The following is God’s introduction to the Ten Commandments, which He gave to the Israelites:

 Ex 20:2

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

 Then in verse three, God immediately begins to give them His Ten Commandments: “You shall have not other gods before me…”

 Some would think: this is strange; God is reminding them that He brought them out of slavery, and now He is introducing them to His own slavery—the Ten Commandments.

 Well yes, this would seem to be the case.  But if you know Romans 6, you know that slavery to God leads to righteousness (v. 16).  And when you are a slave of God it is not at all like being in bondage to a hard task master and to sin.  In fact, when you give yourself as a slave to God you feel a new sense of freedom and joy and peace and security. 

 No, the commandments of God were never meant to punish us or give of pain.  They are meant to protect us, to keep us out of harms way, and to keep us in the love of God.  Yes, keeping the Ten Commandment is a different kind of slavery; a good kind of slavery.

 If you are struggling with sin and are in bondage to sin, choose instead to be a slave to God and you will find a new freedom: a freedom which was paid for by the blood of Christ in His death on the cross.