“Call me Ishmael” is the simple beginning of Melville’s Moby Dick. And so unfolds a classic drama of man against outer but mostly inner demons. At one point Ishmael asks, “Who ain’t a slave?” The great question is, “Is anyone really free?” Are we not all slaves to love, hate, lust, pride, fame or fortune? Anyone who attends a church or belongs to any organization is slave to the culture of where or what they attend. The social expectations of living in a society or subculture enslave us to the others in that setting. Galatians 5 is Paul’s great thesis on freedom and yet he often begins his letters by calling himself a “doulos” – a slave of Jesus Christ. Well, if I had to choose a master I certainly couldn’t choose a better one than Jesus.
While it is true according to Galatians God does want us to be free from law keeping as a means of salvation. He also wants us to be governed by the principle of love that will motivate us to do all the things of the law automatically as second nature. It was Paul’s dream to do so. Yet he was overly aware of the old man who would arise to enslave him to his lower nature. The ultimate liberation will come. Paul speaks of Jesus doing so as he cries out in Romans, “Who will deliver me from this body of death?” And in I Corinthians 15 he speaks of this corruption putting on incorruption on resurrection day.
We might make all kinds of resolutions today regarding our future behavior but the truth is all of us are slaves seeking freedom and Jesus is the liberator.
Written by Roger Bothwell on January 1, 2009
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
rogerbothwell.org