Slaves of God
6: 12-23
In the Roman Empire people became slaves in a number of different ways. One way was to be born into a slave family. Another way was to be captured in battle, and still another way was to be forced into slavery if one’s nation was taken over. One final way was if an otherwise free person went into another’s household and acted like a slave. The idea was, “A man is as he does.”156 It was as if Paul was saying to the believers in Rome, “Since you have been freed from the old [sin nature], don’t act like a slave.” Paul expounds on Yeshua’s saying: No one can have two masters (Mt 6:24). There are only two options: slavery to sin, or slavery to God.The slaves to sin (6:17) get no benefit (6:21), but earn their wages of death (6:23). But when enslaved to righteousness (6:18), eternal life is what one receives as a free gift from ADONAI (6:23). Such slavery is true freedom.
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