Corona Devo 79
Regardless of a child's age--4 or 14, has anyone ever noticed that the time when they are most open and willing to share their lives with you is at bedtime? When I am dragging, drooping, about to peter out--that's when they most often bare their souls to me. Here's a parenting tip--it's worth staying awake and attentive for! Anytime they are willing to share themselves with us, it is valuable.
Last night, when my eyes were heavy, I had one such opportunity. Our 13 year old began talking me to me about his friends who disagree with him about being a Christian and what the Bible says. I asked what they argue with in the Bible?
He said that their #1 stance to disqualify the Bible is that "it tells people to have slaves". What?
I don't remember reading that command, but it got me to thinking. People have always twisted God's word when they felt convicted or judged by it.
And most often, I find that people have just plain never read the Bible.
This group of our son's friends are dabbling in alternative lifestyles because our culture has encouraged them to. They do not like that the Bible has encouraged them not to.
Our son is kind to them (they are good friends!), but not supportive of their ideas, and I was happy to hear that they all remain friends but have long (text) discussions where he argues his 13-year old Biblical stance on living God's way.
That takes guts, to stand up for your Jesus-beliefs to your friends. I am trying to remember the last time that I have done that? How about you?
It also got me thinking about slave or servant references in the Bible.
What I found in Romans was an awesome reminder to who we are in Christ. We are no longer slaves to sin. ~Romans 6:6
Here the references to slavery refer to us when we are tied up in sin and it has control over us. But in accepting Christ and living for Christ and also in dying with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. (Romans 6:8)
5Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. ~Romans 6:5-11
There are so many freeing and empowering truths in these verses! And instead of relating anything to us being slaves or having slaves, the mantra is about us being set free in Christ:
For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. ~Romans 6:7
The Lord knows all about sin, and how it can gain control over us, and make us slaves to it. We know that also, don't we? We have all been a slave to some type of sin in our lives, and it is a daily battle in some areas. But God's words in Romans are strong and commanding, and that is for our training and discipline. He knows what is best for us:
12 Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. 13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. 14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. ~Romans 6:12-14
Why would we ever choose sin as our master? Because sin is a slimy pool that we often wade into slowly and then we are in over our head before we can gain our footing or even realize that we are drowning.
But Jesus gives us choices: to start fresh and leave our sin. By His grace, we are washed clean and can be set free--if we choose to walk away from obeying sin and instead choose to obey God.
15 Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! 16 Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. 17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. 18 Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.
19 Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.
20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. 21 And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. 22 But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. ~Romans 6:5-23
Well, our son's friends were right in that the Bible does talk about slavery. ALOT in these verses! But isn't it exciting to see the parallel Romans draws for us? We can choose to be slaves to sin, or choose to be slaves to righteousness. Serving God, yielding to His plans for us.
Just for today, I pray that we can choose God as our master:
But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. ~Romans 6:22
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