Metaphors, Masters, and Total Surrender
When we commit our lives and hearts to Jesus Christ, sometimes we do not grasp at the time that we are laying down our rights. In asking Christ to be our Savior, we are also acknowledging Him to be our Lord. Lordship means surrender, and the only true surrender is total surrender.
Often it is helpful for us to have some kind of metaphor or picture of what this new life in Christ is like. Unfortunately, in modern America, we have so many rights that are so important to us that we really have no relationships where we give up all our rights.
In biblical times, the best picture for this relationship was that of a slave to his master. Paul says in Romans, "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" (6:22); and in I Corinthians, when instructing them to flee from sexual immorality: "You are not your own; you were bought at a price" (6:19-20). While the idea of slavery in ancient times was the same at it was in the early history of America, the social reality of slavery was often much different. In the first-century Greco-Roman world of the New Testament, slavery was an universally accepted and a socially functional institution. Many slaves were born into slavery, but some people sold themselves into slavery if they were poor, or if they needed to get out of debt. Many masters treated their slaves well; slaves were the working force of society. If a slave was owned by a wealthy and kind master, their life was probably much better than the average freedman. It was even possible for slaves in some situations to earn their freedom.
The question for us spiritually is not whether we are slaves or not, but who our master is. If you are not a slave to the Master, then you are either a slave to the devil, the world, or yourself.
The important thing to understand is that the gospel call is a call to an entirely different life. Paul also says in I Corinthians: "He who was a slave [literally] when he was called by the Lord is the Lord's freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men" (7:22-23).
If we have given our lives to Christ, then we must realize the totality of our commitment. We have no rights; we were bought with the blood of Christ. We must do what He says, and go where He tells us. We may not realize at first what we are getting ourselves into, and exactly how many rights that we claim for ourselves that we must lay down. But if we compare our new life to our former one, there is no doubt which is better. It is far better to be owned by God and have true freedom, than to heed the empty promises of the other masters. Jesus Christ is the best Master there is.
Often it is helpful for us to have some kind of metaphor or picture of what this new life in Christ is like. Unfortunately, in modern America, we have so many rights that are so important to us that we really have no relationships where we give up all our rights.
In biblical times, the best picture for this relationship was that of a slave to his master. Paul says in Romans, "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" (6:22); and in I Corinthians, when instructing them to flee from sexual immorality: "You are not your own; you were bought at a price" (6:19-20). While the idea of slavery in ancient times was the same at it was in the early history of America, the social reality of slavery was often much different. In the first-century Greco-Roman world of the New Testament, slavery was an universally accepted and a socially functional institution. Many slaves were born into slavery, but some people sold themselves into slavery if they were poor, or if they needed to get out of debt. Many masters treated their slaves well; slaves were the working force of society. If a slave was owned by a wealthy and kind master, their life was probably much better than the average freedman. It was even possible for slaves in some situations to earn their freedom.
The question for us spiritually is not whether we are slaves or not, but who our master is. If you are not a slave to the Master, then you are either a slave to the devil, the world, or yourself.
The important thing to understand is that the gospel call is a call to an entirely different life. Paul also says in I Corinthians: "He who was a slave [literally] when he was called by the Lord is the Lord's freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men" (7:22-23).
If we have given our lives to Christ, then we must realize the totality of our commitment. We have no rights; we were bought with the blood of Christ. We must do what He says, and go where He tells us. We may not realize at first what we are getting ourselves into, and exactly how many rights that we claim for ourselves that we must lay down. But if we compare our new life to our former one, there is no doubt which is better. It is far better to be owned by God and have true freedom, than to heed the empty promises of the other masters. Jesus Christ is the best Master there is.
posted by Luke at 12:09 PM
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