Slaves

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, . . .

(Philippians 1:1a ESV)

Whom do you serve? Or, to put it another way, to whom are you a slave? We all serve something. None of us is completely free no matter how much we may think otherwise. We are all living for something. So what is it? For whom or for what do you live? To whom do you belong?

Paul introduces his letter with these words: "Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ . . ." Paul is the author, Timothy the likely amanuensis. In other words, Paul is dictating the letter and Timothy is writing it down as he speaks. Scholars think this is how most of Paul's letters came about. So Paul introduces himself and Timothy at the top of his epistle and he introduces them as "servants of Christ Jesus." Since the epistle was originally written in Greek, let's take a second and look at that word translated into most of our English Bibles as "servant". 

The word is doulos. Sometimes it is translated as "bond-servant" and sometimes it is translated as "slave". In first century Graeco-Roman culture it could mean someone who voluntarily served another, but it usually meant someone who was held in a permanent position of servitude. Paul introduces himself as the doulos of Jesus Christ in nearly all of his epistles and it is clear that he is happy about, even proud of the position he holds.

In our culture we treasure freedom and boast of freedom as if it is our God-given right. But Paul boasts of no such thing and his attitude runs seemingly contrary to our thinking in that respect. Paul boasts of his servitude to Christ. The truth is we are all slaves to something, we all serve someone, no matter what our claim otherwise.

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. (John 8:34 ESV)

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. (Romans 6:16-18 ESV)

So whom are you serving? You might think, I'm serving no one. I'm free. Don't kid yourself. To live for yourself is to be the servant, the doulos of sin. It is to be carried about by our own passions and lusts and fallen will without regard to God or what he wants. But Jesus makes it clear that true freedom lies in being the doulos of Christ, in living for him, in belonging to him.

Let me encourage you to yield yourself to Christ. Let me encourage you to bow the knee before him, to present yourself as a living sacrifice, to give yourself to him. To continue serving self, serving sin, can lead only to death and eternal separation from God--eternal misery, eternal dissatisfaction, the deserved wrath of God. But giving yourself to Christ is true freedom, and belonging to him the greatest privilege in the world. Listen to the words of Jesus.

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 ESV)

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:36 ESV)

If you have never done this, do so now. Bow your head and give your heart to him. If you have, if you are a Christian, give yourself to him again. Those who follow Christ must do so daily. Give him your hands, your feet, your heart, your life. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.