Hello, and welcome to Faith is Hope,
I’m Dave.
Slavery- A person or people that are owned and controlled like property by another person or entity. First, slavery is an abomination in the eyes of the Lord and should be in our eyes too. Americans are being told that America is systemically racist. That the constitution was written by a bunch of slave-owning white men. Yes, slavery existed in America, and around the world, for tens if not hundreds of thousands of years. And, sadly in some countries it still exists. But, as a nation, haven’t we learned from the mistakes and atrocities of the past and moved on from those times, and practices? Have we truly ended slavery or just changed the name?
In 2 Thessalonians 3;10 If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. Timothy 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. In Ephesians 4:28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. If you rely on someone, and by that, I mean government assistance, unemployment, or anything other than yourself for what you need; food, shelter, clothes, utilities whatever. Then you are a slave. If you’re able-bodied, and in good health but want others to take care of you, instead of taking care of yourself, then you’re stealing. You’re taking something that doesn’t belong to you, and you’re giving control of your life to the person who’s pulling the purse strings. If you’re on government assistance can you live wherever you want? Eat whatever you want. Do whatever you want. Or are you obligated, beholding to those who hold the money bag? Don’t get me wrong, everybody needs assistance, needs some help now and then. Things happen you know. You can lose your job, be really sick or injured, and find yourself needing assistance. Unemployment benefits, food stamps, help with utilities, whatever. But for most people, those are only temporary conditions while they’re getting themselves back up on their feet. But that’s not what’s happening.
The government of the United States is working to make everyone totally dependent on it for everything we need. Why would any government incentivize people to stay home and sit on their butt, rather than going to work, earning a living, and taking care of themselves? Well, one reason might be that if you go to work, and you earn a living, you’re free. You can buy what you want, do what you want, and live where you want. It’s your money, it’s your life, it’s your choice. When you’re not beholden to some government agency, it can’t control you. You’re not a slave.
But I contend that we are all slaves. Just not the way most people think. Aren’t alcoholics, drug addicts, and people who smoke slaves so to speak? What about people who spend hours in front of a mirror, constantly exercising, dieting, having plastic surgeries, and trying to get their looks just right? Wouldn’t they be slaves to their vanity? How about all those young people searching for acceptance, and friendship, who turn to social media platforms, where they’re constantly bombarded by other people’s opinions on what they should think, how they should look and dress, what they should say and do, aren’t their lives being controlled? And what happens if they don’t do what the others say? They’re canceled, banned, or attacked many times with disastrous even deadly consequences.
Look, we’re all sinful by nature. We all have our demons so to speak. I’m not pointing fingers or calling anyone out, because I’d have to call myself out first. But I know that even though I am a sinner, Jesus broke the chains of slavery that bind me. Christ shed His blood, He died and was resurrected on the third day to free me, to free all of us from the death that comes from sin. Jesus paid the greatest price anyone can pay. He paid with his life. So that all who come to him, that accept him as their Lord and savior, that ask his forgiveness will no longer be a slave to sin, chained to an eternity in hell.
You see, slavery wasn’t created by man. It was created by satan, and we are all slaves to sin and our sinful nature. That’s why the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ is so important. Because only Jesus was and is able to pay the price for our freedom.
We live in a very evil, wicked world. Wars, blasphemous teachings against God, murder, and just about every kind of sexual perversion you can think of. If we give in to the evils of the world, we become a slave to the world, to satan because the world is satan’s playground. His influence is felt everywhere. And Jesus knows that. That’s why he offered himself and shed his blood on the cross as payment for our sins. And even though we all continue to sin, we are free of the death that comes from sin. And that means we’re no longer slaves to anyone or anything. But, wait. If Jesus paid for the sins of the world with his body and blood, don’t we owe him? NO. Jesus was a gift given to the world by his father; God. You accept the gift, you owe nothing, it’s yours.
If you were going to describe satan, how would you do it? Evil, deceitful, sinful, oppressive, hateful, demanding to be worshiped as god, satan is the embodiment of slavery and everything that it does and stands for. That’s why it’s so difficult to see evil because satan deceived the entire world into thinking that all these things that dictate your life, that control your every thought and action are better for you than God, Jesus, and the word of God. God gave each of us the ability to choose. We can choose life everlasting with him through Jesus Christ. Or we can choose death everlasting being a slave to sin, a child of the darkness; satan.
Hey, I’m Dave – If the messages that I’ve shared in my podcasts have stirred questions, or given you things to think about, then subscribe to my podcast and share it with others. Thank you.
Join me next time when I talk about the wolf in sheep’s clothing. And until then, I’ll see you at the Rest Area.
