An Elder Speaks

Our Service to God
Romans 8:15-17, 24-25
By Jack Smith
3/19/06

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we don’t see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

Christians have been given the priceless privilege of being servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. We can have no higher calling than to lay down our lives for the one who laid down His life for us. The Concept of servant hood permeates the gospel message and the way of following Jesus because of His identity as the servant-messiah. The New Testament teaches principles of servant hood that help us understand the meaning and importance of being a sacrificial servant of God.

We deserve eternal separation from God because of our sin against Him. Instead, by His grace, He has given us salvation through the death of His son on the cross for us.

To be a servant in the Kingdom of God is a status better than we deserve. Because Jesus gave His all for us while we were yet sinners, nothing we do in obedience to His commands merits us any special privilege or glory. We are servants who are unworthy of being called His servants. The giving of time or money, the enduring of hardship or anything we might do in service to the Lord is only our grateful response to His gift of salvation. We should never resent serving the Lord.

We have been given new life through Jesus. We have been adopted as sons of God a have received His spirit. He has rescued us form darkness and given us the promise of a place with the faithful in heaven. It is a relatively small thing that we serve Him faithfully in our one life here, regardless of the cost, as we follow the example of Jesus and look forward to eternal fellowship with God and His son.

Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man to the Lord’s sake, whether to the King as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for praise of those who do good. 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, gut as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God, Honor the King. 1st Peter 2: 13-17

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