1 Corinthians 7:17

But as God has distributed to every man, as the Lord has called everyone, so let him walk, and so I ordain in all the churches. Is any man called being circumcised? Let him not be uncircumcised. Is anyone 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 is called.

Are you called being a servant? Care not for it. But if you may be free, use it rather. For he that is called in the Lord being a servant is the Lord's free man. Likewise, he that is called being free is Christ's servant. You are bought with a price. Be not ye the servants of men. Brethren, let every man wherein he is called therein abide with God.

Father, as we open your word, we ask that you would open our hearts today. As we just sang, Lord, our petition is that the earth would be filled with your glory. We know prophetically that there is coming a day when you will rule and reign in righteousness and when the earth shall be filled with your glory as the waters cover the sea.

But Lord, in our lives now, as those who have yielded to your lordship and have become a part of your kingdom, you are reigning in our lives. Father, we pray that our lives would be glorifying to you in every way. We know that we must be washed by the washing of the water of your word, and our minds need to be transformed. We ask that by your word today, by your Spirit, through your word, you would transform our minds.

Jesus, as you prayed in John 17, sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth. Lord, we know your word is truth, and we ask that you would continue to transform not only our thinking but, Lord, our lives and our actions, that people would see you glorified in us.

For we ask this in Jesus' name, and all God's people agreed, saying, Amen. You can be seated.

Marriage has been the primary focus of our study in 1 Corinthians chapter 7, and it is still the root context of the verses before us today. However, in verses 17 through 24, there is somewhat of a parenthetical break from the focus on marriage. Paul returns to this topic right after this point when we read in verse 28, "If you are bound unto a wife, seek not to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Seek not a wife. But if you marry, you have not sinned. And if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless, such shall have trouble in the flesh," says Paul, "but I would spare you."

For the moment, Paul somewhat shifts his focus to a couple of other details aside from marriage. He provides a teaching that can certainly be a paradigm shifter for us. In almost every generation since the church was established, there have been those who have emphasized the social role and responsibility of the body of Christ within the gospel and the church. Even in our day, there are those who claim that Christianity should be a major player, if not the agent, for social reform, sometimes social revolution, and sometimes even social rebellion, if necessary.

As we previously noted, one societal issue among the Corinthian Christians that had caused some division was that of marriage. The Jewish converts in the church believed that to remain single was a sin. They even held a customary view that if a male was 25 years old and not married, he was accursed. They carried this cultural view into their Christianity within the church, asserting that since God commanded in Genesis 1:28 that man is to be fruitful and multiply, this was God's first commandment in rank. Of course, we know that they did not hold this as the greatest of all the commandments. Jesus was asked on a couple of occasions, and he even asked his hearers sometimes, what is the first and greatest commandment?

Every Jew understood the answer to that question from Deuteronomy chapter 6: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." They knew that to be the answer to the question, "What is the first and greatest commandment?" However, in order of rank, the first commandment was found in Genesis 1:28: "Man, be fruitful and multiply." Therefore, to be single in their view was to disobey this important and foundational commandment from the Lord. As a result, there was tremendous pressure within the church for people to be married. These Jewish converts held that true blessing came through marriage.

This would not have been too much of a problem if it weren't for another conflicting cultural view that came into the church through the Gentiles. In the church at Corinth and many of the churches in the Roman Empire, there was a mixture of both Jews and Gentiles. The Gentiles, coming from a Greek background and a Hellenistic worldview, brought in a philosophy of asceticism. They emphasized extreme self-denial and discipline, believing that the best way to honor God was to be single. In its most extreme form, this position told Christian married couples to divorce so they could devote themselves completely to God.

Paul, of course, addressed this view in the last couple of weeks, stating that this was not what God had called them to. As we read in verses 27 and 28, "If you're bound to a wife, do not seek to be loosed from a wife." There were those who argued that if you really wanted to be spiritual, you needed to separate and dedicate yourselves to the Lord, especially if a believer was married to an unbeliever. But Paul said, "No, that's not the case."

Division seemed to be the norm in the church at Corinth. They were divided over issues of marriage and singleness, as well as over who was the greatest apostle or leader. Some sided with Paul, others with Apollos, and some with Cephas. They were divided on just about everything you could be divided about. These divisions, as we see, continue to pile up as we go through 1 Corinthians.

