A Bondslave and a Freeman
March 15, 2012

"Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God." (Romans 1:1)

Paul identified himself as a "servant (literally, 'bondslave') of Jesus Christ" as he began several of his epistles; and it is significant that he began the epistle to the Romans in the same fashion. The parallel phrase "bondslave of the emperor" was commonly used in governmental and commercial circles of the day, and the readers in Rome would fully understand the meaning of the new term.

The emperor of Rome not only was to be obeyed as a human slave owner and king, he also was to be worshiped as a god. Paul boldly proclaimed himself to be the bondslave of a different slave owner, the subject of a different King and the worshiper of a different God.

Paul knew and expected to convince his readers that this new doctrine he was preaching would quickly replace the imperialism of Rome, and he fully realized that this challenge would quickly be recognized and fought by Rome. Paul himself, not many years hence, would stand before the emperor Nero, not as an imperial bondslave, but a bondslave of the King of kings.

Long before Nero's executioner freed Paul from the limitations of his physical body, Paul had been made a "freeman of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 7:22). The common title of the day "freedman of the emperor" designated a bondslave of the emperor who had been elevated by the emperor to a higher position.

Paul had been, and all believers have been, ransomed out of the slave market of sin by Christ's blood, and have been set free from the guilt, power, and penalty of that sin. Our willing response should be to permanently place ourselves into enslavement to our redeemer, making us simultaneously both bondslaves and freedmen of the King. JDM

For more . . . .

I am a bondslave and a freeman to the King.

OLAADEGBU: I am a bondslave and a freeman to the King.

Not only is this contradictory, it is symptomatic of a brainwashed and m0r0nic twisting of the understanding of freedom that could only come about from the ambiguous and contradictory nature of a religion steeped in slave-like respect for an authority that is concocted by one of the most uncivilized and barbaric tribes known to man.

Logicboy03:

Not only is this contradictory, it is symptomatic of a brainwashed and m0r0nic twisting of the understanding of freedom that could only come about from the ambiguous and contradictory nature of a religion steeped in slave-like respect for an authority that is concocted by one of the most uncivilized and barbaric tribes known to man.

Like I said, you don't have to spend the rest of your life being a poltroon.

OLAADEGBU:

Like I said, you don't have to spend the rest of your life being a poltroon.

WHAT?

What is a poltroon, sir?

Logicboy03:


WHAT?

What is a poltroon, sir?

Don't be perfidious.

OLAADEGBU:

Don't be perfidious.

Okay, sorry.

I just HATE your posts with a passion. Its not my fault....I mean, who do you write stuff that even many christians dont agree with? Dont even get me started with the cartoons

Logicboy03:


Okay, sorry.

I just HATE your posts with a passion. Its not my fault....I mean, who do you write stuff that even many christians dont agree with? Dont even get me started with the cartoons

I thank God you're wrong.

Logicboy03:


Okay, sorry.

I just HATE your posts with a passion. Its not my fault....I mean, who do you write stuff that even many christians dont agree with? Dont even get me started with the cartoons

who says we don't agree with his posts?

Joshthefirst:

who says we don't agree with his posts?

This scriptures explains why his likes hate my post with a passion:

"For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?" (2 Corinthians 2:15-16).

OLAADEGBU:

This scriptures explains why his likes hate my post with a passion:

"For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?" (2 Corinthians 2:15-16).

Logicboy03:

Seems you're in a good mood today.

Joshthefirst:

Seems you're in a good mood today.

Are you saying that he has always been in a foul mood?

OLAADEGBU:

Are you saying that he has always been in a foul mood?

Who knows sir? Who knows?

Joshthefirst:



Who knows sir? Who knows?

We can tell from his splenetic posts.