Christians are freed from the law, but as Paul communicates in his description of himself at the opening of Romans, Christians are now slaves to Christ. Have we Christians, then, jumped from the frying pan into the fire? A slave is a slave is a slave, right? Certainly not. A slave of Christ is a privilege and a pleasure. While being a slave to the law saw only a future of inadequacy and failing, being a slave to the King of kings and Lord of lords is an unspeakably richer and more optimistic endeavor. On the other hand, being a slave to Christ also means that Christians are to labor for Him, and that, to be a Christian, means taking up one’s cross and suffering the humility and persecution of a slave. Yes, it’s a privilege. But it’s also a chore.