Is being a slave of God Biblical?

Yet another example of a young Nehemiah's dogmatism.

May 11, 2009 FB

Let’s see what the Bible says about being a slave of God, and if this is a biblical concept. There is enough material here to write a book but we will just look at the very basics.

First let’s define what the term slave means. Webster’s dictionary says a slave is “a person held in servitude as the chattel of another: one that is completely subservient to a dominating influence.”
In our modern era slavery has taken on a negative connotation usually implying that the masters would treat their servants with inhumane cruelty. 
In the first century A.D. when the New Testament was written slavery was not necessarily a negative thing. A slave in the New Testament time took on the role of a servant but without the pay. They were the property of their owner. As far as their work goes, a slave may have been anything from a worker in the field to a housekeeper to a teacher for the children. Many would sell themselves because they had no way of maintaining a living for themselves. This is seen in Genesis 47 where the people in Egypt sold themselves to Joseph and Pharaoh because they had no way to provide for themselves. So being a slave in biblical times was not a bad thing.

The New Testament gives us several passages on slavery but we will look at the three main ones which pertain to slavery in relation to God.
1. Galatians chapter 4 shows the negative side of slavery. In this passage Paul argues that the believer has been freed from the Mosaic Law. This goes right along with the theme of the book in which Paul is seeking to refute the Gnostic teaching that the believer must go back under the Law. The thrust of chapter 4 is to show that believers were once slaves to this Law but Jesus fulfilled it for us so that now “you are no longer a slave but a son” (Gal. 4:7). So this is the negative side of slavery and it shows us that we are no longer slaves to the Law. But what about the positive side? Are we slaves to anything else?

2. Romans chapter 6 is the next great section on slavery. In Romans 6 we see both the negative and the positive side of slavery. Paul says that we were once slaves to the flesh to obey its lusts but, because we are now united to Christ in His death, we have to died to the slavery of the flesh. The positive side comes in 6:18 where we are said to have become “slaves of righteousness.” Furthermore, in 6:22 we are said to have become “slaves of God.” So the answer to our question is, Yes, the Bible does teach that we are slaves to God. But is there more?

3. 1 Corinthians chapter 9. We must walk a fine line in this passage because Paul sets an example which Jesus Himself also followed: “"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve” (Mk 10:45). In this passage Paul is saying that we have freedom in Christ to partake of or abstain from whatever we want, as long as it does not cause us or a brother or sister to stumble in their Christian walk. In 9:19 Paul says “though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more.” There is much to be said about this but let’s make a general note that he is not saying that the believer must obey another human. Nor is he saying that other people are his masters. No, he is simply saying that the believer must be conscious to not hinder others from spiritual growth by their lifestyle.

To sum up, being a slave of God is a biblical concept. We have seen that the slave does not work for wages or reward, but solely because it is the work that the master has given them to do. Now what needs to be noted is that, in biblical times slaves were cared for and some even loved by their masters. Note that Joseph was a slave or Potiphar and Potiphar was highly favorable of him (Gen 39:1-4). Furthermore, in Luke 7 a Roman centurion cares so much for his dying slave that he pleads with Jesus to heal him. Now In the case of God and the believer, God is our Lord because we were “bought with a price” (1 Cor. 6:20) and He provides all of our needs and cares for us. In all of the passages in which Jesus is giving or commenting on service responsibilities he mentions that God knows what his servants need and he will provide as the needs come up. So we should not worry about our lives like we do.

“Do not be anxious then, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'With what shall we clothe ourselves?' For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:31-33).

Nehemiah Ryan © 2009