Slaves of Christ
September 19th, 2007
(By John MacArthur)
Note: A few weeks ago, John MacArthur preached a powerful message on what it means to be a slave of Christ. The transcript of the message is available to read at Bible Bulletin Board. For those who may not have time to read the whole thing, we’ve included a short excerpt below.
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Kurios and doulos are the two sides of the relationship [between a master and a slave in Roman times]. A slave is someone whose life belongs totally to someone else, absolute ownership, absolute control, absolute subjection, absolute obedience, absolute loyalty, absolute dependence. Slavery then was a social relationship between two persons where one had nothing, willed nothing and received nothing but what the master authorized, desired and provided.
Now if [we] don’t grasp that idea of slavery . . . [then] it’s hard for us to really understand the essence of what it is to be a Christian. You are a slave of Jesus Christ. You are owned. You have been purchased by His blood, Acts 20. You have been bought, not with silver and gold, but with, what?, 1 Peter 1:18 and 19, the precious blood of Jesus Christ. You have been purchased, Revelation 5:9. You have no independent rights. Slaves had no rights. Slaves owned nothing. They could not own their own property. In the eyes of the law they were not citizens, they could hold no public office. They were completely under the discretion and the provision and the protection and the care and the abuse (in an earthly sense) of their owner.
. . . The Spirit of God took the slave metaphor because it was the best metaphor to describe our personal relationship to Christ. He bought us, He owns us. We are devoted to Him and to Him alone. To be obedient to Him at all times, we have no will but His will. He is our Lord, we confess Him as Lord. That’s exactly what He demanded. You remember the words of Luke 9:23? We’ve repeated them so many times. “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself.” That’s slave talk. That’s slave talk. “Take up his cross and follow Me.” It’s the end of you, the end of your life. You’re finished, it’s over, you’re done. You are now the slave of Jesus Christ. And it’s not burdensome. Jesus said, “Take My yoke because My yoke is easy and My burden is light and you’ll find rest.”
A slave could have some status, but the status the slave had was related to who his master was. That’s why it was an honor to be part of Caesar’s household even though you were a slave. You were a slave at the highest level. And we have no honor for ourselves other than that honor that comes to us because of who our master is, right? And that’s why the apostles could say, “I’m a slave of God, I’m a slave of Jesus Christ.” That’s where the honor came from.
And I submit to Him for all my needs, I’m dependent on Him as my protector and my provider and I submit to all His discipline of my failures and my disobedience that He might conform me more to His will. And I submit to Him someday for that reward which He determines is suitable to give to me when I come before Him and hear, “Well done, good and faithful slave.” Let Him give me what He will.
And by the way, you’re going to be a slave to someone. Being a slave to Jesus Christ is beyond any kind of slavery that anybody ever knew because this master, listen to this one, makes us sons and gives us all the rights of His own sons. He adopts us into His family, calls us joint-heirs with Christ, takes us to heaven where we rule and reign from His own throne and pours out all the lavish riches in His possession forever and ever and ever for our own unmitigated joy and His own glory. Who wouldn’t want to be a slave under that master? What a joy to be a slave of Jesus Christ.
Amen to that!! We have all been slaves to sin, but now we are freed from sin and become slaves to righteousness. We humans are so sinful that we want to try to serve both God and our old master. No true child of God, after he has truly seen the richness and fullness of God’s love in purchasing him from the yoke of sin, would ever go back to that lifestyle under that master.
Rom 6:16 “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” If we yeild ourselves to a lifestyle of sin, that is evidence that we have not been purchased from our old master. On the other hand if we are yeild ourselves as servants to God and our fruit unto holiness, that is evidence of Christ’s redeeming work in our lives.
Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. GOD WILL NOT SELL US BACK!!! he has promised that what he starts he will finish. Phi 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ.”
“A slave could have some status, but the status the slave had was related to who his master was.” Amen John. We cannot have a higher status than being a servant of Christ because we will always be a slave to something. Praise God that He has purchased us amd made us slaves unto righteousness!
thank the Lord for faithful men like Pastor MacArthur who are the clarion call in this wicked and perverse generation. I have a deep love and respect for you Pastor because of your diligence and conviction. No human is agreeable 100% of the time even in biblical doctrine but CONVICTION in teaching and preaching is sadly lacking. I wholeheartedly agree and tell my Christian friends the same Jesus IS Lord- to the glory of GOD The Father we don’t make him ANYTHING let alone Lord and it is as you say ABSOLUTE. I’m wrestling with the 5 points of Calvinism however,… most scripture used to support the doctrines don’t deny opposing views so how can they be taken as absolute - for example the verses quoted for whom Christ died ie. the church, the bride, etc… these say who He died for yes but not who he didn’t die for. sounds the same as saying one gospel says one angel was present at the tomb so LOGICALLY there couldn’t have been two but another gospel says there were two - can it not be Jesus died for all people and the writers are just stating it in terms of who they are addressing. like if someone says the President is YOUR President does not deny the fact he is the President of ALL the people. usually the end of the argument goes like this ” I can’t believe in a God who pays for my sin then makes me pay for it also THATS UNJUST ” which is the same argument that is ridiculed and castigated when others say its unjust for God to demand belief but it is a gift from Him. Either way we have to accept the inscrutable ways of GOD - but what is the TRUTH ! anybody…?
