Paul's Views On Slavery

Paul’s perspective has been misunderstood many times in history, but it should be a model for Christian life. Paul uses slavery as imagery to telling us that we should be enslaved to Christ. He uses this imagery to signify that we will have ultimate freedom under Christ. In Romans 6:16 he says, “Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?” He is saying here that no matter what, we are a slave to something. Either to worldly passions and sin or to God. Paul is saying that the one who is truly free is a slave to Christ. They are as free as mortal and dependent human beings can become, and the relationship results in freedom from sin which results in death.
Paul’s use of slavery in his letters was often metaphorical. He calls himself a slave to Christ multiple times. For example, in Romans 1, Paul opens his letter by saying, “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God.” In his letters he doesn’t just call himself a slave to Christ, he calls all the believers slaves to Christ. In 1 Corinthians 3:5 he
He encourages them to live as God has called them uniquely. “Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches… Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise, he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with