DOCTRINE OF SLAVERY
  1. Slavery exists in 2 realms, the temporal and the spiritual, and in each realm there is a good and an evil connotation. Forced slavery is wrong.
  2. Slavery as an institution is not condemned in the Bible, Gen.24; 21:1-11; Philm.
  3. Safeguards for both master and slave were provided for in the Mosaic Covenant. Note: The master is always greater than the slave, Ex.21:1-11.
  4. Sources of slaves.
    1. By capture in war foreign slaves, Deut.21:10-14; Judg.5:30; 1Sam.4:9; 2Chr.28.
    2. By purchase, Ex.17:12,13,27; 21:2.
    3. By birth, Gen.15:3; Jer.2:14.
    4. As restitution for crime, Ex.22:3.
    5. By default on debts, 2Kgs.4:1.
    6. Self sale, Lev.25:29-43; Ex.25.
    7. Abduction (wrong), Ex.21:16; Deut.24:7.
  5. Slaves possessed certain rights under the Mosaic Law, Ex.21:1-11; Deut.15:12-18; Lev.25:44-46; Deut.21:10-14.
  6. Israel's Egyptian slavery (tyrannical).
    1. This was the subject of prophecy, Gen.15:13. Soul slavery leads to body slavery. The Jews were slaves in their souls before they were in body slavery.
    2. It was the result of anti-Semitism.
    3. This involved both soul and body slavery.
    4. They were delivered by grace by association with maturity.
    5. Their release was related to the Millennium, Ex.14,15.
  7. Eliezer epitomizes greatness in the servant class, Gen.24.
  8. Because of degeneracy, certain nations have been reduced to slave status, Gen.9:25-27.
  9. Soul slavery precedes overt slavery.
  10. Paul's instructions concerning the master-slave relationship teach the employer-employee relationship, Eph.6:5-9; Col.3:22; 4:1.
  11. The human race is born into slavery, 1Cor.7:21-23. The unbeliever is a 3-fold slave.
    1. The unbeliever is spiritually dead, a resident of the slave market of sin.
    2. The unbeliever is a slave to the old sin nature (OSN).
    3. The unbeliever is a slave to human viewpoint.
  12. God's plan solves the problems of satanic slavery based on positive volition.
    1. Doctrine of redemption applied.
    2. Doctrine of Rebound applied.
    3. Doctrine of the grace apparatus for perception (GAP) applied.
  13. The believer can become enslaved.
    1. Enslavement to the OSN is basic soul slavery, Rom.6:20.
    2. Advanced slavery = reversionism.
  14. Through Bible Doctrine the believer becomes God's slave through positive volition, Eph.6:6; Rom.6:16-22.
  15. Communicators are designated the slaves of Christ, Col.4:12.
  16. The book of Philemon teaches grace orientation toward others.

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