By Rev. Julius Izza Tabi
Saturday, July 8, 2023
No longer a slave
“So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir” Galatians 4:7*
Slavery which now has been condemned was a booming legal business many years ago. The commodification of human beings to be sold as chattels has been an age long tradition. It “is a condition in which one human being was owned by another. A slave was considered by law as property, or chattel, and was deprived of most of the rights ordinarily held by free persons” Encyclopedia Britanica.
Painfully, Africa has been one of the much-inflicted victims of slavery. By as early as 256 AD, it is estimated that more than 27,000 North Africans were enslaved in Rome. And, “For over 400 years, more than 15 million men, women and children were the victims of the tragic transatlantic slave trade, one of the darkest chapters in human history” United Nations. Thankfully, chattel slavery has now been abolished.
In as much as no human being is allowed to own another as a property (chattel slavery), humanity has been enslaved by sin and by default, everyone is a slave of sin. The disobedience of God’s decrees by mankind through Adam and Eve gave sin a total control over mankind. We therefore have all sinned (Romans 3:23). “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8) and he who sins is a slave of sin (John 8:34). “But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted” (Romans 6:17).
When we obey the Gospel by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are redeemed from the slavery of sin and become the children of God (John 1:8). Christ has offered his life as an atonement sacrifice to redeem us from the power of sin and set us free from being slaves to sin.
Slavery to sin is much more dangerous than chattel slavery because in addition to the earthly depravity slaves of sin experience, it ultimately leads to being eternally separated from God.
Do not allow to remain a slave of sin when through Christ God has provided a redemption we can access at no cost. Haven’t you who has not been redeemed by the Lord knows that you could be set free from the slavery of sin by believing in Jesus Christ? Believe in Christ today, become a child of God instead of being a slave of sin. The Good News is that one who believes in Christ is “no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir” (Galatians 4:7).
I rejoice in the Lord because I am persuaded that I am no longer a slave of sin. Sin begats guilt and guilt births fear. He who is freed from the slavery of sin has also been freed from fear and is no longer a slave of fear too.
Are you already a redeemed of the Lord, lift up your voice in the praise of the Lord that you are no longer a slave of sin. Aren’t you washed by the blood of the Lamb and are yet of slave of sin? Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ now, submit to him and you will no longer be a slave of sin and fear. Then, together with Bethel Music, we can together sing: “I’m no longer a slave to fear, I am a child of God” Amen!
Rev. J
*Unless if indicated, all scripture quotations are from the New International Version (NIV), 1984.
Rev. Julius Izza Tabi is a priest in the Anglican Diocese of Ma’di-West Nile in Arua City, Northern Uganda. He is a PhD candidate at Uganda Christian University and holds a Master of Philosphy in Religion, Society and Global Issues from MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society. Julius is the Director of Uganda Christian University Arua Campus. He is married to Oliver and with their three children; Samuel, Shemuel, and Shalem, the live in Arua, Northwest of Uganda.
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