The choice of slavery

 

1.      Choice of slavery

Despite the fact that man is equated to be as God knowing good and evil he is nevertheless not an independent creature because, he/she is either a slave of sin which means to be a slave of the devil because, he/she who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning, or he/she is a slave of obedience to righteousness, which means to be a slave to the obedience of the law of the Lord who is our righteousness because it is clearly stated that, all of the Lord’s commandments and the Lord Himself are righteousness, and so we have been forewarned saying; “Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous” (1John 3:7-8; Psalms 119:172; Jeremiah 23: 6; 33:16).

And so, we have been duly admonished saying; “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:18-18).

Please not carefully that we all were originally and naturally slaves of sin with a carnal mind which is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. We must also be conscious of the fact that, the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (Romans 8:7-8; 1Corinthins 2:14)..

Therefore, it is imperative that a complete transformation of the mind be made which is from being carnal and disobedient to becoming spiritual and obedient to the laws of God as we have been duly admonished saying; “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).

And so the admonition according to the apostle Paul is, “I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness… But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. (Romans 6:19, 20, 22)

And so as slaves of God or slaves of righteousness what should be occupying our minds first and foremost should be righteousness which leads to holiness and ultimately resulting in everlasting life. This is a clear distinction between the slaves of God and the slaves of the devil as clearly stated by the apostle John who wrote; “In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother” (1John 3:10).

It is imperative therefore; that we have a good knowledge and understanding of what constitutes righteousness which leads to holiness and ultimately to everlasting life because, these are in addition to the gift of eternal life which we received by grace. These are for those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality.

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To be continued

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph