Belonging to God

Years ago I went to a conference at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside and pastor John MacArthur preached a sermon on the Greek word "doulos."  He noted the vast majority of times we read the word "servant" in the the New Testament, doulos is the word being translated--a word best translated as "slave."  MacArthur believed the word "slave" better connected with our modern understanding of English and thus was a better translation.  Having been purchased by the blood of Jesus and born again by faith in Him identifying as a slave emphasises we are not our own.

People can negatively colour their view of God as our Father because of a poor relationship with their own father, and a similar error can be made concerning the grave abuses associated with slavery.  In stark contrast to common examples of slavery that involve kidnapping or the forced sale of human beings (crimes punished by death under law), the Law of Moses outlined slavery for a set time as a provision to pay off debts.  Under Law it was not a master who decided if a slave could remain in the household permanently but the slave out of love for his master and family given him.  Exodus 21:5-6 reads, "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."  This choice to become a bondslave was the decision of the slave and this legal, binding union was publicly affirmed by the courts.

Many times in his letters Paul referred to himself as a willing bondslave of Jesus Christ, and this reality impacted the way he lived and spoke to others.  In the midst of a storm, Paul addressed the men aboard the ship in Acts 27:23-25:  "For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, ²⁴ saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.' ²⁵ Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me."  Being a slave of God, Paul knew he belonged to Him.  This meant he had been accepted, was cared for personally and would never be forgotten.  He was God's valued property, for God had purchased him body and soul.  Paul knew and served the LORD, and because he belonged to God was courageous to look death in the face without fear, and encouraged others to take heart.

The life of a Christian relates to God in other ways besides being a slave:  we are called the children of God, His inheritance and the sheep of His pasture.  We are like soldiers who have chosen to enlist to serve under His command, God's ambassadors who diffuse His fragrance of life to this world filled with death.  Christians are individual members of Body of Christ the church united in Jesus Who is our Head.  The church is compared to a bride that is betrothed to Christ.  John wrote in Revelation 1:5-6:  "...Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, ⁶ and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."  Because of faith in Jesus Christ we belong to God, are loved, washed from our sins and are made kings and priests unto Him.  Having received Him, we are willing slaves having been enraptured in God's love for us, confident all He has promised He is able to perform.

Beloved of the LORD

The word of God is full of guidance, warnings and exhortations concerning being prepared for the future.  I have observed many people who relish drawing attention to the opposition followers of Jesus will experience in the world, reminding us we will be hated for Christ's name sake.  It seems like some of these people enjoy a degree of shock value in saying this, even insinuating that if Christians are not aware of anyone who currently hates us or actively opposing us we are not following Jesus very closely.  Because we are in a spiritual battle, it seems some feel we should be confrontational, combative and adversarial against others.  To me, this emphasis can distract people from what will enable them to persevere through trials:  the gracious love of God toward us.

The way a person can joyfully endure being hated by people is knowing they are greatly loved by Jesus Christ, our risen Saviour and King.  In these last days we are in a spiritual battle, yet we can stand strong having found perfect peace and rest in the LORD Who rules and reigns over all.  Being rejected hurts deeply, but realising we have been accepted in the beloved by God's grace through the Gospel is the balm for our pains.  I do not believe it is possible to overemphasise the love, grace, justice and mercy of God.  In pushing back against "sloppy agape" emphasis can be focused on what we ought to be doing rather than what Jesus has done and is doing.  Some paint a grim, bleak picture of the future of Christianity on earth when Jesus is with us and the Holy Spirit guides and helps us every step of the way.  The New Testament warnings are not written so we would lose heart, but that we might look to the LORD in faith who is always good.

The apostle wrote in 1 Peter 4:12-13, "Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; ¹³ but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy."  Suffering is a part of the Christian life, and believers are not unique in this regard.  Everyone on earth suffers from the horrific, deadly affects of sin in this world.  People wallow in the inescapable consequences of their sin every day, while we Christians have a sure hope of forgiveness, comfort, redemption and restoration by God's grace.  Our rejoicing is not that others hate us and thus validates the assumption we "must be doing something right," but that when we suffer for Christ's sake it puts in mind there is future glory awaiting us--even as we are God's beloved right now.  The fruit of the Spirit is joy, and we have a joyful future no one can deny provided us by God's grace.

In His wisdom, God chooses to refine His beloved children and chastens them even as a father disciplines a son in whom he delights.  After the apostles were threatened and physically beaten for preaching Jesus Acts 5:41 says, "So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name."  It is only by the power of the resurrected Jesus Christ people who suffer shame and pain can rejoice for His sake.  Secure in the love of God and His sovereign calling, they celebrated God allowing them the privilege of suffering for Jesus.  Instead of suffering deterring them, they pressed on in Acts 5:42:  "And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ."  We are not to boast in our suffering but in Jesus Christ who suffered for our sakes.  Opposition to the Gospel from demons and men is not what goads us to open our mouths for His glory, but the goodness of our LORD who daily gives us strength.

