Discipleship Series, General Principles, Wisdom

A cure for the love of money!

October 26, 2013 faithfulwon 1 Comment

I Timothy 6:10a

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. (NIV)

Grasping the Text in their town

If we take the verse in context the original readers would have seen this verse as a follow on to the earlier verses about being content with food and clothing (vv. 6-8). These verses themselves relate to earlier verses (vv. 1-2) about slaves showing respect and serving their masters well despite the fact that they are slaves. Far from a cry for slaves to pursue their freedom, Paul says that they should be content. He also says in vv. 3-5 that anyone teaching otherwise is motivated by thinking that godliness is a means to financial gain. This is the link verse to the remainder of what the chapter teaches about the love of money. It is probable that the idea had got out that if you can be free you can make money and that money will bring about happiness. Paul wants to knock that idea on the head.

The differences between their situation and ours

Slavery, per se, has been outlawed in nearly every country though variations of it exist all over the world. Otherwise things aren’t much different as far as this passage is concerned.

The theological principles in the passage

⁶But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

1 Timothy 6:6-10

Probably the main principle, for me anyway, is elaborated in verse 7: “We brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it.” This makes the following three verses clear – being eager for money, loving it, can cause you to wander from the faith (v. 10). The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil that stem from a wrong perspective on life, giving importance to those things that are not important since we won’t be bringing any of it with us.

Does this fit in with the teachings of the rest of the bible?

This principle is central to many of Jesus’ teaching and to the whole ethic of the NT. Jesus attitude to money during His earthly ministry might at times be considered cavalier by those who give money more importance than He ever did. In Matt. 6:19 – 34 Jesus teaches us to store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth. He also says that no one can serve both God and money. He also says not to worry about tomorrow or indeed anything to do with what we eat, drink or wear (the same things that Paul says we ought to be content with having – we shouldn’t be looking for more than these). In Matthew 17:24-27 it is obvious that He and His disciples are penniless and cannot pay the temple tax. However, Jesus isn’t bothered, He doesn’t even go looking for the money Himself but sends Peter to get it from a fish! In Matt. 19: 16 – 26 Jesus warns that it is very hard for someone who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of heaven. And so it goes on.

How should we apply this principle today?

Even though there aren’t many slaves that we know of today in Ireland anyway, many people feel like slaves either because they are in demanding low paid employment or because they are in debt. The natural inclination of most people is not to be content in these situations, to want to find a way out. But if it was true that those who were slaves in Paul’s time ought to be content with food and clothing (v.8) then it is also true for us now.

One of the biggest issues that I, and probably others, have is that we are not content with just food and clothing. We feel we have a need for a whole plethora of other things:

Education
Health care
Justice & security
Elaborate dwelling places with all sorts of facilities such as:
- Hot showers
- Electric ovens
- Central heating
- Flushable toilets
- Comfortable furniture and beds
- TV
- Computers
- etc.
Motor vehicles
Mobile phones
Holidays
Recreational trips
Eating out
etc.

But according to the bible we don’t actually need any of these things, just food and clothing (which presumably includes shelter) and with those we should be content.

Some chance!

But the reality is that all these things are very precarious. The world economic system is continuously on a knife edge. Economic disaster is never far away from any of us. Wars can break out in the most unlikely places in unimaginable ways (9/11), there is no lasting security on this earth. I, and perhaps you, live in the illusion that we will always have more than we need, I take it for granted and can’t imagine what it would be like not to have these “basics”. But there is nothing basic about this list of things nor is there any certainty that any of us will have them. The only thing we can be certain about is that our heavenly Father will give us what we truly need: food & shelter.

The answer then is to start being truly thankful for everything else for as long as we have it all.

Which mightn’t be for long.

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”

1 Timothy 6:17

Thank you Jesus!

