Slavery

[imhereforyou]

I saw someone say they're 'a slave to christ'.
The term slave/slavery has a negative connotation to most of us so it seemed odd to use the term in such a manner.
I get the meaning as it was used but I wonder how beneficial/positive it is to use such a word (or any other word) that has such a negative history in a way that is meant to be positive.

We all know words and their usage changes over time and even between cultures in current times, but as a teacher once told me "words have meanings - mean what you say and say what you mean."

Does society do this (use a word/term/phase that's know to be negative in a opposite manner) with any other belief system or is it unique within Christianity? Can you think of examples?
Is it healthy to do such a thing? Does, in this instance, using such a negative word/phrase/term in such a manner dilute, or take away the historical impact, word/phrase/term? Or does it make a positive meaning less positive?
Or should we be more loose with words and their meanings?

[Willum]

A good advocate of the OT would say:
What God condones, is it lawful to oppose?

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 1 by imhereforyou]

There are probably hundred of scriptures in the bible that refer to slaves and slavery. In Hebrew (and possibly Greek) there was no difference between the term "slave" and "servant" and like "public servant" today, was not necessarily viewed as a dishonerable position.

The bible speaks of God's people as his slaves. While slavery to humans has over time, caused much misery, slavery to God and Christ is presented in scripture under a favorable light. Like "gay" which once meant "happy", words do change meaning or rather usage, over time, so translators of ancient works have a fine line to walk between respecting the ideas in the original and accurately conveying those ideas to a modern readership. I think a lot of bibles do try and do this by opting for "servant" rather than "slave" for this reason, but in either case the idea is still there of servitude of someone in a lower position to a master.

"I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn't confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me." - JESUS CHRIST

JW

[Overcomer]

We can either be slaves to sin or slaves of Christ. There are no other options.

Jesus put it this way to the unbelieving Pharisees: "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin" (John 8:34).

The slave to sin has no choice in the matter. He is powerless to get out of the bondage of sin on his own. In fact, he may not even realize that sin has enchained him. The only way he can get free from it is through Jesus. Paul says this, "“You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness� (Romans 6:18).

The slave to Christ is someone who chooses to enter into that relationship with Jesus and, when in that relationship, the Holy Spirit breaks the bondage of sin that holds every human being in its grip.

Jesus says this: "He who the Son sets free is free indeed" (John 8:36).

When a person accepts Christ and is filled with the Holy Spirit, that person enters into a life-long process of sanctification in which the believer gradually "cleans up his act" with the help of the Holy Spirit. You won't find any perfect Christians, but you will find Christians going through a process of perfection.

Paul wrote this:

"We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin" (Rom. 6:6).

And he wrote this:

"And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in the Lord. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ" (Cor. 7:22).

To be a slave of Christ means being free to live God's way and there is no better way to live.

For more on slaves and freedom, see these:

https://bible.org/article/free-slaves-christ

https://www.gotquestions.org/slave-to-sin.html

[Clownboat]

I saw someone say they're 'a slave to christ'.
The term slave/slavery has a negative connotation to most of us so it seemed odd to use the term in such a manner.
I get the meaning as it was used but I wonder how beneficial/positive it is to use such a word (or any other word) that has such a negative history in a way that is meant to be positive.

We all know words and their usage changes over time and even between cultures in current times, but as a teacher once told me "words have meanings - mean what you say and say what you mean."

Does society do this (use a word/term/phase that's know to be negative in a opposite manner) with any other belief system or is it unique within Christianity? Can you think of examples?
Is it healthy to do such a thing? Does, in this instance, using such a negative word/phrase/term in such a manner dilute, or take away the historical impact, word/phrase/term? Or does it make a positive meaning less positive?
Or should we be more loose with words and their meanings?

It is an insult to those on this planet that suffer from actual slavery. Therefore, said poster should stop using the phrase. Pretending to be something that you are not while there are real people suffering from it, is immoral IMO.

Said poster has been informed of this many times. Unfortunately, one side affect of religion is the ability to be insulting/immoral while feeling justified. Yay religion!!!

[bluethread]

It is an insult to those on this planet that suffer from actual slavery. Therefore, said poster should stop using the phrase. Pretending to be something that you are not while there are real people suffering from it, is immoral IMO.

Said poster has been informed of this many times. Unfortunately, one side affect of religion is the ability to be insulting/immoral while feeling justified. Yay religion!!!

One does need to be aware of the culture into which they are speaking and that is the problem with taking Scriptural phrases and using them in common language today. That said, do you also chastise those who speak of being "wage slaves" and "slaving away" at their jobs?

[Willum]

[Replying to post 6 by bluethread]

[Replying to post 5 by Clownboat]

Genocide, murder, slavery, adultery, incest.
It is OK when some people do it.

Canaan, Moses, Biblical direction, David and Bathsheba, Lot and daughters.

When some people sin, it isn't sin, somehow...
Or, when, like bluethread clarifies these things, they are only bad in context.

[bluethread]

[Replying to post 7 by Willum]

I am not going to speak for clownboat, but there isn't just one form of slavery. Generally, when the term is used today, it refers to lifetime hard labor brought about by involuntary imprisonment. It need not be for a lifetime, hard labor, involuntary, or imprisonment. Those four factors provide for a wide range of possible situations. Admittedly, none of them are preferable and the Scriptures note that. However, there are cases where some of them might be practical solutions.

[imhereforyou]

[Replying to post 4 by Overcomer]

We can either be slaves to sin or slaves of Christ. There are no other options.

While I appreciate the 'black-n-white' sense as presented here, it makes me wonder why this isn't more common in the bible?
Why is it OK for one gospel to say one thing while another says something different (or not at all)?
I would think it all would be 'black-n-white'....

[imhereforyou]

[Replying to post 8 by bluethread]

but there isn't just one form of slavery.

That's the point of the thread, in a way: should there be only one form?
Or does it matter context? If so, should context matter? If so, does it change over time? Why? Should it change over time?
Or should UP mean UP and BROWN mean Brown - especially when it comes to things that are said to never change like God and the bible.