1 Corinthians 7:20-23
Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. 21 Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ.23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.
This passage could easily be misunderstood to mean that Paul is advocating for slavery. We must read this passage in the context in which Paul lived. Slavery was a reality of his day. Escape or freedom were not easy options for most slaves. A Christian slave may have wondered what benefits there might be in following Jesus. Paul puts slavery into a different perspective. There are two key principles here: 1) Gain your freedom if you can; 2) Remember who is really your Master.
Traditional slavery is not common today in most parts of the world, but there are many forms of enslavement. One of the most common is economic enslavement, where one is in debt to another or a person works for menial pay. Some people are trapped in relational slavery of co-dependency. Some children and youth are stuck in families that don’t love or care for them adequately. The list can go on. This passage offers such people advice.
If persons can improve their situation, they should. I have known of families who live in poverty, doing their best through their children to rise up out of economic slavery. Their children get better jobs and the whole family is helped. Even if one’s life is difficult, plant flowers in the midst of the desert and watch God grow them.
Remember that we serve someone greater than this world. Even if someone takes our possessions and our lives, we have hope in a better outcome. Our freedom is greater than any freedom in this world. We will be slaves to someone or something. Christ will make the best Master.
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