FROM SLAVE TO HEIR

Bible Passage: Titus 3: 3-7

Most of us living in the suburbs or “nicer” areas of Columbus know little of the slavery that brought about the Civil War in our country. We’ve only read stories of those times. And today, though our awareness is being raised to the fact that modern-day slavery is still alive and well in many parts of the world, we don’t have first-hand understanding.

To be a slave means one is property of another and is forced to obey them. A slave is completely subservient to a dominating influence. Paul, in his letter to Titus, likens our lives to that of slaves when we lived apart from God:

            “For we ourselves have known what it is to be ignorant, disobedient, and

            deceived, the slaves of various desires and pleasant feelings, while our lives

            were spent in malice and jealousy – we were hateful and we hated each

            other.”                         (Titus 3: 3, J.B. Phillips New Testament Translation)

We were owned, as it were, by Satan and under his power, subservient to his influence. We were without hope of ever getting out from under his domination – no matter what we would do, we were powerless to either escape or gain our freedom. In this slavery, we do have first-hand knowledge!

God, came as a buyer at the slave market and saw us on the sale block, available to be sold to yet another sin taskmaster. He purchased us, and then, because of His kindness and love, did a strange thing – He gave us our freedom! But it wasn’t because of any moral achievements on our part (Remember, as slaves, we were hopeless and helpless to secure our escape from moral depravity). He bought our freedom through Christ, declaring us no longer slaves but His children, and therefore, heirs of all Heaven has to offer – so much more than we can think or imagine: His grace, His mercy, eternal life. (see Romans 8:15-17)

Thank you, Father, that we no longer need to be slaves of sin, but because of your mercy and grace, we can be called your children and gain the inheritance you have for your heirs. Amen.

Your Life as a House

Romans 8:15-27

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%208%3A15-27&version=NIV;NLT

 

Have you ever watched the HGTV hit show, “Fixer Upper” with Chip and Joanna Gaines? The show takes place in Waco, Texas where Chip and Joanna run a remodeling and design business. In each episode, they take an old, “fixer upper” house, invest time and money and make it into a beautiful home.

 

About twelve years ago I tried my hand at flipping a few houses. The last one we did was built in 1925. Unfortunately, it had suffered over the years from a severe lack of maintenance, abuse of the owners and finally a devastating fire.

 

As we got into it, we discovered even more problems which included termite and structural damage. I’m sure that when she was first built she was a beauty. But by the time we bought her, she was a mess. She had endured a painful existence.

 

Our daughter and son-in-law were going to buy the house so they invested their own sweat equity along with ours and a crew of skilled contractors. Here are some before, during and after pictures to give you an idea of the process.

 

Before

 

 

During

After

 

If the house could have talked, she might have said how painful it was to be neglected and abused all those years. The possibility that she might be able to return to her original glory was unthinkable with the previous owners. But as we began the remodeling she must have felt a spark of hope.

 

 

In some ways, we’re like that house. We’ve suffered from a lack of maintenance, from abuse and maybe even a devastating life event. But there is hope. There is hope to rebuild our life; to return to our original glory. And that hope comes solely from Jesus Christ.

 

¹⁷ And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. ¹⁸ Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.  NLT

 

Through his Spirit, God gives us the inheritance to experience his Glory, as a foretaste now, but fully later. Your life as a house does have hope.