Autobiographical, General Principles, good news

Different View Points

October 11, 2013 faithfulwon Leave a comment

The role of the Holy Spirit

Grasping God’s Word Assignment 12-1

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:16 (NIV)

A learned intellectual interprets John 3:16

A man with 2 Ph.Ds specialising in NT studies who has not believed and encountered God in the Spirit would have a cognitive understanding of the passage. He might discuss it in this way:

“The passage says that “God” loved the world so much that he gave his “son” for it. According to this passage by John the mechanism for living for eternity is to believe in “the son”, i.e. the man Jesus. I would say that it is true that anyone who has the Christian faith can be deluded into thinking they will live forever and that that is not a bad thing. For most people, having the hope that they will live forever should keep them happy through difficult times. It is noticeable that the Christian gospel has a great effect in poor countries where the consolations of this life are far less and the hope for an eternal life of happiness most required.

Jesus was a man, an extraordinary man, but simply believing in him could not make someone live forever and, obviously, doesn’t since all people die. Though I can see how people who do believe in him must be consoled in difficulty, I cannot see how doing so could possibly make people live forever.

Anyway the idea that God, if he exists in the form described in the NT, would have a son is foolishness and the whole idea expressed in this passage is also foolishness if interpreted in a literal sense. But the message in this passage is one of the best means there is for pacifying and comforting people in trouble with no other hope, as so many are in this world,.”

A mature believer interprets John 3:16

This is how a mature believer (like me) might interpret it:

“When I met God on the back of a bus travelling from Mullingar to Galway on May 7^th 1980, one of the first things He did was convict me of the truth of all the Scriptures including this one. I believe that God is and that He is good. I believe He has a Son, Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour, whom He sent to earth, who came of His own volition and who died a horrible death so that my sins might be taken out of the way and so I can have eternal life.

The life to come is not an extension of the time frame of this present body I am in but a new life in a new eternal body which is maintained by the Spirit of God Himself.

I continue to believe and act accordingly since I have the Spirit of God in me leading me into all truth.

I continually remember Jesus’ death and resurrection and continue to believe and receive eternal life, the deposit of which starts in this life with the Holy Spirit within me. I don’t just have a cognitive understanding of this passage but a fully engaged, continuing life experience with the author of it.”

A 9 year old child interprets John 3:16 having just given her life to Jesus

“Daddy, Jesus died for me!”

church, General Principles, His Story, Life College

Communication

October 2, 2013 faithfulwon Leave a comment

Grasping God’s Word Assignment 10-2

Scripture is not the only means of knowing what God is saying

From a Christian perspective, meaning and interpretation are ultimately grounded in all God’s communicative action in creation, in the Scriptures, and pre-eminently in Christ. For those who know God, just having the bible on its own is not enough. We also desire to know Him intimately in the Spirit.

The great thing about having the Scriptures is that, used correctly, they are not as subjective as our personal experience of Christ can be. Reading and understanding what the Scriptures say about God is a great way of checking our personal experience, of validating the genuineness of our faith.

If you then add to that a right understanding of, and connection with, His creation you have a threefold strand which cannot easily be broken (Eccles. 4:12). The ultimate and best expression of God’s creation is in mankind. In particular the bonds and modes of behaviour that we call good and which to some extent are in all mankind, communicate to us what God is like. For example the right relationship of a parent with a child and husband with wife and vice versa help us to understand what God is like and how He loves us.

The ultimate right connection for any believer with God’s creation is to be part of a community with others who know Him in the Spirit and where His Word is preached by godly men and women, i.e. His Church. In the Church is combined the best of God’s creation, godly exposition and presentation of the Scriptures and the image of Christ who is its Head and of whom the Church is His Body (see also my post on the Three Pillars).

Local expressions on this earth of His Church can be quite a mixture of the earthly and the divine and don’t always live up to this exalted view of the Church. But, hey, what do you expect on this earth. In Heaven She will be revealed in a different light.

