"Reviewing Some Though on Slavery"

        "In this lesson we want to focus the emancipation proclamation in Romans 6:1-14. But before we do, let's examine the preamble to that proclamation found in chapter 3, verse -10-20.

         As it is written,

               "There is none righteous, not even one;

               "There is none who seeks for God;

               "There is none who seeks for God;

                 All have turned aside, together they have

                 become useless;

                 There is none who does good,

                 There is not even one."

                "Their throat ia an open grave,

                  With their tongues they keep deceiving,"

                "The poison of asps is under their lips";

                "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness";

                "Their feet are swift to shed blood.

                 Destruction and misery are in their paths,

                 And the path of peace have they not known."

                "There is no fear of God before their eyes."

                  Now we know that whatever the Law says, it

                  speak to those who are under the lax, that every

                  mouth may be closed, and all the world may become

                 accountable to God; because by the works of the

                  Law no flesh will be be justified in His sight; for through

                  the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

The book of Romans hold at least three analogies regarding slavery. The first one is based on the above-quotes passage: All of us were born in bondage to sin. Although this first analogy is grim, the second is glorious: a day came when Christ set us free. That day of redemption is shouted from the rooftops of verse 21-22.

                 But now apart from the law righteousness

                 Of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the 

                 Law and the prophets, even the righteouness of God 

                 through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe:

                 For there is no distinction.

"No distinction." Don't those words sound wonderful? Redemption is an impartial gift given freely, regardless of our race,sex  age, color, or national origin ( v. 24; see also Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11). Why? Because we are all in the same sinking ship of sin (Rom. 3:23). Christ saw every one of us manacled to that hull, straining futilely at our oars, while the waters of judgment came rushing in through a hole in the bow. Moved with compassion at our plight, Jesus paid the price for the keys to unlock the leg irons that bound us to destruction.

                The third analogy to,slavery in Romans is tragic: many christian still live as though they are enslaved. Though emancipated, some christian don't live like it. They are enslaved to sin and either rationalized it or cover it up or live in defeat. This is the theme of our passage for today Romans 6:1-14.