Who or what is my taskmaster?

 

In most of the free world, the term slavery is negative, outlawed and evil. However, its elimination, at least in North America, has removed a metaphor used in the NT for a good thing, even a godly designation.

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:22–23)

The Bible says we are all slaves to something, and particularly mastered by our desire to be in control and do our own thing. This has become the idea of freedom, but when God and faith are left out of the equation, that lifestyle is termed sinful. The OT describes it this way:

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

Our own way, because it is self-centered and rejects the Lordship of our Creator, is called sin. Even what people might call the ‘good life’ is sin. Even our righteousness is called “filthy” or “polluted” in Isaiah 64:6. The inner person is dead to God and does not seek Him. However . . .

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 6:17–18)

Christian organizations work to set people free from the slave trade which has thousands in bondage  serving harsh and immoral taskmasters. The idea of being a slave is repulsive, yet Paul uses this concept to describe that being a slave or bond-servant of Jesus Christ is the only alternative — a relationship that gives great freedom and joy, freedom from sin and recipients of the Lord’s joy, a joy that overrides all negatives and makes life totally delightful.

The Greek word translated “bond-servant” in several NT passages was commonly used of those who, out of devotion to their masters, chose to remain as slaves when they had an opportunity to be released. They were also known as love slaves because they served out of love, not compulsion.

 That is the difference. No one suffers agony and a desire for freedom when Jesus is our Lord and Master. Being His “bond-servants” frees us from the tyranny of always wanting to have our own way. It also is the freedom of knowing we are doing good when we follow His direction, and in doing that, there is great joy.

In NT times, slaves in the Roman Empire were usually treated with respect. Most had very little, yet their masters supplied all their needs. A disobedient or self-willed slave was of no use, but faithful slaves set aside their personal interests to do their master’s will and were highly valued. This makes slavery an example of what it means to serve Jesus. Jesus even said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.” (John 4:34)

Nowadays, harsh treatment and forced service have ruined the metaphor, even turned minds against faith in Christ because they assume He will demand actions we do not want to do and ask of us to live the worst life imaginable.

In the past few weeks, God has asked for several small actions. I had no idea why they were important to Him, but did them anyway. The results were surprising — and so was the joy that filled my heart. As today’s devotional describes, being set free from sin is a great gift that brings joy, and serving God as His slave increases that joy like nothing else. Another benefit of this slavery is the adventure not knowing what comes next alongside the total assurance that it will bring joy.

Jesus, what a privilege to serve You. I have often feared being set on a shelf because I’m not worthy, yet it isn’t about that at all; it is about the wonder of having the King of kings and Lord of lords directing my life and filling me with great joy as I do what You say. Increase my determination to listen and obey, and to glorify You in the doing.

MORE: Read Philemon. What does this short letter say about a runaway slave and what does it suggest about ‘slavery’ to Christ in the lives of Paul, Onesimus and Philemon?

 

The gain of godliness . . .

 

READ Titus and Philemon

In my fifty years of being a Christian, I’m very thankful that each church we attended taught sound doctrine. None were perfect yet all were determined to know the truth and share it with one another. In that time, I’ve known a few people who started out well by putting their faith in Jesus Christ but began attending services in churches that were not committed to God’s truth. These folks stopped growing in their faith and their lives were strongly affected in negative ways.

Titus begins by making a connection between knowing the truth and living a godly life:

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness . . .  (Titus 1:1)

A few other verses emphasize this connection between how to live and the foundation for that kind of life:

For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. (1:7–9)

Sound doctrine is vital because without it, I would not know when I was running on my own steam rather than being filled with the Holy Spirit. Even if I did realize that my life was selfish, I would not have the power to change it, or even the desire. The truth of sound doctrine not only builds godliness, it confronts sin:

For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. (1:10–14)

Living like Jesus is foreign to the average mind. Even when a person becomes a believer, the old life has formed habits that may not be recognized as contrary to the Word of God. We need to hear it to recognize it.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

This is why the NT urges pastors and lay people alike to form our lives according to what the Bible teaches. It is not ‘normal’ and so radically different from the world’s notions and from the old ways of life. Even those converted to Christ as children must learn truth or they will also succumb to the self-rule of the flesh. Besides that, we need to be encouraged by one another:

But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good . . .  (Titus 2:1–3)

This is also practical. The more I learn and obey the truth, the more useful I am to God. “The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.” (Titus 3:8–9)

Paul also wrote, “I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.” (Philemon 4–6)

The alternative to sound doctrine is not only unprofitable; it is dangerous. The NT says:

If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. (1 Timothy 6:3–5)

This is practical — with extremely good reasons for spending time in the Word of God each day and letting it do its work in my life. I’ve not yet ‘arrived’ but am convinced that godliness is far better than doing my own thing.