUESTIONS 

1. What is it in your life that enslaves you? What looks like “freedom”, but is actually imprisoning you?  
2. Have you made the decision to become a slave to Jesus? If not, why? 
3. If you are already following Jesus, when do you find it hardest to submit fully to his Lordship? 
4. How can you ensure that you remain a slave to Jesus and don’t slip back into your slavery to sin? 

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