Was visiting Charleston with the family these past couple of days and came upon a sad and terrible chapter in Charleston's history. Slaves were auctioned here, at the Slave Mart, until approximately 1863. Those slaves would stand on a table three feet high and ten feet long, and slave owners would pass by them to look them over before bidding. On this site is now a museum that chronicles the facility's former atrocities.
I was grieved just looking upon this old facility and at the same time thankful that slavery is no longer a part of our American culture. The sad reality is that slavery still exists in our world due to the depravity of the heart that leads one individual to think that they can claim ownership over another. Let us continue to pray and work towards an end to slavery of any kind in our world.
And yet the Scriptures declare an even more horrific reality, we are in bondage to and slaves of sin. Sin is our master. (John 8:34; Romans 6:20)
For those who have trusted in Christ, we have obtained our freedom from sin's mastery and this promise holds true for us:
Romans 8:22 "But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life."
We belong to God and the blessings that come from being part of God's family is eternal life! We have been set free from sin and ushered in to the life giving power we have in Christ to say "no" to sin and live righteously before God. That is something to rejoice in!