Transcript: Becoming a Bond Slave for Christ: Total Commitment to Faith

Music Music Our message today is called, Becoming a Bond Slave for Christ Means Total Commitment. And I begin this word today with a testimony of a man who was a young boy who tells of his account in straddling the fence. He begins by saying, When I was in grade school, my family visited some friends who owned a farm in Kentucky. after we were there several days I jumped at the chance to ride their horse Prince however having never ridden a horse before and realizing the horse was much larger than he looked from a distance I proceeded cautiously being an intelligent fourth grader I decided to play it safe by climbing a wooden fence next to where the horse was standing and mount him from there with one foot on the left side of the top fence rail. I threw the other leg over the horse, who was on the right side. Immediately, the horse began to sidle slowly away from the fence. Now, I hadn't planned on that, and I needed to make some hasty decision. You see, I wanted both to ride the horse and to hold on to the security of the fence. Needless to say, after my legs had stretched as far as they could go, I fell face down to the ground. You would think that such an experience would teach one a lesson. Yet in the years that followed, I would still find myself trying to straddle the fence. And the results would always be the same as that first experience. Only the fence wasn't on the farm in Kentucky. It was the fence between commitment to Christ and the world. And believe me, The falls from this fence hurt a lot more. Save yourself a lot of pain. Don't try to straddle the fence. And this account sounds to me like the warning given to the Laodicean church in Revelation chapter 3 verse 16, which declares, And to the angel messenger of the assembly church in Laodicea ride, These are the words of the Amen The trusty and faithful and true witness The origin and beginning and author of God's creation Verse 15 I know your record of works and what you are doing You are neither cold nor hot Would that you were cold or hot So because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot I will spew you out of my mouth Verse 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered and grown wealthy, and I am in need of nothing. You do not realize and understand that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. Therefore I counsel you to purchase from me gold refined and tested by fire, that you may be truly wealthy and white clothes to clothe you, and keep the shame of your nudity from being seen, and sap to put on your eyes that you may see. Verse 19, those whom I dearly and tenderly love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten. I discipline and instruct them. So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with real zeal and repent, changing your mind and attitude. You see, the Laodicean church were a people who believed that what they were doing and living was meeting the approval of God. They had enough of the truth to know the difference between what was right and what was wrong. This church received no commendation from the angel messenger. This fact makes this letter quite unique compared to the messages which were given to the other six churches. the deeds of the Laodicean Christians manifested their hard attitude because they were neither hot nor cold in their love for God they were just lukewarm the Lord would rather that his people be hot or cold in their love for him not apathetic and the scripture defines a figurative account that he told them that he would spit them out of his mouth and this is the same as saying that he would vomit them up the state of their hearts indicated here that they had a profession of religion but no warm-hearted reverence a deep devotion and a love for jesus christ the laodiceans enjoyed material prosperity and we see this in verse 17 when it was declared. For you say that I am rich, I have prospered and grown wealthy, I am in need of nothing, and you do not realize and understand that you are wretched and pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. Well, this attitude led them to a false sense of security and independence apart from their Lord and Savior. This wealth that was attained came through their self-effort and self-exertion. And even today, this self-sufficient attitude for Christians is a constant danger when they live their lives in ease and enjoy plenty. You see, dear listener, upon being a Christian, there is a personal commitment we make in saying that we give our lives to make us into what he desires us to be. And all of us know that the first thing that he desires of us is that we grow and mature into full-grown, strong believers of the faith who look and resemble him in image and likeness. Can I tell you that this is saying that a Christian, we have no personal rights? I wonder if that shocks some. Well, let's look at 1 Corinthians chapter 6, verses 19 and 20 to see this point. It would be a good idea as well to put a marker in this chapter of 1 Corinthians chapter 6 because we'll refer to it at various times throughout this word today. the scripture says do you not know that your body is the temple the very sanctuary of the holy spirit who lives within you whom you have received as a gift from god you are not your own you were bought with a price purchased from the preciousness and paid for made his own So then honor God and bring glory to him in your body Wow, this declaration made by Paul is both concerning himself and concerning the things which he is said to possess in Christ. Well, there are several things in this scripture that we should consider in our study of being a bond slave to Christ which means total commitment. Can I say that again please? Being a bond slave in Christ means total commitment. Us giving the absolute willingness of our whole being in becoming this bond servant for Christ to conform us into his image and likeness. Well, our first points into this look-see into the scripture Paul declares that a Christian is not his own. It must be known that the essence of true conversion or salvation is voluntary surrender of one's will and life to Jesus Christ. This is a serious personal commitment, dear listener, not a herd mentality where everyone runs to the altar out of spontaneous I like to say emotional combustion or in the moment and another significant point in this scripture is where Paul tells us that he himself bought one with a price