The Language of Slaves

The Language of Slaves
A majority of Christians have lost the full meaning of the word slave. The history of the world shows us the pattern of the oppressed and oppressor. From the Hebrew and Egyptian to modern day human trafficking, it is a word that only holds a negative connotation.
To the Christian it must hold a different meaning than what the world says. The culture of God is the true culture of the Earth, but because of sin man has allowed this culture to be turned upside down. Coincidently, when the Bible says that 12 men, meaning the disciples, turned the world upside down they actually turned it right side up. They were showing the world what God through Jesus Christ meant for man to experience from the very beginning of creation.
The question is then, “what was meant for man?” From the beginning man was given authority and created to be an overcomer. Due to the dissension of Satan and one-third of the heavenly hosts, hell was created. In the Bible hell is described as an ending place for those spirits. These created, yet eternal beings, which have no physical body, made an eternal decision to rebel against God. Since their substance is fully eternal, every decision they make is eternal. Their predicament is spelled out through the ages in Hebrews 6:4-6.
“It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.”
Although the passage is referring to man specifically, I believe that it is a principle of God and therefore applicable to all beings.
The difference in man is the temporary shell in which our eternal spirit/soul dwells. God designed the universe for man to overcome His enemies. Proverbs tells us that haughtiness precedes a fall and this harkens not only to Satan being cast out of heaven, but also to his end.
What does this have to do with slavery? The answer is simple; it has everything to do with it! You see, God set the world on the foundation of Christ. He is the centerpiece of Creation, the Lamb who was slain at the foundation of the world, the capstone the builders rejected; it was this prophet that found no honor in His own city, the king without an earthly crown, the Living Word of God who through his own submission to God freed the world. The Bible says that he who the Son sets free is free indeed and that Christ came to set the captives free.
Before Jesus could complete His earthly duties he had to forsake the world system and submit to God. Paul talks about this type of submission. It is called being a bond slave or more literally a love slave. Jesus said that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments. Our lives must be bridled by the words of the Bible.
As someone who calls themselves a Christian we need to realize that Christian liberty is a myth, or at least the way I observe it in the present day. Growing up I saw people cussing, drinking, and making out with their (in)significant other and defending it because it was in the scope of their Christian liberty. I could systematically argue against all three, but that would belabor the point. The truth is that sin seeks you out and its appetite is never satisfied. In fact, its goal is to consume and kill you. Solomon says that everything is vanity. Relationships, money, and other material wealth will pass away. Paul says that all things are permissible, but not all are profitable. As Christians, we have no rights, only responsibilities.
For we know that the wages of sin is death and anything that feeds humanity’s propensity towards sin is worthless. In other words, if we find ourselves in a situation where we are one step away from sinning we must follow the scripture that screams, “Flee youthful lusts.” At this point many readers will stop and shout that blasphemous word, “legalism.” It is not legalism, it is love. My love for God causes me to keep His commandments and when I fall short Christ covers me.
In the meantime why would I give myself the opportunity to sin? Why would I walk into a bar and order a drink? Why would I go someplace private with a romantic interest? God does not lead us into temptation so why follow fleshly desire which is death and forsake the words of the Spirit which are life?