Whose Slave are You?

This Sunday morning our pastor continued his series in the book of Romans. The subject was that of being a slave. The text was Romans chapters 6 and 7. One of the most profound statements found in this section of scripture is that every one of us is a slave. Either a slave of God, or a slave of sin.

Romans 6:16-18 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

Another point was about the "benifits package" that comes with being the property of either of these owners. Romans 6: 20-22 spells this out; For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

If the matter of who one would choose to serve was simply a matter weighing the benifits, then there is little doubt that everyone would choose to serve God. Holiness in this life, and everlasting life at the end. Pretty much a "no brainer" compared to the alternative of continueing in sin with death as the end. Unfortunatley the unbeliever has little desire for holiness in this life and no real faith that there is anything after death.

The last point Pastor Voigt had (among other points that I have not mentioned) was that of of the saved being more than slaves in God's eyes. In John 15:15 Jesus said: Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

And again in 1 John 3: 1 the bible says: Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

For myself, I feel unbeleivably blessed to be a slave of God, unprofitable though I am. To be called a friend? That is overpowering. And to be called a son? There just are no words! What a wonderful, kind, merciful God of grace we have!