Abolishing slavery

Christians in the years before the U.S. Civil War could not settle on a definitive answer concerning whether the Bible condemns or condones slavery. Some historians feel that the disputes happened because black racial inferiority that was “so seriously fixed in the minds of white Americans, including most abolitionists that it overwhelmed biblical testimony about race, even though most Protestant Americans claimed that Scripture was in fact their supreme authority in adjudicating such matters.”

The Baptist Church and other denominations split into Northern and Southern organizations depending on their views. Later, most of them renounced the ideas that it was acceptable for Christians to own slaves. Even so, prejudices against race continue. So does slavery.

For me, the idea of keeping a person as property is repulsive. I’ve heard of parents who sold their daughters for money. I also know that the sex slave trade is alive in many parts of the world. These horrible practices came to mind as I read this verse today . . . 

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)

Interesting words in that the person reading is told not to submit to slavery. Most people would say they would never do that. Consider the Jews when Jesus said something similar to them.

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:31–36).

Slavery is usually thought of as something imposed on others, but the Bible reveals that there are two kinds. One of them is about masters and slaves, purchased or otherwise. The other is about personal choice and is a voluntary commitment. In this, the slave is the human heart and the master is sin.

Many think that being free means having no master at all. That is, if I can do whatever I want, then I am a free person. Such a philosophy disregards or is unaware of sin and its power. This taskmaster tends to deceive us, even in how we define it. Some think of actions like murder and lying, but the Bible says this about sin, 

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)

Sin is going our own way and doing our own thing. Apart from God and without faith, every choice I make is sinful, even those words and actions that most would call good. This is because our definition of goodness is not the same as God’s. We look at it as a relative thing. Compared to Hitler, I’m a good person. However, God compares us to the perfection of His Son, Jesus Christ, and all fall short.

Sometimes I draw a chart that compares goodness with godliness. It shows that goodness can look good to us, but without Christ in our lives, we are still on the “sinful” side of God’s ledger.

evil<----------------good   (cross of Christ/new life) >------------------->godly
(/faith/invite Christ in)

Personally, these verses focus me on the slavery part. As one set free from sin, I can now make a choice. I can give in to walking in my old ways and letting sin dominate my thinking and my life. If I do that, I might “have my way” for a time, but eventually it will turn sour.

If I choose to shake off that yoke, Christ will fill me with His Spirit and give me the power to say No to sin. This sounds great until I start wondering what I will lose, give up, and have no control over. If anyone wonders why Christians still sin, this is the crux of the matter. How hard is it to allow anyone to control your life? Yet this is what God asks — that I say No to sin and Yes to Him. It means letting Him be my Master instead of doing what I want and allowing sin to call the shots. It might seem easy to let God take charge, but if it is so easy, why is almost everyone still walking on the left side of this chart?

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God, You know my temptations today. I am upset with someone and feel like twisting off a head. I am also annoyed at another person and want to tell them a thing or two. My responses are closer to that ‘evil’ end of things than the ‘good’ but I’m also toying with the idea of ‘being nice’ and ignoring what they have done. That might make me ‘good’ or at least look good, but it does not make me godly. I have to let go of all my ideas and trust You. Allowing You to be Lord of my life is not always easy, yet slavery to sin lost its appeal a long time ago. Help me make the right choices, the first one being to simply yield to You.