Book review: Slave.

The New Testament is clear on this truth about our position in Christ being that salve to master relationship. Take note of these verses: "Paul (James; Simon Peter; Jude; John) the bond-servant (lit: slave) of Christ Jesus." (Romans 1:1; James 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1; Jude 1:1; Revelation 1: 1); not only that but we see that all Christians likewise are called slaves (Matthew 25: 14-29; Revelation 1:1-3; Romans 6:15-19). So we see that this truth is something which the Christ must never shy away from and wear it as a badge of honour.     

In his book "slave", John MacArthur, gives us a most balanced understanding of this reality from History and scriptures. And he does this by giving us 13 chapters which demonstrate this to be the truth. They are:  
(1) One Hidden Word.  (2) Ancient History; timeless truth.  (3)  The Good and Faithful Slave.  (4-5) The Lord and Master (pt. 1 & 2)   (6)  Our Lord and God. (7) The Slave market of sin. (8) Bound, Blind and dead. (9) Saved from Sin, Slaved. (10-11) From Slave to Son (Pt. 1 and 2) .  (12) Ready to meet the Master. (13) The riches of the Paradox.   Each of these chapters gives something to think about as we deal with this much misunderstood subject. And the last chapter is one that is of importance.

But the more intriguing thing is how well this point was covered in the past, we are given a number of quotes from the early to modern times in the church which reveal this to be the case. 

  • "There are two gifts of God which he here points out. The freeing from sin, and also the making them servants to righteousness, which is better than any freedom. For God has done the same as if a person were to take an orphan, who had been carried away by savages into their own country, and were not only to free him from captivity, but were to set a kind father over him, and bring him to very great dignity. And this has been done in our case. For it was not our old evils alone that He freed us from, since He even led us to the life of angels, and paved the way for us to the best conversation, handing us over to the safe keeping of righteousness, and killing our former evils, and deadening the old man, and leading us to an immortal life."  (John Chrysostom: romans 6:18)
Then we have such starlets as Charles Spurgeon who said this:
  • "Make no reserve, exercise no choice, but obey His command. When you know what He commands, do not hesitate, question, or try to avoid it, “do it”; do it at once, do it heartily, do it cheerfully, do it to the full. It is but a little thing that, as our Lord has bought us with the price of His own blood, we should be His servants. The apostles frequently call themselves the bond slaves of Christ. Where our Authorized Version softly puts  “servant,” it really is “bond slave.” The early saints delighted to count themselves Christ’s absolute property, bought by Him, owned by Him, and wholly at His disposal. Paul even went so far as to rejoice that he had the marks of his Master’s brand on him, and he cries, “Let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.” 
Let us be thankful for book like this that help us with understanding the Word of God; and also understanding our position in Christ. He tells us on page 198 that "over last 12 chapters, we've considered both the biblical and historical basis for this paradigm. believers are not merely Christ's hired servant; they are his slaves, belonging to Him as His possession. He is their Owner and Master, worthy of their unquestioned allegiance and and absolute obedience. His word is their final authority; His will, their  ultimate mandate."  

This is a worthwhile and well recommended read.


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