Slaves of men

Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord's freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ's slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called.  – 1 Corinthians 7.21-24

It is amazing how we can find new truths as we study the word of God over and over again. Whenever in have thought about 1 Corinthians in the past I categorised it under 'marriage.'  That is the main point, but there is a lot more there.

Today's thought continues in the same vein as yesterday. However, I want to focus on one little phrase in the middle of the discussion. 'You are bought with a price, do not become slaves of men.'

Right in the middle of a discussion about human slavery Paul makes a spiritual application.

Paul has just said that Christians need to be content with the service and ministry God had called them to. He even wrote to Christian slaves that they ought to remain where they are unless God opens the doors for them to get their freedom.

But then he said ‘stop being slaves to men.’

I think Paul’s teaching is clear here. Christians are to bondservants to Christ. He is out master. We need to stop letting our lives being controlled by men and their ideas and expectations for us.

Yes, we are to be submissive to those in authority. There is no doubt about that.

And yet we don’t need to be slaves to what other expect out of us. We can be so caught up looking to please others or make a good impression or seeking out men’s praise that we can be more concerned about that than we are about pleasing God and serving Christ.

I need to make dead sure I am doing what Christ wants me to do. I don’t need to be offensive to others. But I also don’t need to be acting and behaving at the whims of men as though enslaved to them.