Do Not Be A Slave To Anyone!

1 Corinthians 7:23
You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings.

Contemporary English Version
God paid a great price for you. So don’t become slaves of anyone else.

Good News Translation
God bought you for a price; so do not become slaves of people.

A slave is on forced labor. A slave is not paid for their work. A slave is the property of their master. A slave has no rights. A slave is considered and treated as less than human. Do not be a slave to anyone!

Slavery has been illegalized in many places across the world. However, there is still slavery in some remote locations and in communities that are closed to international access and scrutiny. There is still slavery in war-torn countries where warlords who are not accountable to anyone are in charge. Slavery is a terrible thing. Slavery should be defeated and stopped wherever it exists today. Do not be a slave to anyone!

Slavery in Bible times came in many ways. When a nation was subdued militarily by another one, its people became slaves to the victorious nation. Assyria made northern Israel their slaves. Babylon made Southern Israel their slaves. Israelites were also slaves in Egypt. One could also become a slave if they owed more than they can pay, they then became slaves to the one they owe, 2 Kings 4:1. People who had so many slaves could sell them to others. Do not be slaves to anyone!

Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 7 is answering questions from the church about marriage, 1 Corinthians 7:1. While answering the question on marriage he deviates to the issue of one’s status in society. The Apostle argues that the gospel does not require you to change your status, 1 Corinthians 7:17 and 1 Corinthians 7:20. You can be Christian as you are. Not the status of being a sinner but social status. If you received the gospel while circumcised or not, do not change that status, 1 Corinthians 7:18-19. If you received the gospel while a slave, let it not worry you, even slaves are Christians, but if you can gain freedom please do so, 1 Corinthians 7:21-22. But after becoming a Christian, do not become anyone’s slave, 1 Corinthians 7:23. Do not be slaves to anyone!

A Christian should not be a slave to anyone. If a person becomes a Christian while a slave, they are still accepted by God, but they should seek a way to be liberated as soon as possible. However, those who are Christians should not accept being slaves. Do not be slaves to anyone!

Proverbs 22:7
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.

Our economics Professor at Baraton taught us that debts, loans are a necessary evil but they should be properly managed. We may not avoid borrowing money. But we should borrow within our means to survive and repay. Borrowing money can be addictive. It is wrong to borrow money until you have nothing to sustain you and now you must borrow some more to survive. The best borrowing is for purposes of investment since the money will most probably multiply. We shouldn’t borrow to sustain a high standard of lifestyle. It is better to downgrade our lifestyle. Use public transport. Go to public schools. Go longer without new clothes. Move to a cheaper house. Eat cheaper food, etc. This is what we call living within your means. If you borrow money and you can’t repay, you become a slave to the lender. Do not be slaves to anyone!

As a Christian, your borrowing habits should not make you a slave. As a result of poorly managed borrowing, people are on the run, changing their contacts, changing their identities, etc. They are slaves to financial institutions. Because of borrowing employers and employees may be stuck to each other against their wishes. We become slaves to those who lend us money. Plan your life. Live within your means. Do not be slaves to anyone!

God has the power to help us overcome financial slavery. If we pray and adjust our lifestyle and develop discipline such as budgeting, God will bless us and set us free. We must be deliberate and work towards freedom from financial slavery. Do not be slaves to anyone!

Slavery is not only financial, it can also be promissory. Someone promises to make your life better and as you hope for that time, you become their slave. Rich people can make poor people their slaves when they dangle a carrot. If you are faithful. If you update me on what people say about me. If you do what I want without asking for pay. One day I will do something big for you. Because of that hope, one becomes a slave. Promises of promotion. Promises of higher pay. Such promises based on serving an individual will make one a slave. Do not be slaves to anyone!

Human promises are not as solid as God’s will over your life. You do not need to be a slave to anyone for your life to get better. God will give you a better life without you slaving under anyone. Trust God more than you trust your master, so to speak. Bootlicking is slavery at its best. Do not be slaves to anyone!

There can be slavery in relationships. If a partner makes one feel like they cannot amount to anything without them, it is slavery. If you are stuck in a relationship because of certain fears, real or imagined, you are in slavery. If you are in a relationship because of children, or you have nowhere to go or you fear you may not get another partner, then you are in that relationship against your wishes, you are in slavery. Do not be slaves to anyone!

Commitment to marital vows is not slavery. Showing respect to your superiors is not slavery. Slavery is when your actions are against your wish. Slavery is when the other person has taken control over you. Do not be slaves to anyone!

There can be slavery spiritually. Religious leaders can enslave people who attend their meetings. Consequently, because of religious slavery, people reject their families, abandon businesses, resign from employment, or even surrender all their income to religious organizations as families suffer. When people spend more time in religious activities instead of meaningful labor, they are getting enslaved. The Bible tells us to work for six days and worship on one day, Exodus 20:9-10. Re-examine your religious commitment. You should only be a slave to God and not a religious leader. Do not be slaves to anyone!

Many families treat their domestic workers as slaves or worse than slaves. It is against the will of God to treat anyone as a slave. When you hurl abuses, threaten, and overburden a person, they will serve you out of fear. Fear of punishment. Fear of losing a livelihood. Do not enslave anyone just because they are desperate and you pay them. Do not be slaves to anyone!

We can also be slaves to our past. Slaves to our race. Slaves to our tribes. Slaves to our addictions. Slaves to alcohol. Slaves to pornography. Slaves to many other things and people. Do not be slaves to anyone!

God freed Israelites from Egyptian slavery, Exodus 20:1-2. God can still free us from any form of slavery. God can fight and defeat any slave masters and mistresses. However, we must still be willing to be set free. We must be willing to take a risk and walk away at the command of God. Do not be slaves to anyone!

May God set us free and protect us from any form of slavery, in Jesus’ name, Amen!