This is the first of a number of reflections on Philippians which will be spread among my other blogs.
"Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:1a (NIV))
The Greek word translated 'servants' can also be translatted 'slaves'. Paul recognised that he was a slave of Christ. A slave is someone who has no rights of their own, they are at the beck and call of the master. Paul argues that we are either a slave to God or a slave to the Master of this world, Satan.
Being a slave of God puts a different slant of what it means to follow Jesus. It's no longer what God can do for me, but what I can do for God that matters.
Sometimes people tell others that if they come to Christ they will be happier, their life will go better, their marriage will be fixed. Perhaps that will happen, but that is not what being a follower of Jesus is all about. Being a follower of Jesus means leaving the slaveship of the evil one who wants to destroy us, to become a slave of God who loves us.
The issue is not whether you are a slave or not, the issue is who do you want your master to be?
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