The Set-Up
We probably don’t think about this, but I wonder how many of us are enslaved in the metaphorical sense. How many of us are slaves to our jobs? Entertainment? Our desires?
How often do we put ourselves under the inappropriate control or influence of others?
We are influenced by a number of things throughout our lives. Each day we are bombarded with messages from the culture around us – Buy this! Cook this! Lose weight! Social media is full of “influencers,” people whose literal job is to affect our purchasing decisions or lifestyle.
I’m not saying that any of these things are bad in and of themselves. God created work, and we can do our jobs in a way that is pleasing to Him. God also created and modeled rest. Many of us find relaxation in doing things that are entertaining to us. God gave us our desires; it’s not wrong to pursue those things. And it’s not wrong to look to other people for guidance, inspiration, or advice. The problem arises when we put too much trust and emphasis on those things and not enough on God. It’s when we allow our jobs, our entertainment, our desires, or other people to have far more influence on our lives than is appropriate.
Jesus sacrificed Himself for us so that we would be free from the world. He purchased us with His blood in order to set us free. Before knowing Christ, we were slaves of the world. We didn’t know there was anything better. As C.S. Lewis once wrote, “We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” But now that we know Christ, we know the joy that awaits us in following Him. But how often do we leave our Master, who wants more for us than we could ever imagine, to go back to making mudpies, thinking that will satisfy us?
The world will never be able to satisfy us. No matter how much we give of ourselves to our jobs or our desires, no matter how much we try to emulate another “successful” person, if we’re not following God’s will for our lives, we will never be satisfied. We are not to be enslaved to this world, because this world no longer has any bonds on us. Our bondage belongs to Christ. It’s only through submitting to Him completely that we will find what we’re looking for.
Passage to Read
Reflection Questions
What does it mean to be “enslaved to the world”?
Based on what we’ve learned about the Corinthians so far, why do you think Paul instructed them not to be enslaved to the world?
What’s the difference between being a slave to Christ and being a slave to the world?
Prayer Idea
Thank God for purchasing our freedom through Jesus’ sacrifice. Ask Him to help you renew your commitment to submit to Him and Him alone. If you are struggling with being “enslaved” to something, ask Him to help break those chains of bondage.