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Becoming Progressive and Adaptable MinistersThe Watchtower—2005 | December 1
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10, 11. How did Paul tailor his illustrations to his listeners? (See also footnote.)
10 What did Paul do when he wanted to explain deep Bible truths to his listeners? The apostle was adept at using common, easily understood illustrations to clarify complex spiritual ideas. For example, Paul knew that the people in Rome were acquainted with the system of slavery throughout the Roman Empire. In fact, many of the people to whom he was writing were probably slaves. Paul therefore used slavery as an illustration to bolster his powerful argument about a person’s choice of submission either to sin or to righteousness.—Romans 6:16-20.
11 “Among the Romans,” says one reference work, “an owner could free a slave outright, or the slave could purchase his freedom by paying his owner. Freedom could also be arranged if ownership was transferred to a god.” A freed slave could continue to work for his master for wages. Paul evidently alluded to this practice when he wrote of the individual’s choice of which master to obey—sin or righteousness. Christians in Rome had been freed from sin and were now owned by God. They were free to serve God, yet they could still choose to serve sin—the former master—if they so desired. That simple but familiar illustration would prompt those Christians in Rome to ask themselves, ‘Which master am I serving?’b
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Becoming Progressive and Adaptable MinistersThe Watchtower—2005 | December 1
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b Similarly, in explaining the new relationship between God and his spirit-anointed “sons,” Paul used a legal concept quite familiar to his readers in the Roman Empire. (Romans 8:14-17) “Adoption was essentially a Roman usage, and was closely connected with the Roman ideas of family,” says the book St. Paul at Rome.
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