Free From All Men

“For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.” (1 Corinthians 9:19)

“Servant” comes from the Greek word, “Duoloo”. The Bible most often translates it as, “under bondage”

Now re-read what Paul wrote using the second translation.

For though I be free from all men, yet have I have put myself under bondage unto all, that I might gain the more.

To serve and minister to others. To uplift and edify. To love your neighbor as yourself. That’s what Paul is talking about.

Now hold that thought for a second.

To sin literally means to, “miss or wander from the path of uprightness” (Thayer's Greek Lexicon).

Paul, boy have we sinned! Boy have we wondered off the path. No longer are we concerned about others. No longer do we make our self, “servant to all”. Today we are overly concerned with self. Selfie cellphone pictures epitomizes the self-absorbed sinners that we have become.

Did you notice the root word in bondage is bond? When we serve others, when we are concerned over their welfare we create a bond. This bond is unbreakable when it is the spirit of God inside of you that is reaching out to others.

We have “unlearned” the God principle of when we serve others, we gain the more.

Bill Hitchcock