Are You a Slave?

So yesterday I checked my mail and I got two surprises. Praise God for both of them. The first was a book titled “The Wonderful Spirit Filled Life.” I thought that it was one of my books for class, which still hasnt arrived yet, crapperuni. But when i opened it, i was so confused, I thought to myself, when did I order this? I know I’m interested in this topic right now but i honestly don’t remember buying this. Then i went on my amazon account to see if i really ordered it. And i didnt, then I thought maybe it was the ppl from the Ignite Ivy conference cuz they definitely talked a lot about this, and i finally thought maybe it was someone who I told about my current interest in the Holy Spirit. Then I looked at the receipt in the box and it was from my summer project teammate and dear brother, Ben “Nebraskin” Robbins :] I love you man, you’re my mysterious angel from God. haha I was so psyched when I found out, now I have another book on my reading list.

And then the other came in the form of an advertisement letter. It came from the Christian Organization “Grace to You” which John MacArthur is a part of. And the funny thing is that I dont remember giving my address to this organization, or I did, but dont remember for what haha. It was a good surprise nonetheless. It was an offer to send me a free copy of John MacArthur’s new book “Slave” and with it is a letter, of course a copy, from John MacArthur himself stating why he wrote this book and why I should read it. I thought it was very interesting and I want to type up part of the letter for you guys to check out. I was definitely blessed by the letter and encouraged also.

Jan 14, 2011

Dear Friend,

I want to ask you an important question: What does it mean to you to be a Christian?

For the moment, set aside the evangelistic implications of your answer – this isn’t a test of your ability to share the gospel with others. I want to help you think seriously and biblically about your identity in Christ.

Today there is a wide variety of familiar phrases and cliches commonly used to describe what it means to be a Christian. You probably hear a few each day without giving them much critical thought. but on closer examination, some of the most common ways believers identify themselves are inadequate, misleading, or (in the worst cases) biblically unsound.

For example, I’m sure you’ve heard people talk about having “a personal relationship with Jesus.” That expression is really too vague to be helpful. Every creature has a personal relationship with its Creator. Even Satan has a personal relationship with God – it’s not a good one, but it is personal. Saying you have a personal relationship with the Lord doesn’t set you apart from the rest of the world, and it doesn’t begin to explain the true significance of the believer’s relationship to the Lord.

Another phrase I hear used a lot these days is “Christ- follower.” While that may sound more biblical, it is likewise too ambiguous to express what it means to be a Christian. Even during Jesus’ lifetime, multitudes followed Him without trust Him and being transformed by Him. That’s what John 6 is all about. By the end of that chapter, multitudes who had been following Jesus turned away completely because they didn’t like His teaching. They were not true believers at all. So calling yourself a “Christ- follower” still barely hints at the biblical reality of what it means to be a Christian.

In fact, most of the language used in churches today to describe what it means to be a Christian falls far short of the biblical reality. Too many people talk about salvation as if it were all about entitlement and prosperity. According to them, Christianity is about God’s loving you as you are, fulfilling your dreams, or boosting your self-esteem. That kind of talk reduces God to little more than a genie in a bottle. It falls fatally short of an accurate depiction of the saving Lord of Scripture. In short, it’s blasphemy.

You and I cannot afford to be lazy in the language we use when talking about our faith. We can’t settle for half-truths or shopworn cliches to speak of our relationship with the Lord. Our identity in Christ is a precious thing – in fact it’s the most important thing about you. We need to both understand it and describe it as biblically as possible.

It’s not as though God’s Word is unclear about that relationship. The fact is, it’s perfectly clear. More than 120 times throughout the New Testament, the writers of Scripture use one specific word to depict and describe our new status in Christ.

The word is slave.

It’s a potent term – one that triggers controversy in virtually any setting. But God’s Word is never careless or inexact, and the language God Himself uses should not be rewritten to accommodate individual preferences or prejudices. God’s Word says what it says, and the New Testament authors under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit did not choose that word lightly.

Flip through your New Testament today, however, and no matter which English translation you read, you won’t find many places where the word slave is still intact. Instead, the meaning and implications of the original Greek text have been muted, disguised, or obscured – in some cases accidentally, while other instances were intentionally omitted or toned down because the concept of slavery is so repugnant to the human mind. Often the word for slave has been translated as “servant” or “bondservant,” but neither of those words captures the full meaning the original authors intended.

Put simply, you and I are not servants who were hired for a task. We’re not volunteers. We are slaves, bought and paid for at a high price – the highest possible price, in fact. Understanding that is a fundamental part of the gospel, and it dictates and informs how you and I are called to live and serve.

…

Thank you for your friendship. I look forward to serving you, and to serving with you for the sake of God’s kingdom in the coming year. His richest blessings to you and your family.

Loving in the Truth,

John MacArthur

Pastor- Teacher

P.S. Who would want to be called a slave, much less be one? The concept – the very word – is offensive to modern ears. And yet that is exactly the term Scripture uses when describing the believer’s relationship to the Lord. …

So after reading this, I’m definitely sending in the form to get the free book. I’m excited to read about this and see what this relationship is really supposed to look like.

Are you a slave?