2 Corinthians 1:24 – “Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand.” NKJV

1 Corinthians 7:17-24 – “But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches. 18 Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters.  20 Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. 21 Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it.  22 For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 24 Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called.”  NKJV

Most people understand that Freedom is a precious commodity.  It is essential to understand what Freedom is, what False Freedom is, and what it means to be Free from Law and Sin.  Those are incredibly important, but one Freedom must be addressed: “Freedom from Man.” 

When men become spiritual dictators, it creates a hazardous and undesirable condition.   In 1 Corinthians 7, listed above, the apostle Paul lays down a fundamental principle: we should not be subject to people; we should be subject to God.

That makes the setting of this passage beyond essential but critical.  If we fail to grasp the setting, we will arrive at some false conclusions and develop some false interpretations.  As I read and studied this passage, I realized that Paul was battling due to some Corinthians abusing their Freedom in Jesus. 

The Corinthian Church was made up of people who, by and large, had lived in gross sin.  Many had been involved in extreme wickedness and now had Freedom in Jesus.  Galatians 3:28 advises us, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”  That is important!  The Corinthian believers knew this truth but were taking it to the extreme.  Simply, they were using their freedom to the point of license.

They took that passage and argued that marriage was abolished in Christ, nationality was erased, those in slavery were no longer to obey their earthly masters, etc.  When we come to Christ, our sex, nationality, ethnicity, and social and economic status do not immediately change, and some things never change.  Salvation affords us the potential to make the most out of every situation. 

Salvation is a spiritual change!  It can and should bring about change in the home, on the job, and in society.  The crucial point is that God does not work from the outside in. He works from the inside out.  He changes us, and that change results in a changed attitude and actions, and that results in changes around us.

Paul offered a foundational principle, “Remain as you are and allow God to make the change.”  As you consider vv. 7, 17, 20, and 24, we understand that we are to learn to make the most of our present condition and situation.  As we allow the changes to come from within, we find that God’s incredible miracle of change comes. 

Remember, we are Free, not Independent!  No believer can be independent of other believers; likewise, no believer should be totally dependent on other believers.  Our dependency is Christ, not man.  No human is to be a dictator in the lives of others.  That is true in politics, economics, marriage, and spiritually.  The slaves were still slaves, but they were Free!  The masters were to be slaves to Christ but still masters.  You and I are free from the dominion and domination of people, but that does not make us independent.  The change in our lives must begin on the inside. 

Paul presented four arguments for us to remain as we are and allow God to make the changes from within.  We can cover them later, but for now, I pray that each of us realizes that we are to obey God rather than man when man’s decrees violate God’s.  We are not islands in life but connected to every other believer, and although we are Free, we are not Independent.

God, bless you richly is my prayer and desire!