"Sin is a cruel taskmaster." Most of us have heard it. But, what does it mean?
In today's terms, sin is "any regrettable action or behavior." What that means is that there is a moral standard that has been set, and when it is broken, that is sin. Biblically, sin is "falling short of God's glory" - His perfection, or goodness.
We can be a slave to what is right, or we can be a slave to what is wrong. Left to ourselves, we submit to the authority of sin. And the consequences of that submission are harsh. Not just because of God's judgement - which should be enough; but because of the nature of sin... it's evil. Not just the "big" things, but the "little" things, too. When we do what's wrong, we affect the people around us. And it hurts. Sometimes, it's excruciating.
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (Gal. 5:1)
When I place my trust in Jesus Christ, and what He did for me, I am freed from the (slave) chains of sin. His Word then implores me to keep walking in that freedom. "Don't give in!" I have a new Master. And He's good. He's looking out for me, and He doesn't treat me like a slave - not in the way that we've come to understand it. He treats me as a member of the family... inheritance and all. He bought me with His blood. And I choose to remain with Him for the rest of my life... His slave. A bond-servant, actually... I am one who has given myself to His service. His commitment to me is to provide, to protect. It is a covenant that won't be broken by Him. I am required to cooperate. That is what a slave does.
1 comment:
It's true that I've "given myself to His service," but it really is in the sense that my will is cooperative. It is by His grace that I am willing to submit. Out of His love for me, I've responded with loving obedience to Him.
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