A Slave

"To be a Christian is to be a slave of Christ." -John MacArthur

Plain and simple, the call to Christian discipleship, the call to Christ, is much more than a verbal agreement, a walk down an aisle, a hand raised, a sin confessed, or a mental acknowledgement. It is a radical and ALL out commitment, a life changed from the inside out. And even more, a life change from one master to another. Master you might ask? Yes, master. In Romans 6:20 we read, "When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness."That means that we were born enslaved to sin. Our ruler was sin, and we were bound to that sin, chained and shackled, dead, helpless, hopeless.

Despite that reality, the fact that we are born slaves to sin; we being dead in our sins and transgressions have no way of realizing that we are in fact slaves to that very sin. We don't realize we are living for someone other than our true Master, the Creator of all. We don't recognize that we have a master, the prince of this world, Satan. The truth be told, as Jesus Himself said in, Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters." That being said, you are either a slave to sin, or a slave to righteousness, to Christ...period.

Once redeemed, and transformed by the blood of Christ, you automatically are freed from your bondage/slavery to that sin and set free to become a slave to Christ. Wait...what?! Enslaved again?! You may think that doesn't sound so "free", but the truth is, the precious Truth of Scripture teaches, that his yoke is easy. Being freed from the worst master, to come under the most perfect master, brings new hope, peace, and joy like nobody and nothing can. You are now serving the One you were made to worship. There is no more perfect freedom than being HIS precious slave.

Our America doesn't look fondly on the idea of slavery. In fact, many would say that slavery is wrong, and even sinful. Our picture comes from civil war memories and slave ships on the seas. Yet, during the time of the New Testament writing, when slavery is mentioned positively as unto Christ, we see a much different picture. During this time, being a slave could be the most wonderful situation in the world, or the worst. It all depended on the one who owned you. Some slaves were even considered "part of the family" and adopted in, much like we are adopted as sons and co-heirs with Christ. All that to say, being an adopted child of God, and even deeper, a slave of Christ, is the most privileged honorable position. To serve under a perfect, holy, loving Master and Redeemer is a gift. Having a master who loves and cares intimately for you, who made you, who loves you beyond comprehension should leave us speechless, humbled. Being His slave should be a mark we cling tightly to, and proudly display.

John MacArthur puts it well, "I’m a slave but I’ve become a friend and a son and a citizen and a joint heir and I reign with him – this is a new way to understand slavery, not in terms of American abusive African slave trade but in terms of I am owned by a master who loves me and wants to provide everything in his limitless resources out of that love to make my life eternally joyful. That is a concept of slavery that’s easily embraceable."