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What Am I Enslaving Myself To?

Writer's picture: Brian DoyleBrian Doyle

I used to be able to remember why I walked in a room. Now, some of this has to do with age, but I think a lot of my cognizant leaking has to do with the fact that I have something in my pocket that does all the thinking for me. I have my schedule, my entertainment, my contact information, my e-mail and so many other needed things in my phone, that I let it do it all for me. And guess what? I am now enslaved to that device. I have the urge to check it while I am walking from one place to another, while I am driving (scary), and while I am trying to read, and Lord help me if I get a text or notification! I have the attention span of a gnat, because I want to be on that device.

 

Friends, I say that because many of us have stuck our foot in that bear trap, willingly, and now find it difficult, if impossible, to get out. What are we enslaving ourselves to? We are being fed information at a rate our brains can’t handle, we’re being told what to do and say by Google, Siri, or whatever other personality is programmed into our devices, and we’re doing it so willingly! I would rather, though, be a slave of righteousness. Not righteousness I am compelled to download to a device, to have reminders for, and safe guards to protect, but righteousness for the sake of pleasing God, which is something I have to struggle and strive towards, instead of being given it easily. I don’t want a reason to boast, worshipping the work of my hands, declaring “I have accomplished good works because of my schedule, my cunning, and the work of my hands.” That is idolatry. I want to say I strained toward Christ. I sought Him out, and He saved me. Everything else is pretentious and self-serving.

 

Romans 13:8-14

 

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

 

Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

 

Galatians 5

 

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

 

Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

 

You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

 

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

 

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

 

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.




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