“We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.” (Romans 6:6, NLT)
The word “slave” is derived from the root word “slav”. The reason why is that the Slavic people from Eastern Europe were often forced into slavery. They were bought and sold. Many in America consider the history of African-Americans to be the main subject of slavery in the world. What most Americans do not know is that slavery has existed on every continent, with every race of people, and throughout history. Most often, people turned against those of their own race, taking their own into slavery. Black Africans bought and sold black slaves. White Europeans bought and sold Slavic peoples. Asians bought and sold other Asian slaves. Even in the Bible, we are told of Jews who were slaves at the hand of other Jews as well as of the Egyptians and Babylonians and Assyrians. Sadly, slavery is a commonality for too much of human history.
What many Christians do not realize is that spiritual slavery is also widespread throughout human history. As spoken by Paul in our scripture for today, people can be “slaves to sin” (Romans 6:6). Paul wrote these words to Roman Christians. The Romans had many slaves. The practice of slavery was common in the ancient world. In this verse of the Bible, Paul was not writing about the common practice of slavery, but of an evil spiritual slavery. People can be “slaves to sin”. To end this form of slavery, Paul advocated that followers of Christ “crucify” their “old sinful selves”. By putting to death their mortal, worldly, evil ways and uniting themselves with Christ, they could be freed from slavery to sin. The sin would no longer have control over their life.
Are there any sinful thoughts or habits or desires that hold sway in your day?
“Thomas Costain’s history, The Three Edwards, described the life of Raynald III, a fourteenth-century duke in what is now Belgium. Grossly overweight, Raynald was commonly called by his Latin nickname, Crassus, which means “fat.”
After a violent quarrel, Raynald’s younger brother Edward led a successful revolt against him. Edward captured Raynald but did not kill him. Instead, he built a room around Raynald in the Nieuwkerk castle and promised him he could regain his title and property as soon as he was able to leave the room. This would not have been difficult for most people since the room had several windows and a door of near-normal size, and none was locked or barred. The problem was Raynald’s size. To regain his freedom, he needed to lose weight. But Edward knew his older brother, and each day he sent a variety of delicious foods. Instead of dieting his way out of prison, Raynald grew fatter. When Duke Edward was accused of cruelty, he had a ready answer: “My brother is not a prisoner. He may leave when he so wills.”
Raynald stayed in that room for ten years and wasn’t released until after Edward died in battle. By then his health was so ruined he died within a year … a prisoner of his own appetite.” (from Bible.org, Dave Wilkenson)
Food enslaved Raynald in the story above. It was the bane of his existence. It kept him a prisoner for so much of his life. Every one of us is a slave at some time to some thing. Behind that slavery is a sin that seeks to control your existence, even to keep you away from Christ. Whatever sin enslaves you keeps you from a lasting and joyful relationship with Christ. In order to be truly faithful, you need to choose Christ OVER that sin. You need to crucify whatever sin controls your desires. If you do not, that sin will corrupt your heart, soul, and mind. It will eat away at your peace. It will come between you and your Lord Jesus.
Jasmine came home from a trip to the store. As she walked into her kitchen, she placed her bags full of new clothes on her cabinet. She took off her coat and then proceeded to her room with her new purchases. In her bedroom, she opened her closet to hang up the new clothes. Only then did she realize that she did not have one spare hanger or spot in the closet for the new clothes. She began to weed through old clothes to find space for the new clothes. One after another, she threw old clothes on the bed only to hang up the new ones in their place. Then, she gathered up her old clothes and placed them in the store bags to later take them to the local Goodwill store.
When Jasmine’s husband came home from work, he saw the bags on the counter. He went through the clothes and when Jasmine came into the room, he remarked, “You bought some new clothes! You went shopping today!”
Jasmine looked shocked and said, “Those are old clothes. I’m taking them to Goodwill.”
Lamar, her husband said, “But, the clothes still have tags on them! Are you taking the wrong clothes to Goodwill?”
When Jasmine went through the bags again, she realized that more than two-thirds of the “old” clothes still had the original tags on them. They were never worn. She had wasted that money. In that very moment, Jasmine realized that she had been binge shopping to make herself feel better since her father’s death. She had been buying things just to placate her sorrow, buying clothes just to ease her grief. As Lamar watched on in shock, Jasmine sank to the floor and sobbed. When she cried out, “God, I’m sorry!”, Lamar thought she had upset him. He said, “Honey, you didn’t do anything to me!”
Jasmine replied, “No, Lamar, I’m telling God that I’m sorry for throwing away our money while trying to run away from my own sadness.”
From the floor of her kitchen, Jasmine finally understood the depths of her sorrow. She realized that she was buying clothes to soothe the hurt in her soul. In a moment of spiritual clarity, Jasmine understood that she needed to deal with her grief and with God. The clothes were never going to bring her happiness or peace.
Shopaholics are slaves to the desire to purchase things. Alcoholics are slaves to drinking. Workaholics fear being out of control or out of money or losing power. Manipulators are slaves to their own ego. You can be a slave to a drug or an attitude, a person, or a way of life. You can be held captive by a habit or be captured by a sinful desire. There are so many ways to succumb to spiritual slavery. In all cases, that spiritual slavery will work its way into other areas of your life. Spiritual slavery will eat away at your peace, cause unintended anxiety and insecurities, and erode your financial independence. It may turn you into a drug addict. It might result in an early death. Spiritual slavery is all too common. It may be affecting you right now.
In the scripture for today, Paul advocated that the Roman Christians “crucify” any thought or emotion or fear or insecurity that enslaved them. He wanted them to “crucify” any sinful thought or emotion or ideal that came between them and Jesus. You are going to have to do the same. You need to put to death any habit or thought or sin or evil in your life that has ensnared your soul and come between you and Jesus. If you do not, things will fall apart in time. True peace will elude you. True joy will be fleeting.
