Slavery

In Romans 6:19, Paul talks about slavery.  "...just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness".  This again is a type of symbolism used in the Bible to help us understand concepts.  We were slaves to sin and now we strive to be slaves to righteousness!

Addiction is a form of slavary.  Your body craves certain things; if your body doesn't get these things your body goes into withdrawls.  I actually have had this happen to me.  I enjoy Mountain Dew.  That is my drink of choice.  Mountain Dew is a product full of caffine.  Over the holidays a few years ago I drank A LOT of Mountain Dew.  I could not continue to drink so much Mountain Dew, otherwise I would balloon to be about 300 pounds.  So when January came around we got back to our normal routine.  I decided to slow down on Mountain Dew.  I actually had cold like symptoms for about 2 days after stopping drinking so much Mountain Dew.  I was having withdrawls from the caffine.  That is when you know you have drank too much caffine.  I hope never to go through that again.  Was I a slave to Mountain Dew?  If I didn't want to go through the withdrawls I would have to keep drinking the Mountain Dew.  I would then be a slave to the Pepsi Company. 

Slaves to righteousness.  What a concept!  Can't help but do good.  If a slave to righteousness does not do good could it make them physically sick.  Could they go through the same withdrawls?  Those that are slaves to righteousness through their love for God they can't help but but follow His commandments or they have withdrawls.  That is the ultimate level of Christianity and love for the Father I hope and pray I will get to.  Slaves to righteousness; what a concept!!! 

In HIS name!

M. Scott Miller

Are we really different? or not?

Baptism...Baptism....Sympolism is so important to God.  As humans we have a hard time understanding the knowledge of God.  In fact we can not perfectly understand His plan.  In His Word he uses symbolism to help us better understand what he means or understand the concept he is trying to teach us.  For example, we are his sheep and the elders/pasters are to lead the sheep; Jesus was led as a sheep to the slaughter; he is the sacrifical lamb, etc.  In Romans 6, Paul explains why Baptism is so important.  The greek translation of baptizo is "to immerse, submerge".  The greek translation does not mean sprinkle or get wet.  From this translation the act of baptising is to submerge into water or to immerse in water.

This act makes a lot of sense given the symbolism God is trying to teach us.  Romans 6:4 goes along with this definition of what baptism is.  "We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life".  Through baptism we were buried (immersion under water) and then we arose to have a new life.  Just as when Christ died, he was buried then rose to a have a new life.

A new life?  That sounds like a significant change.  A new life?  I think to the birth of a baby; that is a new life.  A new person being brought into this world.  The concept is there for those who choose to accept Christ through baptism.  A new life begins?  A new life means not the old life.  The old life is the way the world is living.

But, the question is are you and I living a new life?  Obvivously, there should be a difference in the way we live our life and the way others live their life.  Is there?  That is a tough question.  We live in the World.  The World does not know Jesus.  The World looks at the way of Christians as ignorant, weird, or just plain doesn't make sense. 

Is this the case?  Or have Christians surcome to the way of the world?  What is different about us and the world?  For example, movies.  The world ranks movies, G, PG, R, PG-13, etc.  So the World believes if you are a certain age it would not be prudent for a child to watch the movie (based language, violence, etc.).  If us as parents let our children watch movies in violation of the age requirements; maybe let our 10 year old see a PG-13 movie.  So the world is saying to those under the age of 13 it would be better if they didn't watch these movies; then as Christians we let our kids watch these movies.  You see the issue?  I heard someone say, "Why should I watch movies or tv shows that I wouldn't let my kids watch?  If my kids can't watch it; why should I watch it?"

What about the way we spend our money?  If someone were to look at your bank statement would they come to the conclusion that you are a Christian?  Think about how different the world would be if we all followed this and gave of our abundance?  I am as guilty of this as much as the other guy.

There are many other examples when Christians are tempted to be like the world.

So the question is....Those of us who have been baptized into His name; are we living a new life that is different from the World?

-In HIS name
M. Scott Miller