The Lord ship of Christ; and the submission of His slaves.

 

Let us talk about slavery! And when I say slavery I do not mean the cruel, inhumane, barbaric and very damaging one that we all are familiar with from the 18-19 century which is based around the false notion of "racism; and supremacy" but rather another more God glorifying kind which the scriptures speak too.  

 

The Christian as a slave. 

The plain reading of scriptures is abundantly over flowing with evidence of the unique position to which Christians find themselves in. As Christians, we are called many things which are truly significant, but none are more important than this one term slave (Hebrew: Ebed; Greek: doulos). It is used more than any other and yet seem to be downplayed in our modern time (and the reason for that is understandable) but nonetheless we must be truthful to our convictions. 

We accept the word Christian based on its sole use of tree times-- and we should as it in scripture (Acts 11: 19-30; 26: 25-32 1 Peter 4:12-19); but let us not cast aside another designation because of a social ill. Or will we cast aside the term Christian because of a social ill too? Think of bad things that have been carried out in the name of Christ and Christianity over the centuries such as the crusades. Now while it is not needed to say that such things were good or bad in a social sense; however, the scriptures tell not to hinder God's purpose in the church being persecuted. We may not know the reason but it is what it is (1 Peter 4:12-14)

Now the term slave in the Christian context is a most blessed position. Let us note these passages: "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). And I ask this simple question: why, if it good for these apostles and leaders, if it not for us also?  And on top of this, we should note that all Christians are called slaves as well: (Matthew 25: 14-29; Revelation 1:1-3; Romans 6:15-19). And we should be more than willing to wear it as a badge of honour because of whom we enslaved too: Christ as our heavenly Master. He is a gracious; loving Master who we come to adore and cherish.

To put this in another form. Christ's Master-ship is in line with the fact that he is the head of the church (and only Him). John MacArthur has said: "the undeniable assertion of scripture is that Jesus Christ is the Lord of His church--even if many within mainstream evangelicalism fail to reflect that reality in their activities. But the Lordship of Christ is not merely a corporate concept. it is also a highly personal. in the same way that Christ is Lord of His church collectively, He is also the Lord and Master of each believer individually." (slave: p. 75-76)  That is to say, both the headship and Lordship are true in the same instant.    

• “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another. (John 15)

The Christian's life perfectly defined by these verses as both a slave of Christ who has been granted friendship. 

 The non-Christian as a slave.

The unbeliever, according to the scriptures, happens to be in a position of being a slave as well. Only in their case, they find themselves being in a sinful position. There is nothing worse than this. Let us take note of the fact that we are told this in three places: (John 8:31-38; Romans 6:15-23; 2 Peter 2:17-22). Generally speaking: the word here holds the same means as when it was used above; it is only when it is linked and defined that it becomes more concrete as to what its usage is.

The term atheist may be one that these people favour; and that could be linked to the idea that unbeliever and non-Christian still defines them as to what they are not. However, the honest person will recognise that even this term is compromised because you are still arguing in term of what you are not; and not what you are. The scriptures uses two important terms for such people "a fool" as in what Psalm 14:1 says  'a fool says in his heart "there is no God." (also  Psalm 53:1) But it gives another terms to them as well  "truth suppressers" (Romans 1:18; 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12) But you could equally call such a person a post-modernist or pragmatist as they reject absolute truth.

These people are slaves as we have seen. But like all slaves they are slaves to something, so what is it:  Sin and corruption (John 8:34; 2 Peter 2:19);  the Law (Romans 7:6-12); The devil (Eph. 2:1-3; 1 John 3:7-12); And the World (1 John 2:15-17).  Now one of most deadliest ideas out there is this one:  'we are free-thinkers'  many well-meaning atheists claim this to be the case; but in reality,  it is not true because they mind have darkened by the effect of sin (Eph. 4:17-19). They no more free than irrational animals. The simple truth is clear: they are in a no better position than those in the cults because they apart of a godless movement that is destructive by nature. 

It is a very misguided position. Now let us take note of another statement by our dear brother John MacArthur: "But unbelievers are not just infected by sin; they are enslaved by it. Every human being, until the moment of redemption, is under the domain of darkness and the dominion of sin. The unbeliever is wholly corrupt by the bondage of his fallen condition and utterly unable to free himself from it."  (Slave: 121)  There is, humanly speaking, no escape for those on this dangerous path. 

•  What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written:  “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”   “Their throat is an open grave;  they use their tongues to deceive.”   “The venom of asps is under their lips.”   “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”   “Their feet are swift to shed blood;  in their paths are ruin and misery,   and the way of peace they have not known.”   “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”  (Romans 3) 

The unbelievers life is distilled in such clarity in these verses as a slave of sin under God's condemnation.  

Which one provides true freedom? 

The only one that does this is the Christian position: being a slave of Christ, who is a loving and gracious Master, give us a grand hope in life. That being the fact that we will one day be free from this world of sin. It is as Paul tells us in these words: "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age," (Titus 2:11-12) Know that this is true. The unbeliever has no freedom and no escape in and of Themselves; they are trapped in this sinful way and it is leading to self-deception, for they believe they are "free-thinkers" and have "freedoms."  

But now let us consider what this slavery in Christ provides those who are united with Him.  Peter tells this: "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." (1 peter 2:9-10). What a grand picture! But what does this all mean? Well, it means the following four thing which John MacArthur lays out in detail in the 13 chapter of "Slave" which I will just give the headings below 

They are  as follows: (1) slavery brings freedom.  (2) slavery ends prejudice. (3) slavery magnifies grace. (4) slavery pictures salvation.