Serving God - Freedom or Bondage

In the Beaverton House to House Bible study last week a concept arose that is one of my favorite examples of our relationship with Jesus Christ, and one that is not always understood by those who love Him, so I thought I would take a minute and blog about it before I start my day.

"Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant (I Corinthians 7:20-22)."

To the casual observer, this scripture seems out of place. Reading through the chapter the writer is talking about the marriage relationship, and he seemingly follows a rabbit that goes running by as he reaches this portion; that is until we understand the principle of the "Freeman."

The apostle John penned the words of Jesus when he said, "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed (John 8:36)." Why then did the apostle Paul consistently refer to himself as the "prisoner" of the Lord (Eph. 4:1, II Tim. 1:8, Philemon 1:1, 1:9)? It seems to be a contradiction. How can we be "free indeed" if we are also in bondage? 

In the days surrounding the apostles, the Earth was ruled by kings. These kings were all powerful within their kingdoms and all who were within their kingdom they considered to be their property, but especially those who were specifically within their service, whether a general servant or in one of their prisons. Occasionally a king would travel from his own region to visit another king. It was customary on these visits for the host to show this visiting dignitary through his prisons to brag about his prisoners. It was also customary on these visitations for the visiting king to purchase a prisoner of his liking while he was on his visit. The host king would have his servants clean up the prisoner and would give him to the visiting king, for a price. This prisoner would then become the visiting king's "freeman." The term "freeman" represents the fact that the prisoner was under bondage, but now has been made free, only to serve the visiting king.

This principle is true of us who love Jesus Christ today. We were in bondage to the prince of this world until Jesus came and set us free, only to be servant to Him. "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? ²⁰For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s (I Corinthians 6:19-20)."

We are indeed free from the bondage of this world, we are free to serve the one who paid the price to set us free.