Dear People Who Keep Company With God,

Paul introduced himself as a bondservant of Jesus Christ on more than one occasion (Rom. 1:1, Phil. 1:1 & Titus 1:1). This is something that is not emphasized much these days, but it should be. We may ask, “Why is this so since Jesus said ‘I no longer call you servants (John 15:15)?’” What about being sons? Are we bondservants or sons? It is not either/or but rather both/and. We all are called to be bondservants (1 Cor. 7:22-23), however we can never truly understand or walk as New Testament bondservants until we walk in the revelation of being loved and accepted sons.

i belong photoWe see this so clearly illustrated in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, which I prefer to call the Parable of Two Lost Sons (Luke 15). Both sons approach the father based on what they believed their relationship with him was, as a servant before a master. The father does not receive the prodigal or older brother on that ground. He offers His unconditional and costly love to both of them demonstrating they are first and foremost sons.

The Old Testament brings out the concept of bondservants. This is outlined in Exodus 21:1-7. Basically, it states if a man buys a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing. But if the servant plainly says, “I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,” then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever.

That person by his own free will chooses to stay and serve his master and becomes his bondservant. It is a voluntary surrender born out of love and affection.  We cannot fully come to this place of voluntary surrender in our hearts apart from a true revelation of the Father heart of God. It is in knowing God as our Father that we come to realize how precious we are to Him as sons. The more we experience His love the more we will truly love Him and desire to freely surrender ourselves to Him and His mission. 

Oswald Chambers defines a bondservant as “the breaking and collapse of my independence brought about by my own hands, and the surrendering of my life to the supremacy of the Lord Jesus.” I believe the revelation of being a son and a bondservant together will lead us to the ultimate revelation of Jesus – the King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 17:4). This is why Paul gloried in being a bondservant; he had a true revelation of Jesus Christ as King of kings, as Lord over all. It was the highest honor to be His love slave. 

It is significant that one of the last things Jesus did just before His trial and sufferings would begin was wash His disciples feet. In that day the lowest of household servants, the bondservant had the job of washing the feet of anyone who entered the home. He truly did not come into this world to be served, but to serve (Matt. 20:28). His encouragement to us all still stands, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14).

Our journey into son-ship has been and continues to be awesome, but at some point if it doesn’t lead us to becoming bondservants, then we may have missed the mark somewhere. We all can experience the honor of becoming a bondservant of Jesus Christ by voluntary surrender to His supremacy.

Many Blessings, BW

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