Duval & Hays have this very helpful thing to say about the importance of communication when reading the Scripture:

“The issue of communication … lies at the heart of one’s decision about how to interpret a text. If you, the reader, see the text as a communication between the author and yourself, then you should search for the meaning that the author intended. If, however, you as the reader do not care to communicate with the author, then you are free to follow reader response and interpret the text without asking what the author meant. In some cases, however, there may be negative consequences for such a reading.”

church, General Principles, good news

Word Study – “Sick”

September 27, 2013 faithfulwon 1 Comment

Grasping God’s Word – Assignment 9-5

¹³Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. ¹⁴Is anyone among you ill? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. ¹⁶Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

James 5:13-16a

The Greek word for sick – ασθενει – in this context is transliterated: Astheneo

Strong’s number: 770

It is used 33 times in the NT:

Sick (19 times): Matthew 10:8, 25:36, 39; Mark 6:56; Luke 4:40; John 4:46, 5:3, 7, 11:1-3, 6; Acts 9:37, 19:12, 20:35; Phil. 2:26-27; 2 Timothy 4:20; James 5:14
Weak (14 times): Romans 4:19, 8:3, 14:1-2; 1 Cor. 8:11-12; 2 Cor. 11:21, 29, 12:10, 13:3-4,9;

From the contexts in other passages it would appear that this word could as easily be translated “weak” as “sick”. In English these two words are quite related but our understanding of the microbes that cause sickness make us more inclined to separate the meanings than would have been the case for people in James’ time. If we use “weak” instead of “sick” in James 5:14 we have:

“Is anyone among you weak? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;”

When we take the overall context of James 5:13 -16 we can see there is a connection between being weak, or sick, and sin. The effect of the elders anointing is not just to make the person well physically but also spiritually – his sins will be forgiven. In verse 16 the key to healing is that you confess your sins to each other and pray for each other.

In verse 15 the word translated “sick” is actually a very different word (κάμνοντα) which is only used one other time, in Hebrews 12:3, and there it is translated “weary”. So if you feel weary confess your sins to each other and pray for each other and you will be healed.

Nowadays we are inclined to view disease and sickness differently from James. For us there is only a tenuous connection, if any, between our personal actions and sickness. Sickness is caused often by viruses or bacteria which seem separated from our moral actions. As a Christian in the 21^st Century the connection between sin and sickness is less personal, more related to the general fallen condition of the world than anything that we personally may have done. But if you think in terms of sickness being weakness and put yourself in the context of a 1^st Century Christian who knows nothing about viruses and bacteria then you might see the connection between personal sin and weakness or sickness more easily. This also explains Paul’s warning about taking communion in an unworthy fashion (see Thoughts on Communion: Healing and The consequences of communion).

Things can come around though. The bible’s wisdom does not seem so archaic in this regard if you are into holistic medicine. Lifestyle and a tendency to sickness go together. If your lifestyle is one of abusing the body through excessive alcohol or smoking or immorality then it is easy to see how those sins can affect your health also. Other sins such as worry and anger also have physical effects causing illness or weakness or both.

In this passage though the emphasis is not on the sin causing the illness. The Lord is gracious and he heals first and, then, forgives your sins also. He doesn’t place the emphasis on the sin but rather on the healing of the sickness or weakness.

Which is just like Him, isn’t it?

church, General Principles, heaven

Living on the edge of heaven

September 25, 2013 faithfulwon Leave a comment

I have a dear friend and I’ve benefited from his wisdom, prayers and friendship for nearly 35 years now. He suffers from a life threatening condition that could send him home at any time – he has already lived well beyond the expected life span of people with it.

I called over to him yesterday. We have this arrangement where I give him a call and if he is there and well enough (did I mention that the condition leaves him constantly tired?) I pop in for a chat. Or rather I come to spend time in the presence of someone living on the edge of heaven.

It is remarkable how much blessing can come from being with someone like my friend in such a short time. He seems to be always hearing from God. Even though my last visit hadn’t been for over 9 months, and he didn’t know I was coming until a few minutes before I arrived, God had been speaking things to him the day before that were what I needed to hear. During our conversation he also spoke other things that encouraged me. And of course he listened more than he spoke.

Some day, any day now, he will walk from the edge of heaven straight into the middle of it and there will be no gap between the two. And in one sense not much will have changed, he will just be that little bit closer to the One he loves than he is now.

