September 21st 2014
Did God Really Give Mankind Freewill?
Leviticus 25:44-46 (NIV)
Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. You can will them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.
At a recent event members of our Creationist group had a long discussion, about 1 hour, with a young man who said, “You cannot use the Bible as a moral example as it teaches that God tells us that having slaves is okay!” He quoted the above verses as proof that God teaches His followers that having slaves is okay, and then he asked us, if we believed it is okay to have slaves? Our answers against his claims were not pleasing to me, so this commentary is now being written! Before writing a counter to such claims certain other societal reference must be made.
We must start at the beginning to lay groundwork for better understanding why God would seem to condone that practice of having and owning slaves. First we need to understand the “Fall of Man.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." (Genesis 1:27-28) When God/Jesus created mankind, he instilled into us the requirement for us to maintain the earth He had created for us. Mankind was given the responsibility to, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
Please note this order was given by God to mankind, before Adam (they) had committed that first sin, which brought on the fall of mankind, and a curse on them (us), and on the earth too. Eve was fooled by the crafty serpent, when he said, "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:4-5) God told Adam what his sin of eating the forbidden fruit had caused. To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’ "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. (Genesis 3:17-18)
And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live for ever." So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. (Genesis 3:22-23) It is very important that we understand what God is saying here to Adam and us! God is saying we have retained our freewill, but we have lost our innocents, thus we now know both good, which Adam knew before he sinned, however, he (we) now also know evil. Immediately when Adam sinned part of the curse was to taint Adam’s soul with imparting to him a sinful nature. This sinful nature would be passed on to all of the offspring of Adam and Eve, thus mankind now has a sinful nature that directs our thoughts to sinful things, as appearing as good. However, and this is very important, we also retained our GOD GIVEN FREEWILL!
Now back to the selected verses and the rules God is establishing with the Israelites (God’s chosen people) about slave ownership. I left off the following verse, which was written just before the selected verses, and is very important to now include. Do not rule over them ruthlessly, but fear your God. (Leviticus 25:43) Here God is laying the groundwork for His people having slaves, and even owning them as a possession. Why is God telling them that slave ownership is okay? God is NOT saying it is okay to own slaves, but instead God is saying you have chosen to own slaves, here is how you should treat them. Mankind, in this case, the Israelites, have chosen to have slaves! Because of their freewill, God is not making them stop this practice, but God is guiding them to treat them more humanly.
So here we are today still living in the world God created for us, and mankind is still owing slaves, and they (we) are allowed to do so, because mankind has a freewill, and we also have a sinful nature! In this cursed world in which mankind is still in-charge there are those in power who believe that having slaves is not only okay, but it is financially rewarding, as slaves supply a workforce that can produce products at a lower price. In the USA today we look for bargains on the products we buy. Many of such bargains are possible because the laborers’ who produce these inexpensive products are child laborers or others who are being held in some form of slavery.
Slavery did not end during the Old Testament times, as previously stated, we all know there is slavery still being practiced today! Paul wrote about people in the early Christian churches still having slaves, and how the slaves should be treated. Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven. (Colossians 4:1) Again, here one could argue that Paul is condoning Christians to own slaves, but that is not really true. Paul is again writing about those who have slaves, because of their freewill and sinful nature, that they treat their slaves more humanly.
Next Paul writes about how we are all slaves to Jesus, therefore, in a sense, we are all slaves! Having Jesus in your heart allows His followers to serve everyone else s though they own us, but that we serve them through loving them as people chosen by God. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. (Ephesians 6:6-9)
Paul wrote about the body of Christ, or Christians, to the Colossian church, and us! Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3: 11-14) Paul then further wrote about true freedom that all Christians possess, whether they are free or being held as a slave on this earth. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)
The Bible is the only book on this earth that expounds absolute truth, and thus, is the only guidebook that can point you to Jesus, who is the only man who possesses the way to heaven. Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6) This is the only moral guide revealed by God and written by mankind! Be a slave to Christ and follow Him only! Serving mankind through the love of Jesus!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Leviticus 25:44-46 (NIV)
Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. You can will them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.
