What Are You A Slave To?
(Romans 6:16-22)
Today is Veteran’s Day, a day in which our nation remembers all those soldiers who fought and died, and those who are still fighting so that we could enjoy the freedoms that we have today.
Someone wrote, “It is the soldier, not the preacher, who gives us freedom of religion. It is the soldier, not the reporter, who gives us freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who gives us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the protestor, who gives us the freedom to assemble. It is the soldier, not the lawyer, that gives us the right to a fair trial. It is the soldier, not the politician, who gives us the right to vote. It is the soldier, who not only salutes the Flag, but serves under the Flag, and fights for the country that Flag represents.”
It is only good and proper to take the time to thank the brave men and women who make America great and who ensure our freedoms. The Christian faith is centered around this idea of freedom as well. Just like the soldiers that fight for our social freedoms, we have a Savior who paid the price and died for our eternal freedom. Galatians 5:1 says, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery.”
In fact, most Christians today would define the Christian life as one of freedom, liberation, fulfillment, unconditional acceptance, satisfaction, health, wealth, and finding your purpose. They’ll tell you that God loves you and wants you to be everything you want to be. He wants to fulfill every hope, desire, and dream.
But while these ideas are mostly, though not completely, true I don’t think they are the best or even most accurate definitions of what it means to be a Christian. In fact, perhaps the best definition is actually the exact opposite of some of these ideas. Christianity is probably best described as a life of slavery!
I. Christianity – A Life of Slavery
Now, lest you think I’ve totally gone off the deep end by making such a statement, let’s look at our main passage of Scripture for today which comes from the book of Romans.
Romans 6:16-18, 22, “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey – whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? [17] But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. [18] You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. [22] 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.”
Slavery – it’s not a term that is normally very positive, or brings with it empowering or comfortable ideas. In fact, for most of us, if someone were to have told us that the Christian life is a life of slavery, we never would have made the decision to accept Christ in the first place. And yet, that is what a Christian is. A Christian means being a slave to Christ.
Now, you may be thinking, “Wait a minute. I’ve heard of Christians being referred to as servants, as sheep, as sons, as the bride of Christ, and as the body of Christ but where do you get the idea that we are slaves? We’ve been freed from slavery, right?” And I would say yes. Servants, sheep, sons, etc. those are all metaphors the Bible uses to describe our relationship with Christ and the Father. But the Bible also uses the metaphor of slavery. Perhaps more than some of us realize.
A. Doulos
John MacArthur, in his sermon “Slaves for Christ”, did a word study that showed that in most English translations of the New Testament there has been a mistranslation of an important word. That word is the Greek word, “doulos” (doo-loss) which means “slave”. This word, doulos, appears over 130 times in the original Greek text of the New Testament. But it is not translated as “slave” in the English versions. In fact the King James Version of the New Testament uses the word slave only once. Instead of translating doulos as slave, which is its true meaning, the English versions translated it as servant.
For example, look at Matthew 25:21. Most of us are pretty familiar with this passage. “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!’” That’s not an accurate translation. It should read, “Well done, good and faithful slave.”
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.”
We, too, have been bought and paid for and then set free. And because of that we should be willing slave of Christ forever.
So, what does it mean to be a slave to Christ? It means we don’t have a choice in what work is assigned to us to do. The Master does not ask us what we believe our purpose is in life so that He can fulfill it. He does not ask us what would make us happy or fulfilled. We don’t get paid for the work that is assigned to us. We are simply told to do it to the best of our ability and He will help us do it. We don’t have the choice of quitting and walking away either. Not if we are truly slaves of the Master.
The problem is that most of us don’t want to be slaves. We don’t mind being servants. We don’t mind doing God’s work if it’s something we enjoy or have the time for. But we don’t want to be told that we can’t quit or that we won’t be paid for it. If we’re going to work, we want some sort of compensation or at least recognition for it. Yet, Romans 6 tells us we are not servants. We are slaves.
