Here is another letter in my Alphabet of Love (see posts for July 12 and August 2). Check out the word “enthrall.” I’m not so great at pointed pen writing, but the word itself is fascinating.

In preparing to letter the words for the letter E, I found the word “enthrall.” It is rather old fashioned and almost medieval in its connotations.

enthrall \in-thrȯl\ vt 1: to hold in or reduce to slavery 2: to hold spellbound: CHARM

I belong to Jesus Christ. He has made me His own by dying in my place under the curse of God on my sin. The book of Romans describes my relationship to Him this way.

Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?  But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.  Romans 6:8-18

 

This Scripture really impacts me. The idea of being a slave is sobering. Imagine being a servant (slave) in the household of a wealthy feudal baron. The castle is a stone structure. Your quarters are probably in an unheated attic. You must rise before dawn, dress and hurry to prepare every need for your master.  Not one hour of your day, not one day of your week not one week of your year, or one part of your life is free from the whims and needs of another. Indeed, a difficult situation if you are slave to a kind master, but utterly miserable if he is a cruel, thoughtless or demanding owner. Life is an unending cycle of work which, at best, does not enrich you one bit. At worst, your life is a grinding, miserable endurance contest.

Now, think of what Paul is saying about our relationship to sin- and ultimately the tyrannous evil lord of sin: satan. “You were slaves of sin.” (v. 17) In other words, you were “enthralled” by satan. Every single ugly word from your mouth, every mean thought, and every dishonest action was part of your slavery. “the devil made you do it” –you were enslaved by sin and couldn’t help but sin. It was part of your spiritual DNA.

But hear the glorious good news! You have died with Christ so death and sin are no longer your masters. Now you are the “slave of righteousness.” You are free from the wicked, misery of slavery to sin. The shackles of shame, guilt and consequences are broken. You are free! Free Forever! Free to love God and others. Free to enjoy the perfect liberty of Christ.

Jesus’ good gift to me of His life in place of mine has me enthralled by Him. I am His Love-slave. Oh, what a happy situation! I am forgiven. I no longer bear the shame of my sin. I no longer am tyrannized and unable to keep myself from sinning. Jesus helps me live rightly and in the way of Love. I am enthralled by Jesus!

QUESTION: To whom are you enslaved? The devil? Jesus?