Discipleship Series, General Principles

Word Study – Trials

September 20, 2013 faithfulwon Leave a comment

Grasping God’s Word – Assignment 9-4

2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,

3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

(James 1:2-4 (NAS), compare Romans 5:3-5)

The Greek word for trials in this context is πειρασμοις transliterated: Peirasmos

Strong’s number: 3986

It is used 21 times in the New Testament:

Temptation (12 times): Matthew 6:13, 26:41; Mark 14:38; Luke 4:13, 8:13, 11:4, 22:40, 22:46; 1 Cor. 10:13 (twice); 1 Tim. 6:9; 2 Peter 2:9.
Trials (4 times): Luke 22:28; Acts 20:19; James 1:2; 1 Peter 1:6.
Trial (3 times): Gal. 4:14; Hebrews 3:8; James 1:12.
Testing (twice): 1 Peter 4:12; Rev. 3:10.

From the contexts in other passages it would appear that this word is definitely more closely translated “temptation” than “trials”. If we use temptation instead of trials in James 1:2 we have:

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various temptations”

We know that we are to pray that we do not enter temptation (Matt. 26:41) and we are to ask our heavenly Father not to lead us into temptation (the Lord’s prayer – Matt. 6:13). However if temptation still comes then we should consider it a joy to encounter it, knowing that our Father has not allowed us to be tempted above what we are able for (1 Cor. 10:13). We also know that it will produce endurance and a perfect result if we continue to be faithful to God through the temptation (James 1:2-4, Romans 5:3-5).

The nature of temptation is, of course, to be very enticing, seductive, tempting even. What tempts me would not tempt someone else and what tempts someone else would not tempt me. But whatever it is that tempts you, there is great reward in staying faithful through the period of temptation, of not giving into it. Sometimes I feel ashamed at what tempts me, especially in the light of God’s mercies to me, the many blessings I enjoy because I do not yield and the disastrous consequences for those closest to me if I did. Probably everyone is tempted by something that could, if yielded to, be very destructive – probably one of the seven deadly sins as they are called: wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony.

There are other temptations that are more subtle and rather than destroy our lives all at once, they wear them down slowly when yielded to. These include any temptation to not put the Kingdom of God and His righteousness first (Matt. 6:33). For example we can be tempted to think that spending dedicated time with God in private one to one relationship is less important than doing something else, e.g. spending time with family, work or just watching TV. Or we can be tempted to put other family activities before family worship, bible study and prayer. This kind of temptation can be hard to consistently resist.

However the principle in all these cases is the same:

Resist temptation,
endure in resisting it (some temptations go on all your life)
look forward to the results of resisting temptation:
- proven character,
- the love of God poured out in your heart (Romans 5:5).

As the Lord said to Abraham: “I am your exceeding great reward” (Gen. 15:1). Being close to Jesus is the greatest reward for staying faithful under (what can feel like) overwhelming, very attractive temptation.

Is a constant and closer relationship with Jesus the “perfect result” of enduring under trials that James is referring to?

Discipleship Series, General Principles, His Story, Life College, Wisdom

Word Study OT – Meditate

September 12, 2013 faithfulwon 2 Comments

Word Study – The word translated “Meditate” in Josh 1:8

Grasping God’s Word Assignment 9-3

Strong’s number: 1897.
The Hebrew Word transliterated “Hagah” is used 24 times in the OT.
The New American Standard (NAS) translates it as:
- declare (1 time): Psalm 35:28
- devise (2 times): Psalm 38:12, Proverbs 24:2
- devising (1 time): Psalm 2:1
- growls (1 time): Isaiah 31:4
- make a sound (1 time): Psalm 115:7
- meditate (5 times): Joshua 1:8, Psalm 63:6, Psalm 77:12, Psalm 143:5, Isaiah 33:18
- meditates (1 time): Psalm 1:2
- moan (3 times): Isaiah 16:7, Isaiah 38:14, Jeremiah 48:31
- moan sadly (1 time): Isaiah 59:11
- mutter (2 times): Job 27:4, Isaiah 8:19
- mutters (1 time): Isaiah 59:3
- ponders (1 time): Proverbs 15:28
- utter (2 times): Psalm 71:24, Proverbs 8:7
- uttering (1 time): Isaiah 59:13
- utters (1 time): Psalm 37:30
Context – one instance in Joshua but the 23 others are confined to the wisdom books – mainly Psalms – and the prophets – mainly Isaiah. Used about people in connection with God and good plans, people in connection with evil and evil plans, a lion over its prey. Doves can do it and idols cannot.
Semantic range of the Hebrew word transliterated hagah: I think this word is used to describe any deep connection between a thinking being (including animals) and the object upon which the word is used. It sometimes includes considerable emotion (moan). It is used in both a positive and negative sense – people can “hagah” and use it to work evil (3 times) or good or to be taken up with evil or good. It also carries expression with it in 14 instances out of the 24 – declare, growls, make a sound, moan (sadly), mutter(s), utter(s)(ing). The word “Meditate” doesn’t capture the expressive nuances of the Hebrew word “Hagah”.
In Joshua 1:8 I prefer the words “deeply connect” to “meditate”:

“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall deeply connect with it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”

Note also the connection with speaking it out in the earlier part of the verse. This suggests another way of saying “hagah” in this context, i.e. “allow it to well up and out”:

“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall allow it to well up and out of you day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”

Maybe we can put both of the meanings together (with some danger of overcooking the word):

“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall deeply connect with it and allow it to well up and out of you day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”

Not just meditation but expression arising from it as well.

Discipleship Series, General Principles, Wisdom

Word Study – “Worry”

September 10, 2013 faithfulwon 1 Comment

Based on Grasping God’s Word Assignment 9-2

What is the Greek word μεριμναο translated “worry” in Matthew 6:25?

Strong’s Number: 3309

Greek transliterated word for 3309: merimnao

Used in the NT 19 times.

New American Standard (NAS) Word Usage – Total: 19

(Taken from Bible Study Tools website, 2013). The NAS translates the Greek word μεριμναο transliterated merimnao into the following English words:

anxious (1 time) in Philippians 4:6

care (1 time) in Matt. 6:34

concerned (5 times) in 1 Cor. 7:32 – 34 and Phil. 2:20

have…care (1 time) in 1 Cor. 12:25

worried (4 times) in Matt. 6:25, 27, 28 and Luke 10:41

worry (6 times) in Matt. 6:31, 34, 10:19; Luke 12:11, 22, 26

worrying (1 time) in Luke 12:25

The things we are told not to worry about

Matthew 6:25 – life, what we eat, drink or put on.

Matthew 6:27 – how long we live

Matthew 6:28 – clothing

Matthew 6:31 – food, drink, clothing

Matthew 6:34 – tomorrow

Luke 12:22 – life/ eating, body/clothing

Luke 12:25 – how long we live

Luke 12:26 – other matters!

What is the context in Matthew 10:19 and Luke 12:11?

Persecution, being in front of a court to defend yourself or your faith.

Is this a different kind of worry than that prohibited in Matthew 6:25?

The worry in Matt. 6:25 is about basic needs – this worry distracts us from the Lord. The worry in Matt. 10:19 and Luke 12:11 is directed towards the Lord, about saying the wrong thing that may get us into trouble or might not glorify Him. However both are similar in that they show a lack of trust in God to provide.

What stands in contrast to Martha’s worry (Luke 10:41)?

Mary’s listening to the Lord.

How does this contrast help to define Martha’s worry?

Martha’s worry then becomes a lack of listening to God, being distracted from what really matters by constant activity.

In 1 Cor. 7 Paul uses the word 4 times. Describe the context of this usage.

This time the word is again used in the context of being distracted from the Lord, this time by a spouse.

What do the contexts of 1 Corinthians 12:25 and Philippians 2:20 have in common?

They use the word in a different sense from the other verses, i.e. in the sense of care or concern for another person rather than worry about ourselves.

What kind of worry is Paul describing in Philippians 4:6?

All kinds of worry.

How do you know?

It says “Be anxious for nothing.”

The semantic range (various meanings) of the Greek word μεριμναο transliterated merimnao

Worrying (about life, (food, drink, clothing))

Being distracted (from the Lord)

Caring/ concerned (for someone else)

Being anxious or of an anxious mind.

