barry
06-02-2007, 07:26 AM
When you were slaves of sin, you were free as to righteousness.—Rom. 6:20.
The apostle Paul was adept at using common, easily understood illustrations to clarify complex spiritual ideas. For example, Paul knew that the people in Rome were acquainted with the system of slavery throughout the Roman Empire. In fact, many of the people to whom he was writing were probably slaves. Paul therefore used slavery as an illustration to bolster his powerful argument about a person’s choice of submission either to sin or to righteousness. (Rom. 6:16-19) Christians in Rome had been freed from sin and were now owned by God. They were free to serve God, yet they could still choose to serve sin—the former master—if they so desired. That simple but familiar illustration would prompt those Christians in Rome to ask themselves, ‘Which master am I serving?’ w 12/1/05 10, 11a
The apostle Paul was adept at using common, easily understood illustrations to clarify complex spiritual ideas. For example, Paul knew that the people in Rome were acquainted with the system of slavery throughout the Roman Empire. In fact, many of the people to whom he was writing were probably slaves. Paul therefore used slavery as an illustration to bolster his powerful argument about a person’s choice of submission either to sin or to righteousness. (Rom. 6:16-19) Christians in Rome had been freed from sin and were now owned by God. They were free to serve God, yet they could still choose to serve sin—the former master—if they so desired. That simple but familiar illustration would prompt those Christians in Rome to ask themselves, ‘Which master am I serving?’ w 12/1/05 10, 11a