On December 6, 1865, the thirteenth amendment to the United States Constitution was officially ratified. Section 1 states “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”
We now live in a land of freedom - freedom from the oppression of England; freedom from the oppression of slavery. Yet, in reality our freedom in this great country is only an illusion. Jesus once spoke to a group of people who thought they were free, much like us today. He said, “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Their response was probably a lot like most of us would respond: “We…have never been anyone’s slaves! How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “I tell you the solemn truth, everyone who practices sin is a slave of sin.” (John 8:32-34)
The Apostle Paul in Romans 6 explains that everyone is a slave; either a slave to sin, which leads to death; or slaves to righteousness, which leads to eternal life. We are either governed by sin or governed by God. “But thanks be to God that though you were slaves to sin...” we are now “freed from sin…and have become enslaved to righteousness.” There is nothing we can or could ever do to escape our slavery to sin. Yet, “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) Christ paid the ultimate price “with his own blood” for our freedom from sin and as a result, we are now bond-servants of Christ. “You are not your own, for you were bought at a price.” (1 Cor. 6:19-20) We owe everything to Christ now. We are freed from slavery to sin, but have become slaves of Christ – capable of obeying God only through His power. “Therefore, glorify God with your body.”
Don’t fall prey to the illusion. You are not your own. You are a slave to sin or a slave to Christ. If Christ, then it’s time to live like it.
