Are You a Slave of Christ?

Or are you a slave of sin?

God means what He says and says what He means! My hermeneutics are “literal”, however, that being said…study the scriptures yourself and make up your own mind! Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit…

Scriptures from HCSB – Holman Christian Standard Bible. I chose this translation because it’s one of a few that actually interprets the Greek word Doulos (Ancient Greek: δοῦλος) is a Greek masculine noun meaning “slave”.

John 8:34-36 Jesus responded, “I assure you: Everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. ³⁵ A slave does not remain in the household forever, but a son does remain forever. ³⁶ Therefore, if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.

Romans 1:1 Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle and singled out for God’s good news—

2 Peter 1:1 Simeon Peter, a slave and an apostle of Jesus Christ: To those who have obtained a faith of equal privilege with ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Titus 3:3 For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another.

Titus 2:9-10 Slaves are to be submissive to their masters in everything, and to be well-pleasing, not talking back ¹⁰ or stealing, but demonstrating utter faithfulness, so that they may adorn the teaching of God our Savior in everything.

PLEASE don’t shudder that I use the word SLAVE!

The Slavery that I’m talking about is “spiritual” slavery!

What is your relationship with Jesus Christ?

John 6:35 “I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to Me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in Me will ever be thirsty again.

Do you crave the Bread of Life and thirst for the Living Water? As “Christians” our relationship with Jesus Messiah – Yeshua Ha Mashiach should be the most important relationship in our lives! Does your life illustrate a consuming desire to please Him? Do you find yourself in constant prayer asking the Holy Spirit to guide you as you search the Scriptures to learn what it is that He wants most? And the fact is that He’s very specific and He leaves no uncertainty as to what He requires from His Slaves, He tells us in the Scriptures in both the Old and New Testaments exactly how to live and how not to live our lives. He leaves nothing to guess work.

Most important of all, don’t you recognize that having the right relationship with Jesus is the catalyst for having right relationships with those around us? So we need to study the Scriptures daily so that the Holy Spirit can minister to us; so that we can know and understand what Heavenly Father wants from His Slaves.

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness,

Do you crave the pleasures of this world?

In the parable of the sower Jesus tells us:

Matthew 13:22 Now the one sown among the thorns—this is one who hears the word, but the worries of this age and the seduction of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

As Christians, it’s true, we are in the world…but we don’t have to be of the world. Our home is NOT this world, but our home is to live eternally in HIS KINGDOM! It holds greater things for us than we can dream or imagine! This life we’re currently living is but a distraction from God’s original plan for us. Much to my despair for the lost, I recognize that the world can lead many away from the prize…the crown that Jesus – Yeshua offers us if we are willing to take up our cross and follow him.

To the church in Smyrna He writes:

Revelation 2:10 Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Look, the Devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will have affliction for 10 days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life

There may be some difficult time ahead of us as the world seems to be shaken and many of the signs of the end are coming to fruition. When you are grounded in the Scriptures you have built your house on solid rock. When you Love God and Mankind, the world holds no threat to Salvation. And as we see the dangers looming, we must put on the full armor of God and PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!

https://jesusamazinggrace.com/2020/06/01/spiritual-warfare/

Jesus also tells his disciples:

Matthew 29:19-20 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Paul who proclaimed that he was a Slave and a prisoner of Jesus spoke relentlessly on the discipline of “suffering” for the Gospel.

Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. ² Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Are you willing to offer yourself completely and wholly to the LORD? Are you willing to deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Him? Are you willing to become a SLAVE of Christ?

1 John 2:16 For everything that belongs to the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s lifestyle—is not from the Father, but is from the world.

The lust of the flesh – craving exotic/expensive food and drink, sexual desires, extravagant clothing, anything that satisfies our “physical” existence on this planet.

***Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying that we are to starve, never have sex within our marriage or wear rags!!!

The lust of the eyes – craving whatever we lay our eyes on, being in constant want instead of constant thankfulness for the blessings of that which we have already received.

The pride of live – anything that puffs us up and places us the throne of our own life. (Jesus tells us often to beware of “leaven”.

https://jesusamazinggrace.com/2020/03/08/is-my-sitting-on-the-throne-of-your-life/

Romans 8:12-13 So then, brothers, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, ¹³ for if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.