On Being A Slave

"On Being a Slave"

"Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?"

Many Freedom Fighters know about slavery. We've experienced the slavery of addictions. Some of you have come close to death from that slavery.
Many of us know people who lost their lives to the slavery to sin.

My experience as a pastor tells me that too many of us never discover the transition from "sin slavery" to "obedience slavery." Somehow, we see God deliver us from the old slavery, but we have an unwillingness to accept the new slavery. That's not acceptable to God, and it shouldn't be acceptable to us.

The Apostle Paul assumes that we have to make a choice. He doesn't leave us room to live in the middle between negative and positive slavery. Paul declares that we're going to experience slavery one way or another. If I understand his insight, if we don't choose slavery to righteousness, we set ourselves up for slavery to sin. The key is obedience.

Obedience to righteousness will make us slaves of our true Master, Jesus Christ. A lack of obedience to righteousness will take us down a path to "sin slavery." Ultimately, Freedom Fighters must understand that "obedience slavery" is the path to true freedom.

The Apostle wraps it up for us in Romans 6:18: "And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." The normal thing for someone set free from sin is to become a slave of righteousness.

How are you doing at practicing slavery today? I'm working on it, and I hope you are, too! - Pastor John Strain is Senior Pastor of First Baptist Toms River (http://www.fbctomsriver.com/)

God's WORD for YOU: 1 Chronicles 7-9; John 6:22-24 Think About This: There is a toleration which is treachery. There is a peace which issues in paralysis. There are hours when the Church must say NO to those who should ask communion with her, in the doing of her work, upon the basis of compromise. Such standing aloof may produce ostracism and persecution; but it will maintain power and influence...The reason why men do not look to the Church today is that she has destroyed her own influence by compromise. G. Campbell Morgan

Have you made your plans for Memorial Day Weekend? If not, we'd love to have you join as at America's KESWICK. There is limited availability, so call today for your reservation. If you are local, plan to come for the day. Check out the website for details: www.americaskeswick.org. On Saturday night we will be having a patriotic concert featuring the Keswick Celebration Choir singing John W. Peterson's I LOVE AMERICA. This is a free event, however, we will be taking an offering for the ministry of the COLONY OF MERCY. For more information, call 732-453-7942