Slavery (on Thursdays)

[Huggy Bear]

This explains it.

Galatians 3:
23 Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed.
24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith.
25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,
27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

So, if I understand correctly, Jesus says that until heaven and earth pass, the law and the prophets won't change, Paul says you just gotta get baptized, none of it counts anymore. Who's wrong?

Also, if you actually read verse 28, you'll see that it actually belies your point, assuming you are highlighting that to show that the Bible does not condone slavery. Taking it the way you are (apparently) taking it, the NT also gets rid of Jews and Gentiles, males and females. No, it's saying that now anyone can be saved through Jesus, you don't have to be a free Israelite any more.

Getting a little off topic but i'll try to explain.

Only those "in Christ" are no longer under the law. The laws only purpose is to put you under condemnation and show that you are a sinner, it has no saving qualities. Think of it as a policeman, if you are accused of breaking the law, it's only job is to bring you to the judge.

Ezekiel 18:20-23
20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die.

As you can see the penalty for sin is death (eternal separation from God), so either you had to die or something died in your place. This is where the sacrificial lamb comes in, except that the blood of an animal had no power to change the nature of the offender. in other words the sinner still had the same desire to sin that got him in trouble in the first place.

John 1:29
29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

So now comes Jesus Christ who being born in a stable, symbolizing him as a lamb, "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved" (John 3:17). His blood has the power to transform the sinner removing the desire to sin, by having his nature replace the nature of the sinners.

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

So now when the sinner accepts Christ and recieves his spirit , he exists in a "state of grace" (unmerited favor), because now when God looks at Him he doesn't see the sinner he sees Christ (perfection). Which means he cannot be judged under the law, because he is found blameless.

John 5:24
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

This btw is exactly what the Jews celebrate during their Passover, being passed over for judgement. But how the Jews and Jesus tie in together is another topic.