Responding

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

RESPONDING

Prov 29:19

19 A servant cannot be corrected by mere words; though he understands, he will not respond.

NIV

It is a good thing we are not servants. Jesus tells us that a servant has no permanent place in a family, but a son does.

John 8:34-37

34 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

NIV

A slave, although he may understands the words spoken to him about salvation through faith in Jesus, does not hear them, for his slavery is to sin. We cannot talk someone into the kingdom. Yes, we have an obligation to share the gospel message, but we cannot correct the lives of a person who is a slave to sin. This is up to the work of the Holy Spirit to convict this slave of his sin, and need of repentance. We were once that slave, but praise to God for sending Jesus to die on the cross for our sin and then going back into heaven so he could send the Holy Spirit to do his work in our lives, bringing us to repentance and belief in Jesus. Jesus has set us free, we are no longer slaves to sin, but free sons and daughter of God. We have a permanent place in the family and as well as we hear the words of correction. We have to understand that just by words of correction to someone who is considered a slave to sin, an unbeliever, they will not respond. We can only but witness to them about what God has done in our lives. This may give them a hope of having some of the same joy we have being set free and having a permanent place in the family of God. Yet our words are not enough. Slavery to sin is a strong bond. Sin is a strong taskmaster, holding tight the bonds it has wrapped its slaves in. Sin is a liar, telling its slave it is their right to do whatever they want, that they are free to do as they please. But it binds its slave even tighter with each act of sin, and deafens their ear to the sound of truth. The Holy Spirit is the only one who can break through those bonds and open the ears and hearts of the slave to sin. Let us continue to partnership with Him and be an agent of truth knowing exactly when and who he is working on to free them so they will not only understand, but respond.