BE A BONDSERVANT OF CHRIST

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“For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10 NKJV)

 

Perpetual slavery of Hebrew men and women was prohibited under the Mosaic Law. A Hebrew man or woman can only be a slave for six years. In the seventh year, his master must let him go away free but not empty-handed.

Deuteronomy 15:13-14 – NKJV

 13 “And when you send him away free from you, you shall not let him go away empty-handed;

 14 “you shall supply him liberally from your flock, from your threshing floor, and from your winepress. From what the LORD has blessed you with, you shall give to him.

However, if the servant chooses not to leave his master because he loves him and his house, then his master would bring him to the judges in the land to publicly signify his intention.

Afterward, his master would take an awl and thrust it through his ear to the door, and then he would be his servant forever—a bondservant (Exo. 21:1-6).

A bondservant is a servant who freely, voluntarily, and consciously renounces his claim and right to freedom but instead chooses to remain perpetually under the yoke and authority of his master.

Though he is free to go his ways, pursue his ambitions, dreams, and goals, and live to please himself, a bondservant chooses to go his master’s ways, pursue his master’s vision, and live only to please his master.

Love is the primary thrust and motivation of a bondservant’s total sacrifice or surrender to his master!

Exodus 21:5-6 – NKJV

 5 “But if the servant plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’

 6 “then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever.  

Without genuine love for his master and his house, a servant cannot relinquish his right under the law to walk away free with many gifts and instead choose to remain under perpetual submission to his master (Deut. 15:16-17).

How many would today prefer to remain under someone’s authority when they could walk away free and with many gifts to do as they like?

The Scripture reveals that Christ’s early apostles and disciples had a bondservant mentality. They proudly introduced themselves to people as “bondservants of Jesus Christ.” 

Philippians 1:1 – NKJV

1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.

James 1:1 – NKJV

 1 James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.

2 Peter 1:

 1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. (NKJV).

Jude 1:1 – NKJV

 1 Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ.

Colossians 4:12 – NKJV

 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

True to their confessions, they lived and served Christ as His bondservants. They left all things to follow Christ and cleave to Him. They considered all things as rubbish, refuse, or loss so that they might gain and please Christ.

Paul said, “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” (Philip. 3:8 NKJV).

The primary thrust and motivation of the early disciples’ unreserved sacrifice, surrender, and devotion to Christ was sincere love for Christ and the household of faith. Paul reveals this truth in his epistle to the brethren at Corinth.

2 Corinthians 5:13-15 – NKJV

 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you.

 14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;

 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

In the face of threat, persecution, and death, the early disciples of Christ lived and stood for Christ, boldly preaching the word of God (Rom. 8:35-37).

Like the early followers of Christ, you are supposed not just to be a mere servant but a bondservant of Christ.

Choosing to be a bondservant of Christ implies willingness and determination to renounce, disown, deny, ignore, or forget yourself and your selfish ambitions, dreams, and desires so that you may follow and serve the Lord Jesus.

You cannot be a bondservant of Christ if you still want to fully and firmly control your life. You need to give up your claim over your life and your possessions. Similarly, you cannot be a bondservant of Christ if you still seek to please men.

Paul said, “For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” (Gal. 1:10 NKJV).

For our Lord Jesus Christ to come into the world to save us from our sins and reconcile us to God, He had to give up His rights and privileges as God the Creator and take the form of a bondservant upon Him (Philip. 2:5-8).

Friend, if our Lord Jesus Christ had to become a bondservant to fulfill His mission in the world, how dare you think you can follow the Lord Jesus and complete the task He has given you without you being a bondservant—laying aside your rights and privileges to serve God and His people in love and humility? 

By right, as a believer, you legally belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, who bought you with His precious blood.

Paul queries, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Cor. 6:19-20 NKJV).

As a believer, you no longer belong to yourself. Therefore, you are not supposed to live for and to yourself but for and to the Lord Jesus.

Paul writes, “For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.” (Rom. 14:7-8 NKJV).

Although you legally belong to the Lord Jesus, who bought you with His precious blood, the Lord Jesus will never manipulate, force, or coax you into obeying and serving Him.

Your obedience, devotion, or service to the Lord Jesus Christ must be motivated only by pure love for the Lord and gratitude to Him for His great love and goodness towards you.

Beloved, you are responsible for presenting yourself to the Lord as His bondservant.

Why not choose to become a bondservant of Christ today?

Paul admonishes, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” (Rom. 12:1 NKJV).

“And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.” (Rom. 6:13 NKJV).

 Prayer:

My Dear Heavenly Father, I present myself to You today as a bondservant of Christ. My Dear Holy Spirit, teach and help me daily to live not for and to myself but for and to Christ, who bought me with His precious blood, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Our mandate is to preserve the faith of the Apostolic Generation.

® Eniyekpemi Fidelis Oyinpreyebi.

AWH, Blogs.

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