Since its inception, the church has been the place that brings together in one entity those who would normally be divided by race, social class, or philosophical and cultural worldviews. Just look around this room today. There are people seated next to you that you would probably never associate with otherwise.

Aside from Christianity, the church is the entity that brings people together. The clash of race, class, and worldview would normally mean the undoing of a group, but in Christ, such is not the case. God is the one who tears down that middle wall of separation. In fact, it's one of God's ultimate desires: the great unity brought out of diversity.

Turn just a few books to the right of 1 Corinthians to Ephesians chapter 1. Ephesians chapter 1, verse 9, says, "Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, God has revealed to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he has purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times, he might bring together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him." In the first chapter of the book of Ephesians, Paul uses the words "in Christ" or "in him" fourteen times. It is God's desire to bring together all things in Christ, to break down those middle walls of separation.

Sadly, there are those who recognize this divine desire for cohesion within society, and they seek to use the gospel and the church as the impetus for that social movement to force change. There are people who would love to use the gospel and the church as a way to enforce such change. When Christianity becomes closely identified with a social movement, the message of the gospel is in danger of being lost.

When our whole focus zeroes in on trying to affect social change with the gospel, we lose sight of what we are truly called to do. While there is a need to be involved in certain social issues, we ought never to be involved in such social issues at the expense of the gospel. The preaching of the cross, the preaching of the gospel, which is foolishness to the world, is to be our primary focus as Christians. We must recognize that the gospel is not about social rebellion, social revolution, or even social reform.

Primarily, we do recognize the reality that wherever the gospel goes, it affects social transformation. I use the word "transformation" on purpose because it's not just about coming in and trying to affect some sort of change. Where the gospel goes, because of the message, it transforms.

How many of you are going through our Perspectives class right now on Tuesday nights? A number of you are, and you may remember several weeks ago in the Perspectives class, I believe it was in lesson six, we had an article written by a gentleman named Robert Woodbury. He talks about the impact of the gospel in his article. One of the things he says, from a statistical standpoint, is that societies where Protestant missionaries arrived earlier and were more prevalent ended up better off on all indicators of human thriving.

I have studied literacy, education, infant mortality, life expectancy, economic development, and the removal of corruption within politics, and the results are consistent between countries, and not only between countries but also in different regions of the same country. He says that where the gospel goes, it affects change. God works through changed lives to bring about the transformation of a society. However, the focus of the gospel is not ultimately to go and affect societal change.

The social effects of the gospel come from ministries of individuals who are transformed by Christianity, and those changes are not something that the church is actively trying to make happen. I think it's important to consider that truth, especially in the climate in which we are living in 21st century America. There seems to be a mindset that has invaded the church, and I would even say the evangelical church, suggesting that we need to stand up and do something about what's happening in our nation.

We've got to change society, and that was really the mantra of the last campaign cycle in 2008, and it's coming back up again right now. Yes, maybe there does need to be different things that should change, and I don't want to get too political this morning, but sure, there might need to be changes. However, that's not the focus of the gospel. It's not the emphasis of the gospel. The gospel does not equal social revolution, but it does have to do with personal and spiritual transformation.

Remember the words of Jesus to a governing official in His day.

Turn to the Gospel of John, John chapter 18. Jesus is speaking in John chapter 18 to the Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate. In verse 36 of John 18, Jesus tells Pilate something that we need to take careful note of. John 18:36 states, "My kingdom is not of this world." Have you seen that on a bumper sticker lately? Jesus continues, "If my kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight." Let's read that again: "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight. That I should not be delivered to the Jews, but now is my kingdom not from this world."

Our Christianity does not destroy homes or ruin friendships. It should not mean the creation of chaos by the destruction of cultural institutions in which we live. Within Christianity, as we've already seen in the book of 1 Corinthians, you can be a single Christian, you can be married, you can be widowed, or you can be divorced. You, as we will see today, can be a slave or free, Jew or Gentile, black or white, Hispanic, Republican, or even Democrat, and still be a Christian.

