Slave of God

Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.

1 Peter 2:16

Many translations of Scripture wrongly translate the word at the end of I Peter 2:16 as servant. We are familiar with the concept that we are God's servants, aren't we? In church we have heard quite a lot about being a servant of God. But the word "slave" hits us differently, doesn't it? The idea that we are slaves of God feels stronger to us and it is. 

A slave belongs to the person who owns them. They are his property. Just a few verses earlier I Peter 2:9 describes us this way: "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession..." Every believer belongs to God. We are His possession. We were redeemed from (or bought out of) slavery to sin. The purchase price was the precious blood of the Lamb (see I Peter 1:18-19). And having been purchased we now belong to God. We have gone from being slaves to sin to being slaves of God. 

This should be obvious enough to us in Scripture, but it is often missed. If you need further evidence of this truth just think of how often Scripture reminds us that Jesus is Lord for the believer. In fact, confessing Jesus as Lord is required for salvation. Romans 10:9, says "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in you heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." If Jesus is Lord, then that makes the believer His servant, or more precisely...His slave. 

Are you "living as God's slave?" That's what I Peter 2:19 commands you to do. Are you directing your own life, living to fulfill your dreams and accomplish your goals, or do you think of yourself as God's slave who is free only to obey your Master and live to please Him? That may sound harsh and out of step with your concept of God, but I assure you that your greatest good and your deepest joy will be found not in living for yourself but in living to please your Lord. So surrender your life fully to God and seek to live in His will. Don't consider His commands to be optional for you and don't consider yourself free to do anything but obey Him. Live as God's slave.