What Are You A Slave To?

Colossians 3:24, “It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” The more accurate translation is, “It is the Lord Christ to whom you are enslaved.”

Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” Again, the most accurate translation should read, “No one can be a slave to two masters…You cannot be a slave to both God and Money.”

Now you may think, “Okay, so it should read slave instead of servant. So what? Why make such a big deal about the way one word is translated?” It’s important because there is a difference between being a slave and being a servant and how each one relates to their masters. And since the Bible uses the metaphor of a slave and not a servant to describe the life of the Christian in relation to Christ, then we need to know what it means to be a slave.

II. What Does It Mean To Be A Slave?

So, let’s look at some characteristics of a slave and how they define our relationship with Christ.

A. A Slave Is Owned By Someone Else

First of all, a slave is owned by someone else. You are not your own. When you are a slave you belong to someone else. You have been bought and paid for. You are someone else’s property.

This is totally different from what it means to be a servant. A servant is employed and paid a wage for work done. They can quit and walk away at any time. They do not belong to their employer.

A slave doesn’t have those choices. They have no say in what work they want to do. They cannot quit if they don’t like the job they are assigned. And they are not paid for the work they do, either.

Now, think of what this means in your relationship with Christ Jesus. You are His slave because you have been bought and paid for by His blood. John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” God loved you so much that He bought you and paid for you with the very life of His Son.

Titus 2:13-14, “while we wait for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, [14] who gave himself for us to redeem us [purchase our freedom] from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”

Now the idea of slavery may not be a very pleasant one, but if you have to be a slave, wouldn’t you want to be a slave to a Master who was willing to die for you? That’s exactly what Christ did, and because He did and we accepted His sacrifice, that means we are now His slaves.

ILLUSTRATION: During the time when slave trade was still practiced in some parts of the South, a handsome young man was up for sale. The bids kept rising. Finally, an Englishman gained possession. The young slave began to chide him, “Ha, you buy a slave when slavery has already been abolished in England.” The purchaser, however, said, “I have bought you to set you free.” The young slave, overcome with emotion, replied, “I will be your willing slave forever.”