Human Trafficking

 Scheduled Reading: 
Nehemiah 11:1-12:26; Psalm 102:16-21; Proverbs 20:30-21:1; Romans 6:1-23

Selected Passage:  Romans 6:19

It is interesting to note that in the post for Thursday, August 19, 2010 "The Road to Hope" a comment was made in reference to slavery - how the slaves had hope in the Glory of God through their simple faith. The writer was inspired by the simplicity and child-likeness of their faith in the face of such cruelty and hardship.

Today we are reading about being slaves to Righteousness versus being slaves to sin. EVERYONE is slaves to one master or the other. We are slaves to sin by default and must be purchased away from our master the devil by the blood of Jesus Christ. While the African slave business did not allow for the slave to choose his master, our spiritual slavery is our decision. Each person on the planet must individually choose at some point in his or her life who will be his master.

Romans 6:20 asked what benefit did we gain from sin being our master. The answer: death. Woo hoo! What a deal! Free from righteousness - for the small price of my eternal soul. Hmmm. What else ya got?

The great expectation was clearly stated in the verse before. And the author relates it to the familiar life enslaved to sin - it grew in its wickedness. As one was acclimated to a degree of wickedness, he or she became more tolerant of the next level down. This pattern continued until the eventual destruction of the body and eternal captivity of the soul.

Conversely, once we sign up to be slaves of righteousness, instead of slaves to sin resulting in death, the same pattern of development is expected! Except this time, the expectation is for ever-increasing righteousness - leading to eternal life - and attracting other slaves to sin to that abundant life. This is STRONG evidence that it is EXPECTED for Christians to GROW in Christ.

Would that the church grew in Righteousness at the rate (or greater) the world grew in wickedness!