Romans 1:1–5
(NKJV)
1Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ,
called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God.
Paul was a
bondservant. A bondservant is a
slave. They became a slave when they
were sold into slavery to pay off a debt or gave themselves up to slavery for
an assigned period of time. Then when
that assigned period of time was up they could decide to stay on as a slave the
rest of their life. It is a willful
turning oneself over to be a slave.
For instance
in colonial America individuals would get someone to pay for their voyage to
the new world by committing to serve for a period of time. We’ll use seven years as an example. When a servant had served his seven years he
was free to go, but if that servant had
watched others who earned their freedom struggle with hardships and barely get
by. If they had a loving and fair master
at the end of that time they may make a commitment to stay and serve them the
rest of their life. They had come to
realize, as a friend once put it, “It doesn’t get any better than this.”
A similar
situation was discussed in Exodus 21:5-6,
(NKJV) “5But if the servant plainly says, ‘I love my master, …
I will not go out free,’ 6then his master shall bring him to the
judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master
shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever.”
The process of
marking the ear distinguished this individual a slave for life and revealed
their allegiance to that particular master.
Some may
say, “I don’t think I want to be
bondservant. I don’t want to give up my
rights.” Yes, it is true a slave does
not retain any of their personal rights.
They also do not get to work to please anyone other than their
master. Paul’s command made this clear
in Titus 2:9 (NKJV) “ 9Exhort
bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all
things, not answering back.”
A slave
worked only to fulfill the master’s plan.
They worked to please him fulfilling his will. Likewise as bondservants of Christ, God desires
to “make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is
well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to be glory forever and
ever.” (Heb. 13:20-21) As believers we “keep His commandments and do
those things that are pleasing in His sight.”
(I John 3:22)
As
bondservants of Christ we should look to get our direction for life from the
Holy Spirit. Romans 8:12-14 challenges
us to be “led of the Spirit” and not of the flesh. Galatians 5:18-26 challenges us as well to be
“led of the Spirit” and to be “walking in the Spirit”.
Paul was a
great example to us as he lived his life committed to Christ as a
“bondservant”. We would do well to
follow his example.
The video version of this is available at www.youtube.com/churchoflittleton FW # 52
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