at that so a slave who is purchased by his master for a sum of money makes him the sole property of that master It is with us being bought with the price of the blood of Jesus Christ. We are not our own anymore. We are now Jesus' property. As a slave is bound to use all of his strength and energy for the price or the compensation of his master, so should you and I commit our body, soul, and spirit in the service of our Lord today by doing everything within our power and energy to the honor and the glory of God, whom we must now consider as our Lord and Master. Apostle Peter speaks about the same thing in 1 Peter 1, in verses 18 and 19, when he declares, You must know and recognize that you were redeemed, ransomed, from the useless fruitless way of living inherited by the tradition of your forefathers not with corruptible things such as silver or gold verse 19 but you were purchased with the precious blood of Christ the Messiah like that of a sacrificial lamb without blemish or spot so between apostle Peter's and Paul's scriptures we have just read we must see that nothing else could have satisfied the need for our redemption except the precious blood of Jesus Christ by which we were purchased. There is no price, no atonement a sinner could pay to become a willing slave or bond servant of Jesus Christ. We would have remained a slave to sin if it were not for our precious Savior, dear one. so this plainly tells us that a Christian who has been purchased ransomed and redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ now are obligated and bound and commanded to devote themselves to God and his son who died for them in order to inherit eternal life we are commanded in 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 22 to flee from sin and a lustful way of life. The word declares, Flee also youthful lusts, but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart. Paul declares he is a bond slave to Christ and makes it known that he has willingly surrendered out of a thankful love for his Savior. so dear one the bottom line here for any true believer in Christ in all that we have all that we can ever be means that we are under a solemn obligation to submit ourselves in complete obedience to our master and lord I remember many years ago when I told someone that I was a follower of Jesus Christ, they looked at me like I was from another planet. The individual said, you don't really believe all those do's and don'ts and the these and those, do you? And I replied, yes, I do, because it is the very word of God speaking to me personally. You see, our precious Lord, in whom we love and serve, holds all rights to us, and he is permitted to expect that we should recognize, honor, and respect him as our gracious master. It is within our hearts to do so now, because our spirit knows that he is God in me, and now you want to please him above all else because you love him very deeply. Jesus is our Lord. He is the glorified Son of God, whose service to his father was perfect and holy. He provided perfect freedom and joy and peace to all who choose willingly to enslave themselves to him. Our choice is to do just that. To willingly enslave oneself means that the individual does not manage his own life now. The person who calls himself a slave or bondservant of Christ acknowledges that his Savior Jesus Christ has power over him. And bottom line for you and me is to choose to love him and his Heavenly Father and precious Holy Spirit, then we will love our brothers and sisters in Christ as well. This enslavement to Christ for a Christian cannot happen if love for Jesus Christ is not the driving force. We are back in 2 Corinthians chapter 6 again to look into this fact. We're going to see this fact. Paul gives us insight into this life of love in 2 Corinthians chapter 6, beginning in verse 6. He says, We commend ourselves in every way as true servants of God through great endurance in tribulation, in suffering, in hardships, in privations, in sore straits and calamities Verse 5 In beatings imprisonment riots labors sleepless watching hunger Verse 6 By innocence and purity, knowledge and spiritual insight, longs, suffering and patience, kindness in the Holy Spirit. In unfeigned love. Verse 7. By speaking the word of truth in the power of God with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand to attack and for the left hand to defend. You see, unconditional love of God does not rule out exhorting, dear church. Paul called on his readers not to receive God's grace in vain. He was exhorting them not to be lazy. Love means self-sacrifice on our part. Let's refer to 2 Corinthians 6, beginning in verse 3. We put no obstruction in anyone's way. We give no offense in anything, so that no fault may be found and our ministry blamed and discredited. Verse 4. But we commend ourselves in every way as true servants of God, through great endurance and tribulation and suffering, in hardship and privations, in sore straits and calamities, in beatings, imprisonment, riots, labors. I know we just read this, but we're going over it. So, you know, as we read the word again, it comes together like a puzzle piece where we didn't see something before. Maybe we'll see it in a greater way this way, this time. Verse 5. In beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleeplessness, watching, hunger, by innocence and purity, knowledge and spiritual insight, long-suffering. Verse 5. In beatings, imprisonment, riots, labors, sleeplessness, watching, hunger, by innocence and purity, knowledge and spiritual insight, long-suffering and patience, kindness in the Holy Spirit, in unfeigned love, verse 7, by speaking the word of truth in the power of God with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand to attack and for the left hand to defend, amid honor and dishonor, in defaming and evil report and in praise and good report. We are branded as deceivers, imposters, and yet vindicated as truthful and honest. Verse 9, we are treated as unknown and ignored by the world, and yet we are well known and recognized by God and his people as dying, and yet here we are alive, as chastened by suffering and yet not killed. Verse 9, we are treated as unknown and ignored by the world, and yet we are well known and recognized by God and his people. As dying, and yet here we are alive, as chastened by suffering and yet not killed. Ten, as grieved and mourning, yet we are always rejoicing, as poor ourselves yet bestowing riches on many, as having