The church thrives under both liberty and tyranny, and you could make a very good case that it does better under tyranny than liberty. That is hard for us to wrap our minds around, but church history has proven it to be the case time and time again. The church has always seen the greatest growth and the greatest witness when it is oppressed and hard-pressed. It blooms and booms in America, but it also does in Cuba, China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. The places where it is actually dying the fastest are places like Western Europe, where it has the most liberty. That's a pretty interesting thing to consider. Why does it thrive in those areas and yet not see the same growth in nations like China?

Do away with its communities? Why? Because it is a kingdom that is not of this world. As Jesus said in Luke 17:21, the kingdom of God is within. It transforms individuals from the inside out, and then it does have a transforming effect upon the culture—or should—but that's not the primary focus of the gospel. Our Christianity does not destroy; it transforms and makes better.

Therefore, as we've already seen, if a wife becomes a Christian, she should become a better wife and not a rebellious one. If a husband becomes a believer, it ought to make him a better husband in the way he loves and takes care of his family. If a slave is converted to Christianity, he should be a better slave, as Paul would put it, and not really a revolutionary. You can be a Christian in any society because Christianity is a spiritual relationship with the living God. It has little or nothing to do with social status, but it transforms. It affects lives in a miraculous and awesome way because it's God's word and God's power.

As Paul said in Romans 1:16, the gospel of God is the power of God unto salvation, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. To all people, it is the power of God unto salvation, and it powerfully transforms lives. Through those lives that are changed, God can transform society.

I stumbled on a great article a few months ago, back in August, in the BBC entitled "Christian Faith Plus Chinese Productivity." It speaks about different industries in China today and different entrepreneurs who have become believers and followers of Christ, and how it has affected their businesses as they have evangelized their employees and given them opportunities to attend Bible study and learn the scriptures.

One of the entrepreneurs they spoke with said that every Monday morning, senior managers gather together to pray about the business. Once a week, members of the staff are encouraged to attend an on-site Christian fellowship where they read the Bible and pray for each other. Wing Gen Wow believes that by encouraging increasing numbers of his staff to convert to Christianity, his business will prosper. He tells me that when the staff do convert to Christianity, their attitude towards their work is transformed. "If you're a Christian, you're more honest," he says, "with a better heart. The people who aren't Christians aren't as responsible. I think it's very different."

I'm not saying that those who aren't Christians are all bad, but from the percentage of workers who are Christians, they seem to be more responsible. Also, when they do things wrong, they feel guilty. There is a difference. One of the workers in his factory said that if everybody became a Christian, it would have a very big impact on us and would really help the development of our factory.

Such a clear difference between those that are run by believers and those that aren't has been noted in China, to the extent that the Chinese government is looking into it. The wider role of Christian entrepreneurs in economic success has not gone unnoticed by the Chinese government. The article goes on to say that the impact of Christian-run businesses is now being studied by Chinese government officials. At the Chinese Academy for Social Sciences in Beijing, one professor states that what really interests him is the way in which the growth of Christianity and economic prosperity have happened side by side.

Chinese researchers are considering whether there is a link between economic prosperity and Protestant Christianity in Western history, and they are questioning what that might mean for today's China. It's very important to find the secret of social development, says this professor. The majority of Chinese understand that the potential force was Protestant Christianity. The notion that newfound faith can inspire a workforce to increase levels of productivity is being taken seriously not only by Christian businessmen but also by China's communist and officially atheist leaders.

This is an interesting thing to consider. They see that there's a difference, and there should be a difference. As we've been going through the book of 1 Corinthians, we've seen this as well. If you're a Christian and you're involved in immorality, Paul makes it very clear: the two do not coexist. If you're a Christian and you're causing division within your family, the two do not coexist. As we've already seen in 1 Corinthians 7, divorce is not consistent with Christianity.

We see all these different things and say that the person who's a believer ought to be an example of what life is really all about in this world. Why? Because Jesus promised that in Him is life, and that to its fullest—life more abundantly. Not that we'll be the most well-off people or that we'll have the greatest amount of prosperity, but we, as it boils down to a standard of living, should reflect the values of our faith.