Strength Day by Day

Samson is known in scripture for his superhuman strength made possible by the Holy Spirit.  His feats of strength, however, were accompanied by moral failings and spiritual weakness.  The Spirit of the LORD moved him to pursue a wife of the Philistines because God sought an occasion against the Philistines, and God made Samson a judge in Israel after miraculous victories in battle.

After the woman Samson previously married had been murdered, we do not read of Samson marrying again.  Instead he sought the services of a harlot and then lived in sin with a woman of Sorek named Delilah whom he loved.  She was employed by the Philistines to discover the secret of Samson's strength, and harped on him constantly.  As the days passed her tears wore down the resolve of Israel's strong man, even as solid rock is carved by water.  Judges 16:16-17 says, "And it came to pass, when she pestered him daily with her words and pressed him, so that his soul was vexed to death, ¹⁷ that he told her all his heart, and said to her, "No razor has ever come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother's womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man."  A man who slew 1,000 Philistine warriors with the jawbone of a donkey in one battle was overcome by Delilah on her couch.

The life of Joseph provides an interesting contrast, for though he was not a Nazarite from birth he feared God.  When his master Potiphar's wife commanded him to sleep with her, Joseph refused the direct order because it was great wickedness in the eyes of God.  Genesis 39:10 says, "So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her."  Though she pestered Joseph day by day, he was wise not to listen to her, to sleep with her or even be around her.  The fear of God moved Joseph to wisely avoid the woman who tempted him to sin, and he overcome her advances without the superhuman strength that Samson possessed.  This demonstrates how spiritual strength is more important than physical strength, and the Holy Spirit is able to provide both as the situation requires.

Proverbs 9:10 says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."  Those who know the almighty God fear Him, and this knowledge of what is pleasing and offensive to God guides our steps in doing His will.  Samson willfully transgressed by his illicit sexual relationships and was easily overcome by Delilah's pestering.  Joseph knew adultery was great wickedness in God's eyes and thus was empowered by God's grace to walk wisely and circumspectly.  Should we find ourselves worn down by temptation to sin and cannot flee from it, this can be evidence our hearts have already strayed from the fear of God.  Praise the LORD God renews our strength daily when we wait on Him, and those who seek Jesus Christ will always be guided to walk in wisdom.

Changed Heart and Mind

For a Christian feelings of guilt can provide motivation, but the love of God is a far better one.  People can "guilt" others to manipulate their behaviour yet scripture shows us this was never the way employed by Jesus.  Even after Peter denied Jesus He did not resort to attempts to manipulate his behaviour, for conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit lead to repentance and restoration.  A change of heart and mind is needed more than behaviour modification due to guilt.

A lot of believers can feel guilty because they have sinned by doing wrong or have fallen short of doing what was right.  There can be a persistent feeling we are not measuring up to a relative standard we have set for ourselves, usually by measuring ourselves by the arbitrary standards of personal experience or that of others.  Perhaps we have read a book or heard a sermon that invokes feelings of guilt over neglect of prayer.  Thus we think, "I haven't been praying enough.  I need to pray more."  Because this realisation has not resulted with intentional action, we can perpetually wallow in guilt rather than be moved by our feelings to repentance and right actions.

This whole mentality of needing to do good things "more" betrays a misunderstanding that we must measure up, and the implication is if we measure up by meeting our arbitrary standard we can avoid bad feelings of guilt.  Thus avoiding negative feelings becomes our selfish motivation instead of joyful obedience to Jesus.  Rather than saying, "I need to pray more" we would be better saying, "I need to pray" and actually do it.  The Bible never says we should pray more but to pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks (1 Thess. 5:17-18).  To say we need to pray more is like saying I want to be a "good Christian" when being a Christian is simply what matters.  Our actions flow out of who we are as born again children of God filled with the Holy Spirit, not from effort of the flesh to act like one.

There is what could be called a faux guilt around others to justify ourselves.  Some have said, "I haven't read the Bible much lately; I'm so bad."  Neglect is bad, and for those who believe this is true will make plan and conscious effort to avoid it.  It is ironic these sorts of statements are more an indication of pride than humility, for the proud make themselves a primary focus rather than God.  It is not that we are so bad, but God is so good that we look to Him and read His word with intention to obey.  With our minds instructed by God's word and our hearts surrendered to His will, we are greatly helped in time of present need.