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To: Restorer
To be perfectly fair, both the Old and New Testament consistently refer to believers as slaves of God.

Bull. The Bible says we are to serve others but it is a willing service that comes from our hearts....there is a huge difference between slavery and willingly serving others.

17 posted on 02/06/2006 1:14:08 PM PST by Lady Heron
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To: Lady Heron

I think it is important to remember that the Bible authors and original audience had a very different perspective to slavery than we do today. We think of it as close to the ultimate evil. (I agree.)

In ancient times it was a fact of life, not an evil system to be destroyed. Jesus routinely used slaves in his parables without implying that there was anything immoral about their condition. The Mosaic Law had many ordinances regulating slavery, none abolishing it or implying that the institution was wrong. Paul instructed an escaped slave, Onesimus, who had converted to Christianity to voluntarily return to his master, who had also converted since he had fled.

Christians are supposed to be willing slaves like Onesimus, not rebellious or resistant ones. The history of ancient times makes it clear that many slaves were truly devoted to their masters, sometimes dying in their defense or to avoid betraying them. This seems extremely odd to us, who assume that slaves have always been resentful and on the edge of rebellion. But that isn't the way slavery has always been viewed.


21 posted on 02/06/2006 1:48:28 PM PST by Restorer
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To: Lady Heron

The New Testament proposes the novel suggestion that God Himself became a slave and died for other slaves in order to free them from the consequences of Adam's sin.


24 posted on 02/06/2006 2:12:44 PM PST by RobbyS ( CHIRHO)
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