In a well-functioning
society, there has to be co-operation among the citizens, or nothing can be
accomplished to better the society. As we have witnessed over the past month, millions
of people came together to state their opinion and concern about the governing
of our society through the voting for representative leadership. Thankfully, we
still have the freedom to do such and the right to express ourselves in the voting
booth.
Well-functioning
societies are all around us, even right under our feet. Arriving at work one
morning last week I observed what appeared to be one hundred mini-ants (call
them what you may) crossing the sidewalk carrying a dead cricket. They were
actually passing it forward to the ants in front and when relieved of their
load the ants in the rear moved to the front of the line to receive the cricket
again. Total co-operation to bring their spoil home for a feast. I watched for
a few minutes in amazement of the wonder of God.
Some historians
estimate that up to one-third of the population of the Roman Empire in the
first century was enslaved. Think about it – if you had lived during that time,
you had a one in three chance of being a slave. The slave market was obviously
a thriving sector of the Roman economy. When a person was a slave, of course,
they were complete subject to their master. They had no choice nor opportunity
for freedom. And believe it or not, in the days of the Roman Empire, there were
some good people who didn’t believe in slavery. They knew what kind of life
people would live in slavery, and they wanted to do anything possible to
alleviate the problem. Some of these people were rich and would go to the slave
market to buy slaves - for only one purpose – to set them free. Because the
price of the slave had been paid, the slave could be set free. There was even a
word used for this practice in first century times. It was “apolutrosis” which
means “release effected by payment of ransom; redemption; deliverance” (Vine Expository
Dictionary of New Testament Words).
[Romans 3:24]
It is no wonder to a society very familiar with this practice that the apostle Paul
used this word in describing Christians as, “…being justified freely by His
grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…” Paul begins the thought
with a reminder in the pervious verse, “…for all have sinned and fall short of
the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23). And so, it was with us when we were in sin.
We were slaves. We had no choice. We had no opportunity to be free from the penalty
of sin. While we were enslaved to sin, we were completely under the control of
sin. We were being sold on the open market to the highest bidder. But then Jesus
came, had compassion on us, and paid the required price, which was His own sinless
life’s blood. Paul confirms this in writing about Jesus, “…whom God set forth
as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His
righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that
were previously committed…” (Romans 3:25). But we must still accept Him as our
new Master. In doing so, Jesus will set us free. We are no longer under the
control or penalty of sin. Sin no longer rules our lives, and we are free to
escape its deadly grasp. The problem is that some people do not feel like they
are free from sin. They continue to live as if Satan is still their master.
They let sin control their decisions and lives. In doing so, they are going
back to a life of spiritual bondage, disaster, and death. Christian, we need to
remember that we have been purchased and set free. “Stand fast therefore in the
liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangle again with a
yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1).
Our
Constitutional Republic society recognizes the God given rights of life and
honors His dos and don’ts for a righteous society. If we all share the loads of
life, we’ll be blessed.
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