Now lest you think you got a raw deal. If you think slavery wasn’t what you signed up for or had in mind when you gave your life to Christ, you need to realize something else. You have always been a slave and always will be a slave. The only thing that changed when you accepted Christ was who your Master is.
Look again with me at our main passage in Romans 6. Verse 16 tells us that, “you are slaves to the one whom you obey – whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness.” Verse 17 reminds us that, “you used to be slaves to sin.” And verses 18 and 22, “You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. [22] 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.”
You always have been and always will be a slave. You will either be a slave to sin and death or a slave to Christ and righteousness. You are a slave to the one you obey, and you only have two choices. So even though slavery may be a new idea to you, in truth you’ve been living in slavery from the moment of your birth.
B. Slavery Means Complete Dependence On the Master For Everything
Second, being a slave means that you are completely dependent upon the Master for everything: food, clothing, shelter, health care, protection, and even status. A slave owns nothing. They have no rights. They have no citizenship and claim nothing as their own, not even the clothes upon their backs.
Romans 11:35-36, “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him? [36] For from him [God] and through him and to him are all things.”
So how does this translate into the Christian life? It means that everything you have, from the car in the driveway and the roof over your head to the very clothes hanging in your closet and the money in your bank account all belong to God. And the only reason you have them at all is because the Master gave them to you. Your children and grandchildren, your spouse, your job, your friends, the water from the tap and the air you breathe, your body and the very life that resides within your body, everything comes from Jesus Christ, the Master. And if He decided to take them away from you, you would have no say in the matter because they didn’t belong to you in the first place.
Now, to some of you, those truths are nothing new. You’ve known them for a long time. But my question to you, then, is do you live these truths? When you go to the store to shop, do you go with the thought that the money you are spending belongs to your Master therefore anything you buy should be pleasing to God?
How about the job you have? Do you go every morning knowing that you are working for the Master and not your employer? Do you thank God for the work He has given you to do so that you can have food on the table?
What about your relationships with your children? Do you realize that they belong to God and not to you, that you were given the job of raising and caring and guiding them, but ultimately God is the One who chooses how to use them?
What about your own body? It’s not yours either. It belongs to God. Do you think of that when you decided what to eat or drink? When you decided whether to exercise or sit on the sofa? When you decide whether to light up a cigarette or drink a beer? Do you think about how you treat the Master’s house?
1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, who you have received from God? You are not your own; [20] you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”
C. Slavery Means Complete and Constant Availability and Obedience to the Master
Third, a slave is also completely and constantly available and obedient to the Master for whatever the Master wants. The slave has no choice as to where or when he works. He is not asked what he wants to do, if he likes what he’s doing, if he wants to go somewhere else or do something else. He’s not asked if he finds his work fulfilling, or if he’s happy, or if he thinks he has found his purpose in life. He does what the Master wants, when and where the Master wants it done, no questions asked.
ILLUSTRATION: There are great abilities that people acquire, cultivate and demonstrate. But in the service of God there is one ability that is the greatest ability of all. Do you know what is it?
The greatest ability in the service of God is availability. If we are not available to God, no matter what other kind of ability we have, it is no good. Ability without availability is a liability.
So, what does availability mean? It means to place one’s self totally, absolutely, completely at God’s disposal for Him to do anything and everything He wants to do in us, through us, with us, for us, when He chooses. Anything less than that is putting restrictions on God and writing fine print in your commitment contract to Jesus Christ.
Boy, that sure doesn’t sound like today’s Christian, does it? Willing to go and do what God wants them to do, always making themselves available to Christ, no questions asked. We’re all caught up in searching for happiness and fulfillment and satisfaction. We’re worried about what our purpose is and asking God to grant our desires like He’s some giant genie in the sky just waiting to supply us with everything we could ever hope for.
We’ve got it backwards, folks. As slaves of Christ we have only one purpose in life, only one reason to live and that is to please Him. The Master never asks us what we feel our purpose in life is so that He can fulfill it for us. He tells us what we are to do.
