We have learned our four identities in Christ. Today I will share the fifth and the last one, which is we are servants of God. Many Christians think servants of God are Christians who receive special calls from God to carry certain missions whether to be missionaries, pastors, or teachers. Is that true? Let us see what the Bible says about this.
I. What does it mean to be a servant of God?
“Servant” is a translation of the Greek word “doulos,” which means more literally “a slave or bondservant, someone who sets aside all rights of his own to serve another.” Because the word slave carries such a negative connotation to our modern sensitivities, we often choose the word servant instead. However, servant does not quite capture the real meaning of “doulos.” So, when you read the word ‘servant’ in the Bible, remember, the word means “slave.”
In ancient times, slaves were purchased or born into a slave family and served the master until they died or until the master decided to free them. Some slaves developed such a close and loving relationship with the master’s family that they wanted to continue serving, even when they could go free.
2. Who are servants of God?
In the Old Testament, God called Moses, Joshua, and the prophets His servants. Let us read Joshua 1:1-2 – “After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, it came to pass that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: “Moses My servant is dead. Now, therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel.” Joshua 24:29 – “Now it came to pass after these things that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being one hundred and ten years old.” Amos 3:7 – “Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.”
In many places in the New Testament, the apostle Paul refers to himself as “a servant of Jesus Christ” (e.g., Romans 1:1; Colossians 4:12; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 4:6). The Lord’s half-brother Jude also refers to himself in the same way (Jude 1:1). Rather than emphasizing his close relationship to Jesus, Jude referred to himself to the status of a servant. That is the idea Paul and Jude were conveying when they referred to themselves as servants of Christ.
But in Romans 6:22, Paul explains that every Christian who has been bought by Christ becomes a slave of God, “But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.” We actually never be free man/woman! Before we knew Christ, we were the slaves of sin, we were owned by Satan who wanted to destroy our lives. But now, we have a wonderful Master who loves us so much. In 1 Corinthians 7:22, Paul also says, “For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord's freedman. Likewise, he who is called while free is Christ's slave.” Peter says in 1 Peter 2:15-16, “For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.” So, according to the Bible, all believers, not only pastors, missionaries, and teachers are servants of God or Christ! The Lord has bought us with a high price (1 Corinthians 6:20), and those who come to know Him desire to abandon all rights to Him and choose to serve Him faithfully. A servant of God is part of God’s household, and he works to serve his master.
Being servants of God is more than being volunteers at church. Doug Sarver beautifully says, “Volunteers raise their hand to be called on. Servants are called by the Hand of God. Volunteers do work for God. Servants do work with God. Volunteers get tired of the work; Servants are tired in the work. Volunteers pray their work will succeed. Servants succeed as they pray for their work. Volunteers serve from their commitment. Servants serve in their surrender. Volunteers come and go as they please. Servants are pleased to come and stay. Volunteers are faced with ministry problems. Servants are faced with ministry opportunities. Volunteers teach the Bible Story to others. Servants are the Living Bible Story to others. Volunteers want to be led in ministry. Servants lead in ministry. Volunteers love the Ministry. Servants love Jesus in the ministry. Volunteers serve under their supervisor. Servants serve God alone. Volunteers see their ministry as small. Servants see the world as their ministry. Volunteers say, “This is the Day the Lord has made?” Servants say, “This is the Day the Lord has made!!” Volunteers are excited when they succeed. Servants are excited to make others succeed.” (https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon-illustrations/66910/servanthood-by-john-shearhart)
3. What are the marks of a servant of God?
a. A servant of God knows that Christ is his/her King and Lord/Master. They have voluntarily set aside their rights to love, serve, and obey the will of God in Christ Jesus. Servants of Christ die daily to sin and fleshly desires, allowing Christ’s life to flow through them (Galatians 2:20).
b. To be a servant of Christ is to seek His will in all things. Our primary desire every day, as servants of Christ, is to honor and glorify the One who bought our freedom from sin (1 Corinthians 10:31). This means we must die to ourselves (Luke 9:23), renounce our right to direct our own lives (Luke 6:46), and seek ways to bring our Master pleasure (Psalm 37:23). Just as a master in ancient times took on the responsibility of caring for his bondservants, so our Lord says that He will provide all we need when we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33).
c. A servant of God does what His Master instructs. Servants of Christ put into practice all they learn about pleasing their Lord. While He has specific jobs for each of us according to the gifts and opportunities He provides, some requirements are universal for anyone called to be a servant of Christ:
• To wash one another’s feet: “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.” (John 13:14)
• To “Do everything without grumbling or arguing,” (Philippians 2:14)
• To take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5)
• To pursue holy living (1 Peter 1:14–16)
• To daily crucify the lusts of the flesh (Romans 6:1–6).
• To love brothers and sisters in the faith (1 John 3:14–15).
• To store up treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:19–20).
• To eagerly await the Master’s return (Revelation 22:20; 2 Timothy 4:8).
d. A servant of God does their work humbly and selflessly, desiring only to please their Master. There’s no pretension, no pride, no compensation-seeking in true servanthood. Jesus reminds us of the lowly place a servant occupies: “You also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty” (Luke 17:10, ESV).
e. A servant of Christ must always be ready to serve Him. In Luke 12:35-37, Jesus advises, “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat and will come and serve them. And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.”
f. A servant of Christ will give account on how they have served Him. 2 Corinthians 5:10 reminds us, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
Closing:
Remember, you are not only children of God but servants of Christ too. Have you obeyed His commands? Have you pleased your Master by doing the ministry that He gives to you? Are you ready to give account to Him when He comes back or when your time on earth ends? May when we see our Master, He will say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord." (Matthew 25:21)
