The idea of being a slave can be uncomfortable to the modern mind, mind, yet all are slaves one way or another.

Scripture’s Words for Slave

In many English translations, the word slave appears relatively infrequently in the Old Testament. However, the Hebrew word eved occurs many times and carries the meaning of servant, slave, or one who belongs to another.

The New Testament uses the Greek word doulos, which is also frequently translated as servant or bondservant. However, it actually means slave.

Negative Association

Satan has ensured that we associate slave with:

• Oppression
• Humiliation
• Loss of self esteem and
• Loss of personal freedom.

What Satan designs for evil, God uses for good, Genesis 50:20.

When we come to the New Testament, we discover a concept that is central to the identity of the followers of Christ.

Master-Slave Relationship

Scripture uses the master–slave relationship to communicate something unique about our fellowship with God.

This seen in the New Testament where the writers took slavery in a radically unique direction, following the example of Jesus Christ.

Having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit resulting in sanctification and the outcome eternal life, Romans 6:22.

Belonging Not Merely Ownership

The term slave then speaks of belonging, 1 Peter 2:9, surrender, obedience, provision and protection under a good Master.

Paul, James, Peter and others were not ashamed to identify themselves as doulos of Christ — belonging to Him and living under His authority.

A hired servant works for someone, but a slave belongs to someone who has paid the price.

The Slave Market

The ancient slave market provides a powerful picture of a person being:

• Chosen
• Paid for – redeemed
• Owned.

Followers of Christ are bought back from one master, Satan, and captured by another loving One, who sees us as being precious to Him.

The question is not merely, Who is your master? But, What kind of master owns you?

Bought With a Price

Something is valued by the price paid for it therefore, we have a particular value.

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own. For you have been bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body, 1 Corinthians 6:19,20.

Because you were bought with a price, do not become slaves of men, 1 Corinthians 7:23.

Shed Blood

At Calvary, Christ paid the price for our redemption with His shed blood, 1 Peter 1:18–19.

Christians have therefore, been purchased by a loving Saviour.

This changes everything about the meaning of us belonging to Christ.

When we live as slaves of Christ, we will do the will of God from the heart, Ephesians 6:6

Chosen

We have been chosen before the foundation of the earth, Revelation 17:8, for a purpose in God’s eternal plan. So our belonging to Christ is not accidental.

Jesus said, You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, John 15:16.

He rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, Colossians 1:13.

Jesus said, If the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed, John 8:36. True freedom is only found in Christ.

Our true identity is only in Him.

Lord Master and Slave

The corresponding word to slave, is the word Kurios – Lord Master. You cannot separate doulous from kurios.

There is the Lord Master, who has authority and the slave responds with obedience.

Obedience which is not merely external compliance. It is the response of a heart that knows the Master.

Jesus said, If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me, Matthew 16:24.

We have a choice for God gave us a free will – free to choose whom we will follow and serve.

Slave to Friend

There is also an extraordinary progression in the words of Jesus.

If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him, John 14:23.

Jesus does not abolish His lordship but into enters a personal relationship, revealing what kind of Lord He is.

You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you, John 15:14, 15.

The Mystery

This is the mystery of the Christian life.

We live under His authority, yet He invites us into His confidence.

God does not merely tell us what He is doing but progressively reveals why.

Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets, Amos 3:7.

More than that, Paul wrote, For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ, 1 Corinthians 2:16

This covenant relationship moves from simple obedience toward:

• Understanding
• Intimacy and
• Partnership with God.

Good Master

A slave living under the authority of a good master was expected to obey, be taught, corrected and rewarded.

God is not interested in simply having people who obey His commands. In the covenantal relationship He establishes with His people, obedience is accompanied by training, discipline, growth and transformation.

We are to become:

• Rooted and established in love, Ephesians 3:17
• Trained through God’s discipline, Hebrews 12:5–6
• Transformed into the likeness of Christ,Ephesians 4:13

God wants His people to mature, Ephesians 4:13, and increasingly reflect His character.

The Master is shaping the slave.

The Master Who Became a Slave

And then we reach the most astonishing part of all.

Our Master became a servant.

Christ humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross, Philippians 2:8.

The One who is Lord of all, Acts10:36, came to serve, Matthew 20:28.

Although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bondservant, Philippians 2:6.

Our Master is the One who first demonstrated perfect surrender.

In Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, Not My will, but Yours, be done, Luke 22:42.

He does not merely ask us to surrender – He showed us what surrender looks like.

Similarities to the Ancient Practice of Slavery

While there are similarities between Christianity and the ancient practice of slavery, we were never designed to live as our own ultimate authority.

• We all serve something
• We all obey something
• Everyone gives themselves to something.

The Gospel offers us the opportunity to belong completely to the One who loved us enough to purchase us with His own shed blood – to be One with Him, John 17:20.

To be a Christ’-slave is not the loss of self-value. It is where we begin to discover it.

What then is the value of a slave? We will discover this in Part 2

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Dr. Wendy is a servant of the Lord. Her desire is to help believers grow in their understanding of Scripture and walk confidently with Christ in these end-time days.

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