So to speak, you can be one of the most wealthy people in the world and still be obnoxiously rude, arrogant, and unhappy. America is a great picture of that. Unfortunately, the rest of the world looks at America and says, "America is a what nation?" They equate the unhappiness and the greed with Christianity, and that's devastating. We have to agree with our president, whether you like his politics or not, when he says our nation is no longer a Christian nation. It is true. We are very much like the first-century Roman world, a nation filled with all kinds of diversity. The desire of our culture is to bring unity from that diversity.

We are the great melting pot. We want to see all that diversity brought together as one nation. That's the chant: one nation. However, we recognize that it can only happen if it's one nation under God. Only in Christ is there that unity. Only in Christ is there the breaking down of all the different things that separate us. For the last decade or so in our nation, there have been many divisive issues, and in the last several campaign cycles, it's been all about trying to bring us together.

After the presidential election of 2008, when the nation was divided 48% to 52%, many people tried to rally around the idea of unity. But the only thing that truly unifies is Christ. I know there will be those who disagree and say that's so narrow, but they are divided. Look around here today. There is unity in diversity across race, class, socioeconomic position—whatever it may be—because we are united in Christ.

We must also return to the fact that God has called us to peace. Christianity ought not to be the focal point where revolutions begin. We strive for God to transform through His people. God has called us to peace, as we saw in 1 Corinthians 7:15 last week, not to the establishment of a revolution. This is clearly seen in China today, where there are well over 100 million Christians who have quite a lot of power when you consider their numbers, yet they are not stirring up a revolution.

Against the communist government, they are just seeking to be good, godly witnesses within their society, and God is working through that. In 1 Corinthians 7, verse 17, Paul says, "But God has distributed to every man as the Lord has called everyone, so let him walk, and so ordain I in all the churches." Paul gives this principle that you must accept whatever situation the Lord has put you in and continue on as you were when God first called you.

The New Living Translation translates verse 17 as, "You must accept whatever situation the Lord has put you in and continue on as you were when God first called you." This is my rule, says Paul, in all the churches. Just so the Corinthians know that this isn't some special dispensation that I'm speaking only to you, I teach this everywhere I go. God has called you to remain steadfast in the position that He has called you to or that place wherein He first called you.

So important is this point that Paul reiterates it two more times in these eight verses. Look at verse 20: "Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he is called." In verse 24, he says, "Brethren, let every man wherein he is called therein abide with God." There is that principle spoken three times in eight verses. He gives the principle in verse 17, again in verse 20, and once more in verse 24.

In between these principles, he provides a picture and an application about this principle. In verse 18, he asks, "Is any man called being circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Is any man called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised." He emphasizes that circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the commandments of God.

As we've been going through 1 Corinthians, perhaps you've noticed that nothing is sacred in the sense that nothing is forbidden. Now we talk about the issue of circumcision, which was a very divisive issue 2,000 years ago. It tends to be somewhat of a divisive issue even in our day today, but it was especially contentious back then. To the Jew, circumcision was bigger than citizenship; to the Roman, it was an embarrassment.

It was looked at as a sign of bondage for this measly little group of people out in the Middle East, not something for high society Romans to be involved with. It was bigger than citizenship to the Jew and an embarrassment to the Roman. There was a temptation among some Jews living in a Roman-dominated culture to try and hide the issue of circumcision.

You might think that hiding it wouldn't be very hard to do since it's a rather private matter. We don't want to get into detail here, but it's not something you wear on the outside. However, we are speaking from an American 21st-century cultural mindset. In 1st century Rome, they had Hellenistic gymnasiums and Hellenistic baths where people would gather together, often not fully clothed. It was very evident who you were and where you were from because of external marks.

As a result, there were those within the Jewish culture who, because of that embarrassment, tried even through surgical procedures to deal with it and hide it. During the intertestamental period, which is the time between the book of Malachi in the Bible and the book of Matthew in the New Testament, there was a 400-year gap. For most of that period, the land of Israel was part of the Greek Empire, first conquered by Alexander the Great. After his death, four of his generals took over leadership. One of his generals held the position in the north in Syria, known as the Seleucid Empire, while another held the part in Egypt and Africa called the Ptolemies.

Israel was tossed back and forth between the Ptolemies and the Seleucids for over 200 years. In Israel, especially in Jerusalem, this Hellenistic culture began to filter in. They built Greek gymnasiums and Greek baths, and there was a temptation, as noted in the book of 1 Maccabees, chapter 1, verse 15, for Jewish men to try and hide their circumcision so that they could be identified as part of the culture.

You might think that’s weird, and it is kind of strange, but you know what? We do the same thing, don’t we? We try to hide that we’re Christians in our culture because they might think we’re nuts. We don’t openly declare it because we’re a little embarrassed about what they might think. That’s exactly what was happening.

Among the Jewish Christians there in Corinth, they were tempted to try and be 007 Christians—undercover believers. They didn't want anybody to know that they were Christians. They would only practice their faith for a little while on Sunday mornings and perhaps on Wednesday nights. They made sure no one saw them going in, and they were careful that no one was following them while they drove there.

Not only were there those who were embarrassed by where they came from, but there were also those who felt pressured to be circumcised and identify with Jews when they became Christians, as we saw at the church in Galatia. Remember, there was a group that followed Paul's ministry, insisting that if you were really a Christian, you had to prove it by being circumcised. Paul wrote the letter to the Galatians, and there was also the whole event at Jerusalem in Acts chapter 15, where they discussed this issue. They concluded that it was not necessary, and a whole bunch of Gentile men breathed a sigh of relief.

There was this pull for some, saying, "Oh, you've got to be circumcised to identify with the group, the culture of Christians." For others, there was the desire to hide their identity because it was kind of embarrassing, and they didn't want anybody to know who they were. What does Paul say? Circumcision is nothing; uncircumcision is nothing. The important part is keeping the commandments of God.

For those hearing this letter read to them in the church at Corinth, that would have been a pretty powerful statement. When the Jews who became Christians heard Paul say that circumcision is nothing, they might have thought he had departed from his Jewish heritage. How dare he! Meanwhile, the Gentiles would have responded, "Okay, circumcision is nothing; uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God." This aligns exactly with what Jesus had commissioned his disciples to teach.

In Matthew chapter 28, verses 19 and 20, known as the Great Commission, Jesus said, "Go ye therefore into all the world and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

What did He commission His disciples to do once a person converted to Christianity? He did not encourage them or pressure them to be circumcised; instead, He instructed them to teach others to observe what He had commanded. There are so many things to teach.

People are tempted to hang on to purely religious things, and I wonder what purely religious things we have added to the gospel that have nothing to do with the command of Jesus. We tell people that if they really want to fellowship, if they really want to be a Christian, then they have to fill in the blank. We even export that kind of mindset to other cultures when we carry Christianity as missionaries to other parts of the world. We say, "This is what Christianity looks like," although we are using an American mindset and worldview to proclaim it. This is what you have to do to be a Christian.

What is Paul saying? No, that's not the case. If you were a Jew when you became a believer, you can continue with your Jewish heritage and even your Jewish customs. Just recognize that those things don't save you; they don't make you better than anybody else. You need to put your faith and confidence in Jesus Christ for your salvation.

Now, Paul is not saying that you can just continue in whatever sinful practices you did before. We recognize that there are certain things that are purely prohibited in the Scriptures. If you were a thief when you became a Christian, you can't just add Jesus to your thievery and be a Christian thief. You can't say, "I rob from the poor or I rob from the rich and I tithe on it." No! To those in the city of Corinth, which was predominantly filled with prostitution, if a prostitute becomes a Christian, they must depart from wicked living and sinful living. However, culture and heritage don't necessarily need to change.

Paul continues, after he declares that principle once again in verse 21. He illustrates it a second time in verses 21 and 22: "Are you called being a slave? Care not for it; but if you may be free, then use it rather. For he that is called in the Lord being a servant is the Lord's free man. Likewise, he that is called being free is Christ's servant."

So, Paul moves from the religious issue that was perhaps the most divisive in his day—circumcision—to one of the most socially divisive issues of his day: slavery. The population of the Roman Empire was 60% slaves. For every one free man, there were three slaves. Many early Christians came to salvation.

Many were converted as slaves because the population of slaves was so large. Paul says, "Are you called to salvation? Have you become a believer and you're a slave? Continue to serve the Lord in the position that you're in, even in your slavery." If it's possible to be free, sure, that's the most desired position: to be set at liberty and no longer be under slavery. However, if you are a slave, continue to serve your master as unto the Lord. Serve that master diligently as if it were the Lord who was over you, because ultimately, it is.

He says the same thing to the church at Colossae and to the church at Ephesus. In Ephesians chapter 6, verse 5, it states, "Servants, be obedient to those that are your masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling and singleness of your heart as unto Christ." Serve them as if you're serving the Lord. In verse 6, it continues, "Not with eye service as men pleasers, but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart." You're serving Christ if you're in that position as a slave.

Some have criticized the Apostle Paul for not attacking the system of slavery in Rome. They argue that slavery is clearly not in line with God's character and nature. They ask, "Why didn't you just go on the offensive against it?" If he had, we must recognize that Christianity would have been seen as a political revolution against the Roman Empire, and it would have been squashed. Christians would have been needlessly killed in the revolution.

But know this for certain: wherever the gospel goes, it ultimately brings abolition. Wherever the gospel is clearly and truly presented, it always brings the liberation of slaves, women, and all those who are bound. He sets people free. Of course, God sets people free first spiritually; He has set us free from sin and from death. Ultimately, through the move of the gospel, we have seen abolition.

Yes, there are still slaves today. It is estimated that there are over 24 million slaves, especially in the area of sex trafficking throughout our world. It is terrible and a disgrace. By God's grace, it can be changed.

God does it through His Word. Paul says that if you can be free, then great, be free so that you can serve the Lord. However, if you are called to be a servant, then serve the Lord in that position, and you are Christ's free man. Amen.

William Barclay notes that it was possible for a slave to purchase their own freedom in ancient Rome. In the little bit of spare time that the slave had, they could take odd jobs and earn some money, however little it may have been. His master had the right to claim commissions on whatever money he made. However, beyond that, he could take that money and ultimately save it to buy his freedom.

The slave would deposit the money at one of the temples dedicated to the gods within the Roman Empire. The temples functioned somewhat like banks in ancient times. When the slave had saved enough money to purchase his freedom, he would bring his master to that temple. The priest would give the master the money that was paying for the slave's freedom, and the slave would ceremonially be purchased as a servant to that god and be set free from human bondage. Paul has this in view when he speaks about being set free to serve the Lord.

He goes on to say in verse 23, "You are bought with a price." We have been purchased, we have been redeemed; we are not our own. Therefore, we are to serve the Lord. We have been set free from sin, from death, from Satan, from hell, from judgment, and from the curse of the law, now to serve Christ. Every true Christian has already been delivered from the slavery of sin. In Christ, we have complete and glorious liberty—a liberty to serve God.

So, if you are a slave and you have become a Christian, serve the Lord with gladness in that position. Serve your master as if you were serving the Lord, not with eye service as men-pleasers. If you are a master over slaves, remember that you also are a servant of Christ, just as that slave is. You are as much the servant of Christ as he is. Serve the Lord and be good to those who are under you.

We see a great illustration of this in the book of Philemon. Read it later on this afternoon; it's only one chapter and will only take you a few minutes. Philemon was a man who was a slave owner and a Christian in the city of Colossae. One of his slaves was a guy by the name...

Onesimus ran away and found Paul, who ultimately led him to faith in Christ. What did Paul tell Onesimus to do? Well, now that you're a Christian, you need to go back to your master. What? Yes, I'm going to give you a letter to take to him so that he does not prosecute you, because you've committed a crime that in the Roman Empire was punishable by death.

I want you to take this letter to Philemon, and in that letter, if you read it later, you'll find that Paul encourages Philemon to let his servant Onesimus go, although he doesn't explicitly tell him to do that. He makes it very clear that Onesimus is a servant of Christ as well, and this man is now our brother.

You might say that slavery is not a significant issue here in Southern California in 21st-century America. Perhaps not. As I look around, there's probably nobody here who is a slave today. But how many of you are employed by someone? Praise the Lord if you are, because I recognize that probably 10% of you today aren't. If you're employed by someone, you're a servant of that employer, of that business.

Here's an interesting thing that happens a lot of times. You're employed as an engineer, a contractor, or whatever it may be, and you become a Christian. You start to follow Christ, and one of the things that often happens is that people say, "I don't want to do this anymore. I want to go serve the Lord."

