Be free for you were bought with a price.

1 Corinthians 7:23 (NLT)
23 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.


Writing to the Church of Corinth the Apostle Paul tells the Corinthians not to become slaves of men. But Paul was not talking about physical slavery; instead Paul was talking about being enslaved by the words of man. For some were already indentured slaves. Some had been bought to work the fields. Their freedom in Christ was not to change what God had called them to, but instead to renew their minds and transform them into someone who could share the Good News of Jesus Christ where ever they were. They may have been indentured to man, but Jesus had bought their freedom from sin.



Man has a way of interpreting things to meet his own needs; often taking words out of context trying to convince another they are right. The teachers of the law during Paul’s life were hung up on following their tradition and rules. They twisted God’s word to enslave men to their rules. It didn’t matter what God meant; it mattered how they interpreted God’s word. They failed to let the Holy Spirit work in their lives. Often Jesus would call the religious leaders out when they tried to force their traditions upon others. Jesus was God and had established the law. If anyone understood The Law it was Jesus. In the book of Matthew we find these words, “Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. Now tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” But Jesus knew their evil motives. “You hypocrites!” he said. “Why are you trying to trap me? Here, show me the coin used for the tax.” When they handed him a Roman coin, he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. “Well, then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.” His reply amazed them, and they went away.” Funny how the leaders who sought to control through their rules didn’t even go to confront Jesus. Instead they sent those who had been fooled by man’s word to confront Jesus and they were amazed that they could be wrong. Jesus paid your debt for sin. Don’t let man’s word hold you in slavery, but instead allow the Holy Spirit to work freely in your life.