The Weekly Perspective
by TJ Draper, Deacon
Have you ever taken note of how the writers of the
new Testament often refer to themselves as
“bondservants” of Christ? Paul does so in Romans
and Titus, and references it in the book of Galatians.
Peter, Jude, and, James do the same. Though these
are all leaders and pillars in the church, they refer to
themselves as slaves (Greek: doulous) of Christ.
We often reference the freedom we have in Christ, and this is right and good. But the paradox is that we have this freedom because we are slaves to Christ, the one who brings true freedom. In John 8:31–34 we read how Jesus told the Jews they could be made free by the truth. Remember how indignant they were? In their minds, they were already free. Jesus of course, dispels that myth for them: “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.”
And Paul tells us in Romans 6 that we have “been set free from sin, and become slaves of God.”
This is the paradox of our faith. In service to Christ is found freedom. Isn’t that an odd thing to our modern ears? But this is how our Lord deals with us and with this sinful world. We think we’re free in sin but we’re really in bondage. Therefore Christ purchases our freedom so that we are free to serve Him for the purposes he created us for. As our Lord says:
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny
himself and take up his cross and follow
me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but
whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”