That's great! Serve the Lord as a contractor. You're a minister of God as a contractor. Not only do you build people's homes, but you also help build people's lives. You're a lawyer? Great! We need Christian lawyers, don't we? Serve the Lord as a lawyer. You're a teacher? Praise God! Serve God in that environment. You're a firefighter? You help put out fires. Praise the Lord! Help put out the fires of hell in someone's life too. Be a minister of God in the environment that He has called you to.

If you were called to that position, remain there until you are freed. If the Lord should free you, if He should say, "You know what? I'm going to call you away from that and send you somewhere else to serve Me," praise God! But if not, serve the Lord in that position until you're freed. Serve Him with gladness, not with eye service.

What does that mean when Paul says that in Ephesians 6:6? It means that your employer or manager shouldn't have to constantly watch you, wondering if you're doing what you were called to do.

To evangelize people again? It's so disgraceful. I've heard people say that they don't want to hire Christians anymore. Why? Because they are always doing this and never doing their work. That's disgraceful. We ought to be the best workers in our environment. People ought to look at Christians and say, "I want to hire Christians." Why? Because they are honest, they have integrity, and they have self-control. When they do something wrong, they fess up to it; they don't blame it on the other person.

So, if you're in that position as God has called you, then serve Him. Why? You are bought with a price. In 1 Corinthians 6:23, it says, "Be not the servants of men." Remember, although you serve others in the culture, you're ultimately accountable to God. You're serving Him because you've been bought with a price. We already saw that in 1 Corinthians 6:23: "For you were bought with a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." We are not our own, and we've got to come to this recognition if we're to live in the way that Christ desires us to live in the culture in which we find ourselves.

Hudson Taylor, the great missionary to China, in his biography, said that not many months after his conversion, he had a leisure afternoon and retired to his own chamber to spend it largely in communion with God. He well remembers that occasion, how in the gladness of his heart, he poured out his soul before God, confessing his grateful love to Him who had done everything for him, who had saved him when he had given up all hope, even desire for salvation. He besought God to give him some work to do for Him as an outlet of love and gratitude, some self-denying service, no matter what it might be, however trying or trivial, something with which God would be pleased and that he might do for Him as God had done so much for him.

He remembers that as he, in unreserved consecration, put himself, his life, his friends, and his all upon the altar, a deep solemnity came over his soul with the assurance that his offering was accepted. The presence of God became unutterably real and blessed. Though he was but a child under sixteen, he remembers stretching himself on the ground and lying there silent before God with unspeakable awe and joy. For what service he was accepted, he did not know, but a deep consciousness that he was no longer his own took possession of him, which has never left him.

Been effaced. Oh, that the same understanding would come upon me, would come upon us in the culture in which we live: that we are not our own. We abhor the idea of slavery, and rightfully so, but we must recognize that we are bondservants of Christ. That means we have chosen to dedicate ourselves to Him, to serve Him wherever He would call, whenever He would call, however He would call us to.

Brethren, verse 24 states, "Let every man wherein he is called therein abide with God." Ultimately, it boils down to this: bloom where you're planted. Are you planted in the legal profession? Bloom and bring forth fruit to the Lord there. Are you planted as a teacher? Are you planted as a contractor? Where are you planted? Bloom where you're planted with fruit to the Lord. If the Lord so desires, He'll transplant you so that you would bloom wherever He plants you. Amen?

Let's stand and pray. Father, we need Your grace to effectively accomplish what You've called us to. Lord, we thank You that You've given us all things that pertain to life and godliness so that we might live this life in a godly way. You've given us every spiritual blessing in heavenly places. There's nothing that You've withheld from us, Lord.

So, God, I ask that You would empower us. Give us the will to do that which is pleasing to You and the ability to accomplish it for Your namesake. Lord, help us to never be ashamed of who we are in Christ and to make it very clear, even in a culture that is growing in its disdain for Your word and who You are. Lord, help us not to be embarrassed, to not be ashamed of the gospel, for it is Your power unto salvation for all who believe.

We praise You that You've redeemed us. God, would You redeem us spirit, soul, and body?

In our minds, in our hearts, and in our actions, we ask that we would be glorifying to You. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.