Among the Romans in New Testament times, freedom for a slave could be arranged if ownership was transferred to a god. The slave could then receive his freedom in return for contracting his services. He would continue with his master but now as a free man.

The Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible contains warnings about the practice of slavery. The prophet Amos spoke woe to Gaza and Tyre for their practices of slave-trading entire populations. - Amos 1:6-9 - The Book of Revelation declares that disaster awaits those who sell slaves. - Rev. 18:13 -

As for Christians, the apostle Paul advised slaves to obey masters. - Eph. 6:5; Col.3:22; Titus 2:9 - Paul appealed to Philemon to receive back Onesimus, a runaway slave who was now a Christian and therefore a brother. - Philem. 1:16 - Elsewhere Paul counseled believing slaves to seek freedom if they could. Since slave practices were part of the culture in the ancient times, the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible contains no direct call to abolish slavery. But the implications of the gospel, especially the ethic of love, stand in opposition to slavery. - 1Cor. 7:21 -

Both slave and free are called upon to receive the Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ, social distinctions such as slavery no longer apply; in Christ all are brothers and sisters. The excitement of such new relationships is expressed by apostle Paul: "Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ". - Gal. 3:28; 4:7; Col. 3:11 -

In a spiritual sense, people apart from Christ are slaves to sin. To commit sin is to demonstrate that sin has control of one's life. Christ can set us free from this kind of slavery - to be obedient to Christ and to do righteousness. - John 8:34-36; Rom. 6:16-18 -

Apostle Paul spoke of himself as a 'servant' a word sometimes rendered as 'bond-servant' but frequently also as 'slave'. - Rom. 1:1; Titus 1:1 - Christians are not hired servants but slaves committed to service, to the Lord Jesus Christ. A slave does not manage his own life. The person who calls himself a slave of Christ acknowledges that the Saviour has power over him. With faith, hope and love in God enable us to receives His grace and empathizes His power.

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -