God gave us two deeply rooted drives: We are (1) driven to worship and (2) driven to serve.
Everyone worships—some worship God, some worship idols, money, dreams, or themselves. Similarly, everyone serves. Some serve God, some serve their appetites.
The Bible uses another word for “serve” and that is “SLAVE.” You can be a slave to God or to your appetites. And what do we call slavery to an appetite? An addiction.
So you face a choice: will you be enslaved to your addictions? Or enslaved to the God who loves you perfectly?
*A note for the skeptic—does every non-believer appear to be addicted? No. But addictions come in many forms, from the poisoning heroin addiction, to the socially acceptable addictions to online shopping, fast-food, gaming, or “a little wine in the evening to take the edge off.”
Jesus said it best: “He who sins is a slave of sin” John 8:34.
But you have a choice:
“When you present yourselves as slaves, you become slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness” Romans 6:16
Paul says that a widow, while married, is bound to her husband, and if she were to marry another it would be adultery. But if her husband dies, she is no longer bound, Romans 7:1-3.
Baptism illustrates this choice. We are bound to sin, but when buried with Christ, the part of us that was bound to sin dies, releasing us, Romans 6:3-5. In Jesus, we are free to serve HIM.
Do all believers immediately forsake sins and faithfully serve Christ? No. But God gives us time to learn to walk in this NEW LIFE, as a slave of Christ—and a slave to the JOY and PEACE He gives. (Another note—it is true that being a slave to Christ does not feel like slavery. But we WERE made to worship and serve, and are HAPPIEST when we worship and serve HIM.)
Years ago, a pastor and mentor encouraged me to memorize Romans 6. Try it!
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