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Because there were many slaves in Rome during the Apostle Paul's time, he used slaves as a cultural analogy for communicating profound truths in his letters to Christians in Rome. Paul did not use the word bondslave as a demeaning term, but a very endearing term.
THE FREEDOM OF A BONDSLAVE
A bondslave was a slave who was set free by a gracious master but who, by joyful desire and passionate choice, decided to remain a slave to his master.
Paul wrote in Romans 6:20, 22 that You were slaves to sin...but now having been set free from sin, you have become bondslaves to God.
The word sin in these verses refers to the power of sin, not to acts of sin. People sin (verb) as a result of being slaves to the power of sin (noun).
At salvation, a person dies to the power of sin by being spiritually crucified with Christ. Paul emphasizes this truth in Romans chapter 6 verses 2, 3, 6, 7, and 11.
Salvation in Christ is all about being freed from both the penalty of sin and the power of sin, and then willingly becoming a bondslave of Jesus Christ to live in victory over sin. This does not mean we don't ever sin again, we indeed will. It does mean that we no longer have to sin.
THE SECURITY OF A BONDSLAVE
Christians are truly free from the power of sin, but not from the presence of sin. Although the power of sin still offers up demanding temptations, we are no longer obligated to respond to this power of sin like we used to. My mentor John Best tells this beautiful story:
A slave is bought by a new master (analogous to God). However, the old master (analogous to the power of sin) is still nearby, and he continues to shout cruel and demanding orders to his former slave.
The slave is perplexed, so he asks his new master, "I thought you bought me?" Listen closely to the new master's reply:
"That's right, I did indeed redeem you. And you're under no obligation whatsoever to listen to your old master. However, you must know that he is going to follow you around for the rest of your life. All you have to do is to tell him to take up any of his desires with me."
The new master continues to affirm his slave, "Your old master will try to steal you away from me, but please know that he has no power over me! I've never lost a single slave in all my life! Fear not my child, the battle is not yours, it's all mine."
CLOSING
Rejoicing with you in our freedom and security in Christ!
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