At a recent event members of our Creationist group had a long discussion, about 1 hour, with a young man who said, “You cannot use the Bible as a moral example as it teaches that God tells us that having slaves is okay!” He quoted the above verses as proof that God teaches His followers that having slaves is okay, and then he asked us, if we believed it is okay to have slaves? Our answers against his claims were not pleasing to me, so this commentary is now being written! Before writing a counter to such claims certain other societal reference must be made.
We must start at the beginning to lay groundwork for better understanding why God would seem to condone that practice of having and owning slaves. First we need to understand the “Fall of Man.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." (Genesis 1:27-28) When God/Jesus created mankind, he instilled into us the requirement for us to maintain the earth He had created for us. Mankind was given the responsibility to, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
Please note this order was given by God to mankind, before Adam (they) had committed that first sin, which brought on the fall of mankind, and a curse on them (us), and on the earth too. Eve was fooled by the crafty serpent, when he said, "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:4-5) God told Adam what his sin of eating the forbidden fruit had caused. To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’ "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. (Genesis 3:17-18)
And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live for ever." So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. (Genesis 3:22-23) It is very important that we understand what God is saying here to Adam and us! God is saying we have retained our freewill, but we have lost our innocents, thus we now know both good, which Adam knew before he sinned, however, he (we) now also know evil. Immediately when Adam sinned part of the curse was to taint Adam’s soul with imparting to him a sinful nature. This sinful nature would be passed on to all of the offspring of Adam and Eve, thus mankind now has a sinful nature that directs our thoughts to sinful things, as appearing as good. However, and this is very important, we also retained our GOD GIVEN FREEWILL!
Now back to the selected verses and the rules God is establishing with the Israelites (God’s chosen people) about slave ownership. I left off the following verse, which was written just before the selected verses, and is very important to now include. Do not rule over them ruthlessly, but fear your God. (Leviticus 25:43) Here God is laying the groundwork for His people having slaves, and even owning them as a possession. Why is God telling them that slave ownership is okay? God is NOT saying it is okay to own slaves, but instead God is saying you have chosen to own slaves, here is how you should treat them. Mankind, in this case, the Israelites, have chosen to have slaves! Because of their freewill, God is not making them stop this practice, but God is guiding them to treat them more humanly.
So here we are today still living in the world God created for us, and mankind is still owing slaves, and they (we) are allowed to do so, because mankind has a freewill, and we also have a sinful nature! In this cursed world in which mankind is still in-charge there are those in power who believe that having slaves is not only okay, but it is financially rewarding, as slaves supply a workforce that can produce products at a lower price. In the USA today we look for bargains on the products we buy. Many of such bargains are possible because the laborers’ who produce these inexpensive products are child laborers or others who are being held in some form of slavery.
Slavery did not end during the Old Testament times, as previously stated, we all know there is slavery still being practiced today! Paul wrote about people in the early Christian churches still having slaves, and how the slaves should be treated. Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven. (Colossians 4:1) Again, here one could argue that Paul is condoning Christians to own slaves, but that is not really true. Paul is again writing about those who have slaves, because of their freewill and sinful nature, that they treat their slaves more humanly.
Next Paul writes about how we are all slaves to Jesus, therefore, in a sense, we are all slaves! Having Jesus in your heart allows His followers to serve everyone else s though they own us, but that we serve them through loving them as people chosen by God. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. (Ephesians 6:6-9)
Paul wrote about the body of Christ, or Christians, to the Colossian church, and us! Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3: 11-14) Paul then further wrote about true freedom that all Christians possess, whether they are free or being held as a slave on this earth. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)
The Bible is the only book on this earth that expounds absolute truth, and thus, is the only guidebook that can point you to Jesus, who is the only man who possesses the way to heaven. Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6) This is the only moral guide revealed by God and written by mankind! Be a slave to Christ and follow Him only! Serving mankind through the love of Jesus!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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