Could you imagine the reaction to this sermon at a Rick Warren church? Priase the Lord for raising up leaders like MacArthur to speak the truth. The pride inside of me battled at every mention of the word slave. Arguing, it can’t be, I’m not a slave!!! I call that guy the little arminian. Thanks for a great sermon and for linking me to it Pulpit!
Pat,
My wife just informed me that Grace to You radio is running a series right now on the doctrines of grace, otherwise known as “Calvinism.” I suspect John will answer most of your questions during that series.
I sure understand your questions regarding the doctrines of grace. I have wrestled with all of this myself over the years. I find comfort in knowing that even such a Calvinist as Jonathan Edwards loathed the the doctrine of election as a young believer! Yet after years of biblical study, he came to embrace all the doctrines of grace.
It sounds like most of your questions surround the doctine or particular atonement. Let me recommend a website called: www.monergism.com. There you will find a wealth of information by some of the finest scholars (including MacArthur, Piper, Spurgeon, etc.) dealing with different aspects of this issue. I especially appreciated the many lessons posted by S. Lewis Johnson on the extent of the atonement.
If you want an exegetical treatment of the issue, I recommend Dr. Steven Lawson’s series on the extent of the atonement titled: “Ten Reasons Why the Bible Teaches Definite Atonement” found here: www.cfbcmobile.org.
Steve is a fine Bible expositor and preacher and is a regular speaker at the Shepherd’s Conference.
Hope that helps.
Blessings,
S6teve Lamm
thanks for all the info i will check it out, i’m just a humble believer on Jesus Christ my Saviour and firmly believe “nothing in my hand i bring…” for me its not that i’m desperately trying to hold on to the belief my faith came from within me because i want credit or “loathe” the doctrines of grace or even because i think it’s “unfair” fair would be me in hell, PERIOD.(often the comments are we humans desperately want to hold on to our selves instead of GOD and that is THE reason we don’t believe Calvinism) i don’t know how fair that is i’m sure it may apply to some but for myself i just desperately want the truth! not wanting to believe possible blasphemey that Christ did not die for ALL or keeping others from the kingdom because we hold to they are not of the “elect”.i lead and teach some of my Lords sheep they depend on me and trust me, sometimes i feel like stopping this pursuit because it’s strenuous, divisive and unsearchable but then i realize it is important to know because it will affect our prayer and witness and evangelism which is VERY important.
Pat,
I’ve read nothing more fair to both positions than what Phil Johnson presented at the 2003 Shepherds’ Conference. It’s called, “The Nature of the Atonment: What and for Whom Did Christ Die?” The transcript is here. http://www.biblebb.com/files/MAC/SC03-1027.htm
It’s worth it man. You should definitely take about 2 hours and read through this.
MIKE
Pat,
I like your attitude and heart. I think you’re on the right track. I encourage you to read widely on the subject, but hold every writer/speaker to the Berean test - make them prove their assertions biblically, with sound exegesis.
It was helpful to me to take a systematic approach to this and study all the doctrines of grace because they are intertwined (i.e., irresistable grace is necessary because of man’s total depravity, etc.).
It’s also encouraging to me that you recognize the serious nature of these issues. As any good Bible teacher knows, God holds us accountable for what we teach (James 3:1).
Also, enjoy the study because as you dig into this, God’s glory and majesty will be magnified in your heart and that can only make you a more obedient/joyful believer and a more effective teacher!
Blessings to you.
Steve Lamm
A slave yet a son? They seem to be in direct opposition to each other. A slave has no rights a son has.
Pat,
Acts 17:30 “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,
Joshua 24:15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,
Isaiah 65:2 I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in a way that is not good, According to their own thoughts;
Acts13:46 …but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.
Hebrews 3:12-13 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Luke 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!
Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
Deuteronomy 30:19 “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live
Genesis 4:7 “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
Ezekiel 33:11 “Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’
Luke 14:17-18 “and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ “But they all with one accord began to make excuses.
