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God’s FreemanBy: Joseph H. Murray1Cor. 7:20 “But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches. Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men” (1Cor. 7:17–23). “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:26–29). Therefore, in my servitude to the ministry of our Lord, there is no allegiance to employer nor any other man but a service unto God. My freedom is in my bondage to Him who paid the debt on Calvary’s cross, and my bondage also is my freedom. “So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building” (1Cor. 3:7–9). “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free [or, master or servant]” (Eph. 6:5–8). Those Christians who have refused to unite with any group or working unit of the church are drifting on the sea of life as a ship without sail, anchor or rudder, being driven with every wind that blows hither and yon. With the eye of the Spirit of God, I can see all of such as are in this condition in one big ship being driven toward the rocky shoals of destruction. Every one of this description are sitting idly by the oars without exerting any effort to row the boat safely to the peaceful shore. Remember, my friend, no matter what boat or whose boat in which you are sailing, you are either pulling on the oars, or you are rocking the boat. Those who are pulling on the oars are helping to hold the boat on a steady course toward the shore of sweet deliverance, but those who are standing or sitting idly by are disturbing the cadence and rhythm of the rowers who are struggling to propel the vessel forward – safely to shore. |
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