At the Truth & Life Conference, John MacArthur spoke on the meaning and implications of the Greek word doulos. Our English versions all translate it as “servant” or “bondservant”, when referring to the Christian and as “slave” when speaking of the social class of the Roman world. He says that it is indisputably agreed upon by all scholars that doulos means slave and can only mean slave. There is an other word for servant – diakonos.

When we apply the concept of slave on the Christian, then we get an intensified picture of the believer’s relationship to Lord. I think we often hear things about the Lordship of Jesus over our lives, but I have not heard about what my position is in light of that. Simply put, we are not our own. We belong to someone else. “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Cor. 6:19-20)

Thinking of myself as a slave has had some significant impacts on how I view life. I cannot claim any goodness of my own – that belongs to my Lord. I cannot claim my time as my own – that belongs to my Lord. I cannot hang on to speech, ministry, evangelism, obedience, eyes, hands, wardrobe, and relationships, for they all belong to my Lord. This idea has huge implications on the Christian life if we allow it to seep into every corner of our souls.

I am not my own; I am happily a slave to my gracious Master who gave His life in order to pay the price for this rebellious sinner.