January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month. In our name, the S stands for slavery and human trafficking is modern-day slavery. However, this blog isn’t going to give a lot of detail about human trafficking but instead, hope for those who have been trafficked and those who might be in the same situation. If you want to learn more about human trafficking, you can read this previous blog https://cychrist.org/sexual-assault-awareness-month-slavery-human-trafficking/.
In the Bible, sin is likened to slavery. Paul says this in Romans 6:17,
“But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.”
Paul clearly states that we were slaves to sin. Fortunately, we don’t have to stay like that.
The prophet Isaiah prophesies this in chapter 61:1,
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
Because the Lord has anointed me
To bring good news to the afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to captives
And freedom to prisoners.”
This prophecy was foretelling Jesus and His work. In Luke chapter 4 verse 21, Jesus said, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Jesus came to set us free from sin, to redeem us. 1 Corinthians 7:23 says that, “you were bought at a price…” and that price was Christ’s blood (Ephesians 1:7, 1 John 2:2).
If you read on in Romans chapter 6, you see that Paul says that we’re set free from sin, but become slaves of righteousness. Sounds like our condition doesn’t improve much…but the reality is, it does! keep reading, verses 21 through 23 say this:
“What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
We had no fruit, that is nothing good that comes out of our former slavery. It is to death. But in righteousness, in the doctrine of Salvation, we are made holy, our old lives have stopped and in Christ, we find a new and everlasting life.
I like how verse 23 says that it’s God’s gift that we may have eternal life. He won’t force us to take it. He offers it to us, freely, inviting us to take it. That’s another thing about having Christ as our master. He is a tender-loving master. Hosea depicts this beautifully in chapter 11. I love verse 3, it says
“I drew them with gentle cords,
With bands of love,
And I was to them as those who take
the yoke from their neck.
I stooped and fed them.”
What a beautiful passage, and it’s reminiscent of what Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30. Another beautiful promise. Jesus says this about His character, “I am gentle and lowly in heart,” and “My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Whereas we served a cruel and exacting task-master before -that is Satan- Christ tells us that He has something better. He promises life, and life more abundantly (John 10:10), and that He will not cause us to bear anything that we can’t handle ((1 Corinthians 10:13). He tells us He is gentle, He is kind, and He is loving. The best part is, He doesn’t even look at us as slaves! He invites us to be more than slaves. Romans 8:37 says, “in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Jesus paid the price for our sins, which in a sense makes us in debt to Him. Except God wants more. He views this more as an adoption. Romans 8:14-17 says:
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
17 and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”
These texts not only apply to everyone in our daily lives but can be particularly encouraging if you have experienced trafficking. Jesus does not desire for you to live that circumstance. He has promised to set you free and is giving you all you need to be made free. If you or someone you know needs help getting out of slavery, you can contact the Human Trafficking hotline at 1 (888) 373-7888, or visit humantraffickinghotline.org.
Jesus says this in John 8:36, “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”