Last week, I introduced three foundational truths for followers of Jesus. These truths are not just what we do, but who we are in Jesus: slaves, stewards, and ambassadors. This week, I want to focus on the first one: Slaves of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.
In the book, Slaves: The Hidden Truth About Your Identity in Christ, John MacArthur argued that this foundational truth was obscured by modern Bible translations. The Greek word doulos, used over 130 times in the New Testament to describe the believer’s relationship to Jesus Christ, should be translated as “slave,” not “servant” or “bondservant.” Mistranslating it has led to confusion regarding salvation and discipleship. The focus shifted from total surrender to Jesus as Lord to a self-centered view of Jesus as a personal helper (to some people, a genie in a bottle).
Understanding what the word meant at the time the New Testament was written has significant implications on this identity in Christ. At that time, about 1/3 of the population were slaves. A doulos was legally the property of their master, having no rights of their own and owing absolute obedience, submission, and loyalty. When the Apostles Paul, Peter, James, and Jude identified themselves as “slaves of Christ,” they were saying that they belonged entirely to Him.
We have always been slaves. Prior to salvation, we were slaves of sin, but through repentance and faith in Jesus, we were set free from sin to become slaves of righteousness (Rom. 6). Bob Dylan famously said in a song, “…you’re gonna have to serve somebody. There are at least five parallels between first-century slavery and the Christian life:
- Exclusive Ownership: Believers have been purchased by Christ through His blood and are His possession (Rom. 14:7-8).
- Complete Submission: True Christianity involves total surrender to the Master’s will, not just occasional service (Eph. 2:10; Titus 2:11-14).
- Singular Devotion: A slave is devoted to one master, reflecting the command to serve God rather than mammon (Mt. 6:24) and serve God rather than men (Acts 5:29).
- Total Dependence: Believers are entirely dependent on Christ for their needs, allowing them to focus on His service (Eph. 6:5-9; Phil. 4:19).
- Personal Accountability: Slaves are directly accountable to their Master, which brings both responsibility and reward (Mt. 25:14-30).
These truths are difficult for Americans who prize their “freedom.” But freedom is not the ability to do whatever we want, it’s freedom from sin to live as God intended – in total service to Him. Being a slave of Jesus is the most freeing, liberating thing that could ever happen to someone. We were created to “glorify God and enjoy Him forever” (Westminster Shorter Catechism). One of the primary ways we glorify Him is through obedience to His will (John 14-16). When we walk in obedience, we glorify God and enjoy life the way it was meant to be lived. And we live without anxiety or fear because our Master is always watching over us and providing for all of our needs (Ps. 23; Mt. 6:25-34).
John Lennon’s most famous song is called, “Imagine.” In it, he calls people to imagine a world of real peace because there is no heaven, hell, country, religion, or possessions. He believed if we got rid of those things we could all live as one. But he was blinded to the fact that all men are born slaves to sin and all of its evil manifestations (Eph. 2:1-3; 4:17-19). Religion isn’t the problem, true religion is the solution.
Imagine a church where everyone sees themselves as slaves of Jesus and constantly walks in obedience to His commands. Imagine all prejudice is over because no matter what our status may be in the world, we are all on equal footing as slaves of our Master (Gal. 3:28). Imagine a group of people all blown away that salvation was not earned; it was a gift from the Master to undeserving slaves. Imagine a group of people who don’t see service as optional, it’s their highest calling and privilege (Lk. 17:10). Imagine a church full of people so blown away that the Lord of the universe, out of the purest form of love (John 15:13), willingly & joyfully suffered and died in their place so they would never have to experience the wrath of God for sin (1 Pet. 3:18; 2 Cor. 5:21; Rom. 8:1), that they are compelled to no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died and rose again on their behalf (2 Cor. 5:14-15).
Imagine them doing that until they die, looking forward to that future day when with glorified resurrection bodies, they will be able to keep on serving Jesus as Lord forever (Rev. 22:3).
“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world [church] will be as one.”