No, nothing kinky happening around here. I read Romans chapter 1… Paul describes himself as “doulos,” a servant. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia says “doulos” has
a variety of meanings, all implying a greater or less degree of inferiority and want of freedom: (1) The most frequent usage is as the equivalent of “slave”
That’s a hard concept these days. We work “with” not “for” our bosses. Slavery is still happening in every country including America (yes, that’s correct – I’m not kidding) but most people don’t know it. So why would anyone sign up for slavery, and what does it mean in this context? Obedience has been a recurring theme for me lately.
Do you not know that to whom you yield yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves to him whom you obey; whether it is of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness. But thanks be to our God that you were the slaves of sin, but you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. Then being made free from sin, you became the slaves of righteousness. Romans 6:16-18
Obedience defined by Strongs:
hupakoē
hoop-ak-o-ay’
From G5219; attentive hearkening, that is, (by implication) compliance or submission: – obedience, (make) obedient, obey (-ing).
So obedience is a two-step process. Attentive listening, followed by compliance. Can’t obey a command you don’t hear. Martin Luther said concerning spiritual liberty and servitude
love is by its own nature dutiful and obedient to the beloved object. Thus even Christ, though Lord of all things, was yet made of a woman; made under the law; at once free and a servant; at once in the form of God and in the form of a servant.
John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible states about Romans 1:1 -
“A servant of Jesus Christ”; not a servant of sin, nor of Satan, nor of man, nor of Moses and his law, nor of the traditions of the elders, but of Jesus Christ; and not by creation only, but by redemption, and by powerful efficacious grace in conversion; which is no ways contrary to true liberty; nor a disgraceful, but a most honourable character; and which chiefly regards him as a minister of the Gospel:
Bondage doesn’t sound too bad. Quite liberating, actually.
