The term "slavery" immediately conjures up an image of brutality to Negroes in our mind. Once, African natives were hunted down, gathered in herds, shipped to the civilized world and sold in the market. Once, keeping slaves was a normal way of domestic life. Nowadays, we find it offensive. However, we still find "slavery" vocabulary in the Bible. We read of St. Paul teaching slaves to obey their masters like obeying Jesus Christ (Ephesians 6:5). Today, we read of Christians becoming slaves of God (Romans 6:22).
If we put ourselves in Biblical time, we might find slavery acceptable. In those days, there was less division of labour. Therefore, either you were self-employed or you were slaves serving your master, your employer. Therefore, translating it into modern equivalent, a "slave" was an "employee". Of course, the terms of employment were harsher than those of free labourers. But think about it, the master (employer) provided housing, boarding and job security which free labourers would never enjoy. So after all, being a slave in Biblical time was not at all a bad option.
Paul was using different metaphors to argue for the superiority of grace over sins. He is now arguing in economic terms, in employment terms. Here are two bosses: sins and God. Would you want to be an employee of sins or an employee of God? Let's see who offers better terms.
But then what return did you get from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is death.
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:21-23).
So, here we have the frequently quoted verse of "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23a).
Has anyone asked what logic Paul had employed to make this claim? Why is death the wages? Are not all men mortal? Death is an end common to all, not just to sinners.
However, in Paul's mind, I am sure he wanted us to quote "the free gift of God is eternal life". It is a free gift of God in the sense that we have not earned it. We have done nothing to merit it. We obtain it only because of the mercy and generosity on God's part.
By the way, I wonder what status Satan had in the theology of Paul. Paul mentioned "Satan" 10 times in all his epistles. In this epistle to the Romans, he mentioned Satan only once near the end. In his theological exposition in the Romans, Paul contrasted God with sin, avoiding the use of Satan. Why?
But then what return did you get from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is death.
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:21-23).
So, here we have the frequently quoted verse of "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23a).
Has anyone asked what logic Paul had employed to make this claim? Why is death the wages? Are not all men mortal? Death is an end common to all, not just to sinners.
However, in Paul's mind, I am sure he wanted us to quote "the free gift of God is eternal life". It is a free gift of God in the sense that we have not earned it. We have done nothing to merit it. We obtain it only because of the mercy and generosity on God's part.
By the way, I wonder what status Satan had in the theology of Paul. Paul mentioned "Satan" 10 times in all his epistles. In this epistle to the Romans, he mentioned Satan only once near the end. In his theological exposition in the Romans, Paul contrasted God with sin, avoiding the use of Satan. Why?
Nowadays, we see adultery and extra-marital affairs in ethical terms. However, in ancient time, adultery was considered a crime against property. It was an economic crime because wives were the property of husbands. Marriage was an economic transaction because money changed hands. I mean no offence to female readers. You bought a woman with a dowry. She was expected to bear you inheritors. If you found her not a virgin, you sent her back to her father and demanded compensation. Romantic love was unheard of.
Since marriage was an economic transaction, we may understand better why after using the metaphor of employment, Paul chose marriage as another metaphor to discuss grace and sins.
Do you not know, brethren -- for I am speaking to those who know the law -- that the law is binding on a person only during his life?
Thus a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives; but if her husband dies she is discharged from the law concerning the husband(Romans 7:1-2).
After the death of the husband, the woman was free to marry another man again. If she was still in her child-bearing age, she might give birth to a few children for her new husband.
Paul made use of this image, telling his readers that they had already died to the law. Reciprocally, the law was dead for Christians. That is why they became free to belong to another husband --- Jesus. Warning for male readers. Don't push this image too far. The Catholic Church is against same-sex marriage! Keep in mind that Paul was thinking in economic terms!
Since marriage was an economic transaction, we may understand better why after using the metaphor of employment, Paul chose marriage as another metaphor to discuss grace and sins.
Do you not know, brethren -- for I am speaking to those who know the law -- that the law is binding on a person only during his life?
Thus a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives; but if her husband dies she is discharged from the law concerning the husband(Romans 7:1-2).
After the death of the husband, the woman was free to marry another man again. If she was still in her child-bearing age, she might give birth to a few children for her new husband.
Paul made use of this image, telling his readers that they had already died to the law. Reciprocally, the law was dead for Christians. That is why they became free to belong to another husband --- Jesus. Warning for male readers. Don't push this image too far. The Catholic Church is against same-sex marriage! Keep in mind that Paul was thinking in economic terms!
Dear Lord, no matter how many bosses I have served, they are only intermediaries. You alone are my boss. I am Your slave. Amen.
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