Titus 3:1-2,8, “Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, [2] to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men. [8] This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.”
Titus 2:9, “Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them…”
These two passages tell us exactly what the purpose of a slave is and what our purpose as slaves to Christ is. First, it is to obey the Master. Whatever Christ tells you to do; do it. He has given us an entire Book filled with His commands. We don’t have any excuse for disobedience.
Our problem most of the time isn’t that we don’t know what God wants us to do, but that we don’t want to do it. We don’t want to obey, because it is difficult or uncomfortable or painful, etc. But if we have truly given our lives to Christ as His slaves, we don’t have any say in the matter. What the Master commands we obey.
When you think of your relationship to Christ, can it be said of you that you want only to obey Him?
And second, if there is no clear direction as to what God wants us to do, if we find ourselves in a situation where it appears God is giving us a choice, then the slave does whatever he knows will please the Master.
Romans 12:1, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.”
ILLUSTRATION: A young man had just become pastor of a large church. At a reception given him by the people, one of the gossips, a woman with a dangerous tongue, came up and said, “I do not understand how you dared attempt the task of pleasing seven hundred people.”
Quick as a flash the Lord gave him the answer. He replied, “I did not come to this city to please seven hundred people. I have to please only One; and if I please Him, all will be well.”
III. Benefits of Being A Slave To Christ
Slavery has many negative connotations associated with it. But the Bible doesn’t condemn it, nor does it condone it. It simply treats slavery as a fact of life, and uses it as a metaphor to describe the Christian life in relation to God. And truthfully, if you think about it, there are some benefits of being a slave, if you are a slave to Christ.
A. All Needs Provided For
When Christ is your Master, though you may own nothing, you can rest assured that all of your needs will be provided for. Physical, spiritual, mental, emotional needs are all known to our Master and He has promised us that He will gives us what we need, when we need it. How comforting is that?
Matthew 6:25, 32-33, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. [32] For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. [33] But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Truthfully, we could have no better, safer, more fulfilled life than we already have if we are working as slaves for our compassionate, kind, generous, and benevolent Master.
B. We Have Been Made Sons
And finally, the Christian slave is in a unique position because he has been accepted and made part of the family. We are beloved of our Master.
Galatians 3:26, “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
So, how about you, Christian? Are you a beloved slave of the Master or are you a runaway fugitive? Do you obey the Master, make yourself available to Him, do everything to please Him? Do you realize that everything you have is God’s property and do you treat it as such?
Or are you one who wants to tell God what you will do for Him? Are you only available to do His work when it’s convenient for you and works into your schedule? Do you quit if you don’t like the work you are assigned? Do you require compensation or recognition for work that you do? Do you abuse your body and self esteem? Are you more a slave to sin and self than a slave of Christ?
Jesus loved you enough to purchase you from the slavery that leads to sin and death. You have been set free from that bondage. But be warned. “You are a slave to whom you obey.” If you’re not a willing slave to Christ, obeying and pleasing Him, then you are a slave to sin and self and death. It’s one or the other, and it’s your choice. “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…” Joshua 24:15.
Sermon Sources:
MacArthur, John. “Slaves of Christ.” Sermon. 2007. Grace to You
“Serve and Please Only One.” Illustrations of Bible Truths. © 1995 by AMG INTERNATIONAL, INC. All Rights Reserved. Electronic Edition STEP Files Copyright © 2005, QuickVerse. All rights reserved.
“The Willing Slave.” Illustrations of Bible Truths. © 1995 by AMG INTERNATIONAL, INC. All Rights Reserved. Electronic Edition STEP Files Copyright © 2005, QuickVerse. All rights reserved.
“The Greatest Ability.” A Treasury of Bible Illustrations. © 1995 by AMG INTERNATIONAL, INC. All Rights Reserved. Electronic Edition STEP Files Copyright © 2005, QuickVerse. All rights reserved.