It would be nice if someone would at least admit the possibility that these few (of countless) scriptures actually mean that God offers salvation to all, even those He knows will refuse
This is a thought-provoking article by Randolph Foster.
www.gospeltruth.net/foster_on_cal/otc_index.htm
Indeed the doctrines of election and reprobation are difficult to accept because of the fact that to accept them would be to agree that there are some who have been predestined to reprobation, but if we examine these doctrines we will see that they are the only dotrines that truly declare the sovereignty of God.
here is what Wayne Grudem said about this subject. “Several passages in the New Testament seem to affirm quite clearly that God ordained beforehand those who would be saved. When Paul and Barnabas began to preach to the Gentiles in Antioch in Acts 13:48, it is significant that the writer mentions the doctrine of election almost in passing: And as many as were ordained unto eternal life believed.”
Also Revelation 13:7-8 says “And authority was given it over every tribe and people and tongue and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, every one whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain.”
There are several misunderstandings of the doctrine of election that keep people from accepting it. The first one is that people view this doctrine as fatalistic or mechanistic. This view says that if this doctine is true no matter what people do things will turn out the same so there would be no need to make any significant choises or put forth any effort because it won’t make any difference. We must understand that we do make willing choices. Our choices are voluntary because they are what we want to do and what we decide to do. This does not mean that our choices are absolutely free, because God can work sovereignly through our desires so that he garuntees that our choices come about as he has ordained. The misunderstanding comes when we think that a choice, to be a genuine choice, must be absolutely free. There are several others but for the sake of time I won’t list them all now.
Election is not based an God’s foreknowledge of our faith, but on foreknowledge of the people themselves. If we could chose or reject God freely, then that would mean that we have the power to thwart God’s will. This doctrine can be hard to understand but must be true for God to be completely sovereign.
The New Testament teaching about election is corporate. Those who have chosen to believe through the word of God are the chosen , the elect.
Back to the topic of this post:
I encourage everyone to go and read the entire transcript of this message linked in the intro to this post. That message was a real eye-opener because John points out how the modern Church has weakened the truth that believers are slaves of Christ even diluting the translation of the Greek term “doulos” to servant, when it should be properly translated as “slave.” Of course, the idea of servanthood is more palatable to modern culture.
John also demonstrates that because we are slaves to Christ, bought with His precious blood, it is a given that as slaves of Christ, we must acknowledge His Lordship!
Good reading!
Steve Lamm
Those who live by obedient faith have no problem with being slaves to Jesus Christ. It is only in such servitude that anyone will find true freedom.
Eva,
Slave yet a Son, is a paradox, as they do not contradict each other. We are son’s in that we are Loved, in a sense we are joyfull slaves to Him for His Glory and our Salvation.
Slaves got beaten didn’t they? If I am a slave I should be getting a good old beating from time to time, right? What might be some forms of beatings that the Lord gives His slaves? Scripture says God chastises those He loves. How are we chastised exactly? I think I know but can not actually put it in words. Best I can make of it is that the Holy Spirit prompts me that what I did was wrong and the guilt of it is a whipping in itself until I repent. Any thoughts to the same here?
“the status the slave had was related to who his master was”
:]
Phil I suggest a little book called Night of Weeping by Horatius Bonar for a much deeper and truer expression of God’s chastening of His children while your at it brush up on the basics with Follow the Lamb - same author, blessings to you.
The whole bible is full of paradoxes, die to live; slave yet son…i know what you’re getting at but it doesn’t make sense if you analyse the son slave concept too much. But then the bible doesn’t make logical sense, because if it did then we wouldn’t need the spirit to understand it.
Eva,
In this son/slave relationship, we are sons of God and joint heirs with Christ because of the salvation that we have making us part of a heavenly family.
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together.
But we are slaves in that we are now servants/slaves to righteousness.
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
We are always slaves to some master wether that master is Satan or God. This paradox can only be possible because of God’s infinite love for us in giving us this inheritance.
To say a paradox defies logic is really a very incorrect statement. To say the Bible isn’t logical is also incorrect. A paradox is true but from our vantage point is “seems” contradictory. Sometimes, the paradox is not resolvable this side of heaven but it is resolvable. When you approach an issue with presuppositions that may be incorrect you will get an incorrect answer.
As far as the Bible is concerned, some understanding is possible through logical means. You must approach it assuming you already know what it means though. This understanding (gnosis)is very limited. Scripture says, “spiritual things are spiritually appraised.” In other words, God must provide the full understanding (epignosis).
Lastly, being a doulos or slave does not preclude our sonship. It is in fact a intergal part of a believer’s relationship with Christ and another aspect of it. Paul, who was a Roman citizen was not a slave but indicates in Philippians that he was a slave to Christ. How can this be? Because, he willfully and whole heartly assumes this role out of love for Christ. It was one more way to display who he belonged to. Christ is his Lord and Master but none of this conflicts with his sonship.