The title is a vital paradox of spiritual logic.
1: “His service is Perfect Freedom” ( vs 15 – 19)
2: “Salvation and Sanctification through separation from the world. God’s free
gift of Eternal Life” ( vs20 - 23)
The Apostle Paul uses Metaphor to explain the Paradox.
-( A metaphor- the use of words to indicate something
different from the literal meaning e.g. “ He has a heart of stone”)
-The word “ slaves” is used six times in this passage ( RSV)
-(i) one quarter of the work force were slaves at the time
of Paul
-(ii) slaves were bought and sold as a trade
-(iii) a slave in the ancient world was not a person but a
commodity
-(iv) they had no status , no rights, existed in this world
for only one purpose, to serve and obey their master
The word “slave” ( Gr. doulos) or slavery is used frequently
in the New Testament with reference to:
(i) “Slaves of sin”
(vs 20)
(ii) “Slaves of God”
(vs 22)
“You are not your own , you were bought with
a price. So gloryify God in your body” ( 1 Cor 6:19,20)
The word “slave” (
Gr. doulos) or slavery is used frequently in the New Testament with reference
to:
- (iii) of the Apostle Paul
“ Paul a servant (slave- doulos) Of Jesus
Christ called to be an apostle (set apart) for the gospel of God” Romans
1:1
Paul in Rom 6 was expounding about what it means for
him (theologically and doctrinally) and
for Christians to be slaves of Jesus
But in Rom 7 he goes on to explain about the inevitable
conflict of being both saint and sinner
( i.e. the inconsistencies or paradox of what we are
doctrinally (saints) and what we experience
( sinners) in life.
Like mixing oil and water is the soap )
(iv) of Jesus
“ …Christ Jesus , though he was in the form
of God, did not count equality with form of God a thing to be grasped but
emptied himself taking the form of a servant (doulos – slave) …He humbled
himself and became obedient unto death even death on a cross…” Philippians
2: 5-8
He did the job of the lowest slave. He poured water into a
basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel… (
John 13:5)
Isaiah refers to Jesus as the Servant King ( Isaiah 53:11)
To be a slave speaks of Ownership, Allegiance (loyalty),
Obedience, Total Commitment , Sacrificial Service.
1:HIS SERVICE IS
PERFECT FREEDOM ( vs 15-19)
The Apostle Paul was saying a Christian can only have one
Master ( vs 16)
Jesus said “ no man can serve two masters…” ( Matt 6:24)
(a) We are not free to do what we want ( in which case we
will be “slaves to sin”),
but to do what
God wants ( in doing so we become “slaves of righteousness” ) ( vs16)
(b) to be perfectly free we must be totally obedient to God
We have “… become obedient from the heart ( a willing
obedience)to the standard of teaching to which you were committed” (vs17)
i.e. obedience to the word of God , obedience to the will
and commands of God
Jesus said, “ If you love me keep my commandments” ( John
14:15)
(c) We are to will to separate ourselves from the evil ways
of the world and surrender to living for God called ‘righteous living’ .
Sanctification means separation to God.
It means to be separated to do God’s work ( vs 18,19)
the two words Anointing and Holiness find their roots in the
word ‘Separation’ , i.e. separation to and for God
(d) the Apostle Paul also apologises for using the term
slavery
But says that it is a metaphor they will understand
“I am speaking in human terms, because of your human
limitations” ( vs19)
2: GOD’S FREE GIFT OF
ETERNAL LIFE ( vs 20-23)
(a) In Christ we too have died to sin. Our sins were buried with him and .
We have risen with him to a new life ( resurrection)
“ We were buried with him by baptism into death just as
Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk
in newness of life” ( vs4)
“… united with him in a resurrection like his” ( vs5)
(b) walking (living) in newness of life (vs4)
“ If we have died
with him… we shall also live with him “ (vs8)
“… dead to sin and alive with to God in Christ Jesus “ (
vs11)
(c) Slaves of Christ but also Children of God
(i) we receive adoption as children …so you are no longer
a slave but a child and if a child also
an heir through God” (Galatians 4:5-7)
(ii) “Endure trials for the sake of discipline . God is treating you as children “ (Hebrews
12:7)
No comments:
Post a Comment