Conclusion

Matthew 6:25 is about worrying about life, being of an anxious mind, being distracted from and not trusting the One that really matters – the Lord. A good translation of the word for me in Matthew 6:25 would be “distracted”:

“For this reason I say to you, do not be distracted (from your devotion to God) by your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”

Autobiographical, Creation

Dream – Lessons in Creativity from the Creator

August 23, 2013 faithfulwon 1 Comment

Knock, knock, knock! I had heard that sharp sound before in middle of the night, and it had woken me up before, on at least two occasions. The last two times I initially thought it was someone knocking on the door downstairs but then realised it had just been a dream, turned over and went back to sleep. But a bit like the young Samuel in the bible, this third time I realised that this was actually God trying to get my attention.

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me.” (Rev. 3:20).

So I went to open the door and there Jesus was, all white and shining and making the inside of my head house look positively disgraceful. I stood awkwardly at the door, saying that the place wasn’t tidy and, actually, it was quite dirty in places and I didn’t think it was ready for him to come in.

But he countered by saying that he was friends with sinners and quite used to that kind of condition and could he come in anyway?

He came in and sat down on the other side of the rough wooden table that seemed to be the main piece of furniture in my head room. It was no great shakes, in fact all the artefacts that I had in the room looked rough and unfinished.

I had “stumbled upon” a site on creativity before I went to bed. In it Scott Berkun makes the profound observation that “an idea is a combination of other ideas”.

Jesus sat at the table and I talked to him about that. He said to make him a meal, it seemed that he had a cake in mind in particular. I went to my cupboards and started looking for ingredients. I was quite happy because I seemed to have some really good ingredients in the cupboards.

And then the dream stopped or I woke up or something.

By “God-incidence” my daughter was making a cake the next morning.

Now a cake is not an intuitive thing. Mixing a combination of raw eggs, sugar, flour and butter together in a bowl (in the right order) and then putting it into an oven for a certain time at the right temperature is not something that is easy to think up. It is hard to imagine that those ingredients put together would make something that, in combination, is so different from its constituent parts.

But of course that is what God does all the time. He is the only original thinker. He came up with the basic building blocks and put them together in different combinations so that we would get the idea. A soft metal (sodium) combined in the right way with a poisonous gas (chloride) give us a flavour enhancer and preserver (common table salt). Two gases combined together in the right way give us water. And so it goes on. God has about 90 ingredients that he combines in the most creative ways imaginable. His favourite ingredient is carbon and his favourite combination is water. Its another study altogether to look into why that might be so.

So now I’m going to bring out my ingredients and ask God for a recipe that pleases him.

His Story

The Practice of Slavery in New Testament Times

July 4, 2013 faithfulwon Leave a comment

“Half the population of Rome, and a large proportion of the Empire, were slaves. Christians did not oppose slavery but taught slaves to work well for their masters, believing or unbelieving. Slavery eventually became eradicated by masters and slaves becoming brothers in Christ. The Roman army often took the brightest and best young men and women as slaves.” (Halley’s Bible Handbook Page 616)

“The punishment for runaway slaves could be death. Slaves were not generally ill-treated but they were considered the property of their masters. They could be seized and sent back by anyone if they were trying to escape.” (John Drane, 1998)

“As many as one third of those living in Mediterranean cities may have been slaves, with others having slave origins. In Rome and Italy the figures were higher, perhaps as many as 80 – 90% of the population. By the first century the main supply came from children born to slaves. Slavery was not thought of as immoral or as necessarily degrading. A slave was simply the bottom rank of the economic ladder, doing the jobs equivalent to those which, typically in the 19th and 20th centuries were undertaken by immigrant labour.” (Bowker, The Complete Bible Handbook, 1998, Page 440)

When I think of slaves I think of the worst excesses of exploitation of labour such as took place on Roman galleys or in the gladiatorial arenas. However the reality for most slaves was quite different. Slaves in the Roman Empire were often treated well, especially in the case of those whose masters were Christians. In our case we are redeemed and slaves of Christ – a wonderful master so we don’t have to have negative connotations when Paul says that we should offer ourselves as slaves to righteousness in Romans 6. As Bowker says: “The gospel brought freedom from one slavery, but human beings could only realize their full potential as God’s creatures in the relation of absolute dependence on God, which the image of slavery so powerfully expressed.” (ibid. page 441)

“…slaves are directly addressed in Paul’s letters as members of the churches written to. Paul clearly regarded them as full members of these churches.” (ibid. page 441)