The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Corinthians — Section 231

nll conditions of life; it is independent of family relations, independent of ecclesinsticnl institutions, independent of socinl dist.inctions, whether slave or master, rich or poor, and where it exists it should be retained amidst a.11 changes and a.tall costs. "Abide in your calling." Vers. 22-24.-Per.sonal Christianity for the bond and the free. "For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also be that is called, being free, is Christ's servant. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God." Although the remarks in our previous sketch include these three verses, there is sufficient meaning in them to justify, if not to require, a separate notice. Under- standing, as before intimated, the expression, "called in the Lord," and again, " abide with God," to mean personal Christianity, the verses include three general truths. 1. 'l'bat personal Christianity may be possessed DY THOSE IN SLAVERY AS WELL AS DY THOSE IN FREEDOM. " For be that is called in the Lord, beino- a servant [a slave], is the Lord's freeman." Slavery under the Greek and Roman gove;nments was an established institution. In Corinth slaves abounded. Many of these had been converted by the gospel, and were in connection with the Corinthian Church. Naturally enough, some would desire their emancipation, and the more so as Christianity gave them a sublime sense of their manhood. Paul's advice is not to be too anxious on the subject of their enfranchisement, but rather to be anxious to" a.bide" in their" calling," their reiigion. Christianity is for man as man, not for him as rich or poor, erudite or rude, bond or free, but for him as a man; it comes to him as outward nature comes to him, with equal freeness and fitness for all. The physical, civil, or ecclesiastical condition of n. man, therefore, in this life is no excuse for his not becoming a Christian: though bound in chains, his soul is free--free to think, to resolve, to worship, aml it is with the soul that Christianity bas to do. Hence religion in slavery is not an uncommon fact. Slaves were members of many of the first Churches, and religion reigned amongst a large number of those who were held in bondage in the Southern States of America. lL That the possession of personal Christianity, whether by the bond or the free, L'\'.VESTS JUN WITH THE HIGHEST LIBEDTY. Be is the "Lord's freeman," whoever be ia; the Lord has emancipated his soul, however firmly manacled his bodily limbs. All the inner cha.ins that bound bis soul, to mere earthly influence, fleshly pleasures, and sinful pursuits, a.re snapped asunder, and he revels in the liberty wherewith "Christ makes his people free." What freedom like this freedom from the dominion and consequence11 of moral wrong? This is the "glorious liberty of the children of God." "He is the freeman whom the truth makes free, And all a.re slaves besides." ill. That the possession of the highest liberty LESSENS NO MAN'S MIGHTY OBLIGATION TO SERVE CHRIST, " Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.» All creatures are the property of the Creator. No creatn:e owns itself. The highest angel has nothing in him that he can call bis own. Man 1s not. ~er~ly the p~opert~, of God on the ground of creaturesbip, but on the ground of Christ s rnterpos1t1on. Ye are not your own: ye are bought with a. price: therefore glorify God in yo~r body, and in your spirit, which are God's." This being the case, however free and mdependent of men, you must ever be the servant of Christ; serve ~im heartily, faithfully, loyally, and for ever. His service is perfect freedom, his service 1s heaven. . CoKCLUSION. See how Christianity is to work out necessary reformations for the world, not by force but by influence, not from without but from within, by working from the centre to the circumference. "There are," says F. W. Robertson, "two mistakes which are often made upon this subject : _one is the error of supposing that outward institutions are unnecessary for the formation of character, and the olh~r that of supposing that they are all that is required to_ form the human soul. If w~ rightly understand the duty of a Christian man, it is this-to make his brethren free ID~ardly and outwardly: first inwardly, so that they may become masters of themselves, rulers of their passions, having the power of self-rule ~nd self:contro); and t~en out~ardlr, so that there may be every power and opportumty of aevelop1ng the ID ward life; 1n en. vu. l-'10.J THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 233 ---- ------------------------------- the lnngunge of the prophet, " to break the rod of oppression, and let the oppressed go free." "Who e.re the free? They who hove ecorn'd the tyrant e.nd hie rod, And bow'd in worship unto none but God; They who he.ve me.de the conqueror's glory dim, Unche.iu'd in soul though man11cled in limb, Unwarp'd by prejudice, uuawed by wrong, Friends to the weak, and feorleee of the strong; They who cou!J change not with the changing hour, The self-s1<me me.n in peril and in power; True to the law ofright, e.s warmly prone 'l'o grant another's e.s maintain their own; Foes of oppression wheresoe'er it be;- These are the proudly free.n