I'd rather be a slave

Egypt

The Israelites were slaves in Egypt for generations. They were forced into harsh and brutal labour. They were starved. They were beaten mercilessly by Egyptian captains. They were mocked incessantly. They were treated as lesser humans. Eventually God would free them from slavery and bring them on a journey into freedom and a land of their own.

They were free, but freedom comes with its difficulties. The people complained that food and water weren’t as readily available as it was back in Egypt. In fact, they often wished they were back in Egypt, even though that meant slavery.

Freedom is difficult. Freedom is risky. Freedom comes without creaturely comforts. Freedom is better than slavery. Some people prefer the safety and security of slavery to freedom.

America

The trans-Atlantic slave trade, or chattel slavery, lasted for generations within the United States. Black people were forced into harsh and brutal labour. They were starved. They were beaten mercilessly by their owners. They were mocked incessantly. They were treated as lesser humans. Eventually God would use people like William Wilberforce, Harriet Tubman, and Frederick Douglass to bring about the abolishment of slavery and the emancipation of slaves.

They were free, but freedom comes with difficulties. Many slaves could not read or write and found it difficult to live as free men in their society. They didn’t have homes of their own, or possessions of their own, and they lacked any sort of formal education. This was all exacerbated by the continued hatred of many people who believed that slavery should still exist.

Booker T Washington, author of “Up from Slavery”, was born into slavery. One author summarizes the end of the first chapter of Washington’s book like this: "There was much elation when freedom came. After a few hours, however, the rejoicing ceased, as the former slaves realized the great responsibilities that had suddenly been put on them. Older slaves especially had little strength or desire to earn a living in a new place, and they also fostered an attachment to their masters. Many therefore chose to stay at the plantation."

Freedom is difficult. Freedom is risky. Freedom comes without creaturely comforts. Freedom is better than slavery. Some people prefer the safety and security of slavery to freedom.

These examples of slavery were not self-imposed or self-inflicted. These two groups of people were stolen, sold, and forced, against their wills, into slavery. The difficulties they faced once their slavery ended were the result of the evil choices made by men. In contrast, since 2020, we’ve seen a different kind of slavery; a voluntary, self-directed enslavement.

Canada

In the Spring of 2020, we were told that a deadly virus was sweeping across the world. We were told that in order to save lives and not place a burden on our healthcare system we had to impose quarantines and lockdowns We were told to give our civil government tremendous power and authority over us to keep us safe and protected.

People willingly, and in many instances, gladly gave up their freedom to travel, their freedom to worship, their freedom to work and earn a living, their freedom to assemble and meet with friends and family, their freedom of privacy, and even their freedom to not have their faces covered.

Once the self-imposed and coerced slavery ended, given the relatively short period of the enslavement and the willing nature of the participant, you would think people would be quick and glad to rid themselves of their “shackles.” However, people are still, in August 2024, wearing masks and joyfully receiving multiple doses of an experimental medical injection. But why?

Freedom is difficult. Freedom is risky. Freedom comes without creaturely comforts. Freedom is better than slavery. Some people prefer the safety and security of slavery to freedom.

Slavery

The fact that people would willingly give up their freedoms and continue to operate as “slaves” once they were given their freedoms back is much more than just a psychological issue; it is a deeply spiritual one.

People have been created to worship and serve masters.  For some, that master is their own self. For others, it’s money. For others, it’s sexual experiences. Since 2020, we’ve seen people bow to the medical bureaucracy and/or the State. People are going to honour their masters, especially when they are promised safety, security, and some measure of provision.

Freedom

The Good News is that even though every person is ultimately a slave to sin, Jesus Christ came to this earth to free people from slavery and purchase their freedom. He has freed people from the harsh and evil master of sin and enabled them to serve the Living God. In Him, we no longer have to fear death. In Him, our rights and freedoms are established and protected.

Our goal is not simply telling people they are slaves; we must point them toward true freedom, otherwise they’ll exchange one evil master for another. We have to call people to turn from their sin and to Christ, so that they would be truly free, in the deepest spiritual sense. That freedom will still be risky and difficult, but we don’t have to be gripped by fear. The Lord will provide for His people, as He always has, to live in freedom and have abundant life.