Slave to Righteousness
Slavery is at an all time high in human history. Never before have more people been enslaved to others. It is interesting that this is happening in conjunction with a period of unequalled wealth and wellbeing for the human race. Today we are living longer and fewer people are in poverty than ever before. But still the atrocity of slavery is overflowing in the nations of the world.
The types of slavery existing today are not unlike the days of old. Examples are sex slaves, home domestic slaves, commercial labor slaves and bond slaves. Throughout the world people are forced into servitude to other people. It is one of the great travesties of our time and must be addressed.
But, there is a slavery that is both necessary and appropriate. It enslaves the greatest number of people. I am speaking of the Christian’s servitude to righteousness. Individuals who have placed their trust in and pledged their allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ are bound to the righteousness to which a child of God is called. No one really likes discussing the believer’s required servanthood to righteousness. It is not a popular pulpit topic in today’s church. But, like all truths our church leadership refuses to teach, not being talked about does not mean it does not exist.
Christians are servants, slaves, to righteousness. The Apostle Paul talks about it in his letter to Jews in Rome. In chapter six of this book of Romans Paul states, “But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.” So we see that, as Christians, we have changed our allegiance. No longer are we enslaved by sin and our own immoral attitudes. We are now aligned with Jesus Christ and therefore are enslaved to the same righteousness to which He was enslaved.
True freedom can only be had when we submit to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Yes. Jesus Christ was enslaved to righteousness. The book of Philippians includes this passage, “Not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross!” Our Lord and Savior voluntarily submitted Himself to servitude, obeying God, and living out righteousness even though it led to the cross. A question for all Christians who refuse to serve, who won’t be told what to do: if the One we serve was willing to follow, submit and die, what are we doing?
Yes. It is appropriate for a believer in Christ to be enslaved to righteousness.
And remember, we human beings will serve a master. As Bob Dylan once sang, “You're going to have to serve somebody.” It is in our nature to bind ourselves in slavery to something or someone. It will be the world or it will be God. (Luke 16:13) But here is the kicker: only in being bound to God and His righteousness will we ever find true freedom. (Romans 8:2, John 8:36)
In sacrificing His own life on the cross, Jesus Christ purchased our salvation. In doing so He purchased every one who believes in Him as Lord and Savior. He did not do this to bind us in chains of slavery. Jesus sacrificed Himself, paying the ultimate price to redeem you and me out of the bonds of sin and the power of death, so that we would exist in the freedom of God’s Spirit. Without this purchase there is no freedom. So now every believer is a slave to this truth: you were bought with a price. Your life is not your own. (1 Corinthians 6:17-20)
Believer, you are one with Christ Jesus. You are purchased by His blood, into servanthood, and redeemed into the freedom of God’s Spirit. We must be slaves. Only as slaves can we attain the wonderful freedom our Lord Jesus Christ purchased for us.