Is there a sin that has captured your soul that you repeat over and over? Is there a thought that tortures your mind? Are there insecurities and fears that control your heart or feed your bad habits? Are you being held prisoner by someone or something or some thought or some past? Jesus wants to know….
What many Christians do not realize is that spiritual slavery is also widespread throughout human history. As spoken by Paul in our scripture for today, people can be “slaves to sin” (Romans 6:6). Paul wrote these words to Roman Christians. The Romans had many slaves. The practice of slavery was common in the ancient world. In this verse of the Bible, Paul was not writing about the common practice of slavery, but of an evil spiritual slavery. People can be “slaves to sin”. To end this form of slavery, Paul advocated that followers of Christ “crucify” their “old sinful selves”. By putting to death their mortal, worldly, evil ways and uniting themselves with Christ, they could be freed from slavery to sin. The sin would no longer have control over their life.
Are there any sinful thoughts or habits or desires that hold sway in your day?
“Thomas Costain’s history, The Three Edwards, described the life of Raynald III, a fourteenth-century duke in what is now Belgium. Grossly overweight, Raynald was commonly called by his Latin nickname, Crassus, which means “fat.”
After a violent quarrel, Raynald’s younger brother Edward led a successful revolt against him. Edward captured Raynald but did not kill him. Instead, he built a room around Raynald in the Nieuwkerk castle and promised him he could regain his title and property as soon as he was able to leave the room. This would not have been difficult for most people since the room had several windows and a door of near-normal size, and none was locked or barred. The problem was Raynald’s size. To regain his freedom, he needed to lose weight. But Edward knew his older brother, and each day he sent a variety of delicious foods. Instead of dieting his way out of prison, Raynald grew fatter. When Duke Edward was accused of cruelty, he had a ready answer: “My brother is not a prisoner. He may leave when he so wills.”
Raynald stayed in that room for ten years and wasn’t released until after Edward died in battle. By then his health was so ruined he died within a year … a prisoner of his own appetite.” (from Bible.org, Dave Wilkenson)
Food enslaved Raynald in the story above. It was the bane of his existence. It kept him a prisoner for so much of his life. Every one of us is a slave at some time to some thing. Behind that slavery is a sin that seeks to control your existence, even to keep you away from Christ. Whatever sin enslaves you keeps you from a lasting and joyful relationship with Christ. In order to be truly faithful, you need to choose Christ OVER that sin. You need to crucify whatever sin controls your desires. If you do not, that sin will corrupt your heart, soul, and mind. It will eat away at your peace. It will come between you and your Lord Jesus.
Jasmine came home from a trip to the store. As she walked into her kitchen, she placed her bags full of new clothes on her cabinet. She took off her coat and then proceeded to her room with her new purchases. In her bedroom, she opened her closet to hang up the new clothes. Only then did she realize that she did not have one spare hanger or spot in the closet for the new clothes. She began to weed through old clothes to find space for the new clothes. One after another, she threw old clothes on the bed only to hang up the new ones in their place. Then, she gathered up her old clothes and placed them in the store bags to later take them to the local Goodwill store.
When Jasmine’s husband came home from work, he saw the bags on the counter. He went through the clothes and when Jasmine came into the room, he remarked, “You bought some new clothes! You went shopping today!”
Jasmine looked shocked and said, “Those are old clothes. I’m taking them to Goodwill.”
Lamar, her husband said, “But, the clothes still have tags on them! Are you taking the wrong clothes to Goodwill?”
When Jasmine went through the bags again, she realized that more than two-thirds of the “old” clothes still had the original tags on them. They were never worn. She had wasted that money. In that very moment, Jasmine realized that she had been binge shopping to make herself feel better since her father’s death. She had been buying things just to placate her sorrow, buying clothes just to ease her grief. As Lamar watched on in shock, Jasmine sank to the floor and sobbed. When she cried out, “God, I’m sorry!”, Lamar thought she had upset him. He said, “Honey, you didn’t do anything to me!”
Jasmine replied, “No, Lamar, I’m telling God that I’m sorry for throwing away our money while trying to run away from my own sadness.”
From the floor of her kitchen, Jasmine finally understood the depths of her sorrow. She realized that she was buying clothes to soothe the hurt in her soul. In a moment of spiritual clarity, Jasmine understood that she needed to deal with her grief and with God. The clothes were never going to bring her happiness or peace.
Shopaholics are slaves to the desire to purchase things. Alcoholics are slaves to drinking. Workaholics fear being out of control or out of money or losing power. Manipulators are slaves to their own ego. You can be a slave to a drug or an attitude, a person, or a way of life. You can be held captive by a habit or be captured by a sinful desire. There are so many ways to succumb to spiritual slavery. In all cases, that spiritual slavery will work its way into other areas of your life. Spiritual slavery will eat away at your peace, cause unintended anxiety and insecurities, and erode your financial independence. It may turn you into a drug addict. It might result in an early death. Spiritual slavery is all too common. It may be affecting you right now.
In the scripture for today, Paul advocated that the Roman Christians “crucify” any thought or emotion or fear or insecurity that enslaved them. He wanted them to “crucify” any sinful thought or emotion or ideal that came between them and Jesus. You are going to have to do the same. You need to put to death any habit or thought or sin or evil in your life that has ensnared your soul and come between you and Jesus. If you do not, things will fall apart in time. True peace will elude you. True joy will be fleeting.
Is there a sin that has captured your soul that you repeat over and over? Is there a thought that tortures your mind? Are there insecurities and fears that control your heart or feed your bad habits? Are you being held prisoner by someone or something or some thought or some past? Jesus wants to know….