nothing and yet in reality possessing all things. Our mouth is open to you Corinthians. We are hiding nothing, keeping back nothing, and our hearts is expanded wide for you. Verse 12, there is no lack of room for you in our hearts, but you lack room in your own affections for us. Verse 13, by way of return then, do this for me. I speak as children. Open wide your hearts also to us. Can you see that Apostle Paul reviewed the hardships he had suffered in ministry in these verses? He had endured everything as a servant of God out of love for him and furthering the precious word of God so that others might choose eternal life as well. Paul had been completely open in caring and showing his love to them in his ministry, and it was time for the Corinthians to open wide their hearts of love to him as well. Did you know that love means separation? let's continue in verse 14 where we left off in our last verses. Verse 14 of 1 Corinthians chapter 6 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. Do not make mismatched alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them, inconsistent with your faith. For what partnerships have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness? Or how can light have fellowship with darkness? Verse 15. What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial the devil? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? What agreement can there be between a temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God, even as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them, and I will walk in and with and among them, And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Hallelujah. Verse 17. So come out from among the unbelievers, and separate. Sever yourselves from them, says the Lord, and touch not any unclean thing. Then I will receive you kindly, and treat you with favor. Verse 18. And I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Almighty. Now, drop down and continuing in chapter 7, verse 1. Therefore, since these great promises are ours, beloved, let's cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates and defiles body and spirit and bring our consecration to completeness in the reverential fear of God. So this is saying that the true believer in Christ will refuse to be linked to evil. You see, having these promises relates to the fact that we cleanse ourselves. Do you see the personal responsibility that we have in this mandate that Paul has laid out? this is the essential mandatory remedy for the grace of our Savior in the purification process. Our part is to avoid everything in spirit and practice which is opposite to the doctrine of God and which has a tendency to pollute the soul. In regards to filthiness of the flesh, Paul undoubtedly means drunkenness. fornication, adultery, and all such sins that are done immediately against the body by filthiness of the spirit, all impure desires, all unholy thoughts and polluting imaginations, it is saying that these must be avoided. And if we avoid and abhor evil inclinations and turn our eyes away from vanity and impure things there will be the less danger of our falling into outward sin All of this is our work and the Holy Spirit, whom we have been given, and he will help us fight the battles that the evil one comes to present us with in the temptations. but if you consent to these evil sins the Holy Spirit cannot do his part in purifying your conscience and heart because these are all from dead works and because you have not resisted we have a part here the spirit of God will not purify a fallen spirit it is the grace of the spirit of Christ alone is powerfully applied for every purpose that can purify the conscience and heart from all dead works. Our part is to say no to them. We have a personal responsibility to say no. As someone once said to me many years ago, well, I do my part, but God doesn't do his. Well, I tell you, I don't know where that person is today, but that was not a good beginning. and that person had been around the word of God and in the church for many years. Well now while we are striving against sin, we may expect the spirit of God to purify us by his great power and might from all unrighteousness so that we may perfectly love and honor and adore our maker and great God. Commitment to Jesus Christ calls for purification from everything that contaminates body and spirit. And lastly, dear ones, we need to see in this message today, in becoming a bond slave for Christ means total commitment, is that love for our Savior means that we will have joy even in the pain that we go through as his bond servant or slave. Let's look at 2 Corinthians chapter 7. Beginning in verse 2, we're going to see here in Paul's relationship with the Corinthians that this brought both of them great pain. Paul felt extremely anxious or he had extreme anxiety over the Corinthians as well as deep hurt when he heard of some of them struggling with sin that affected the whole body of believers. Verse 2, Paul said, in all of our tribulation. Verse 5. For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were found with trouble on every side. Outside were conflict, inside were fears. Nevertheless, God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus. Verse 7. And not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more. Verse 8. For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it, for I perceived that the same epistle made you sorry, though for only a while. Now I rejoice not only that you were made sorry, but your sorrow led to repentance, for you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance, leading to salvation, not to be regretted, but the sorrow of the world produces death. Verse 11, for observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner. What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication. In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. Verse 12, therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of him who had suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you. Verse 13. Now here we see the joy of Titus outlined here. Verse 13. Therefore we have been comforted in your comfort, and we rejoiced exceedingly more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit had been refreshed by you all. For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I am not ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting to Titus was found true. And his affections were greater for you as he remembers the obedience of you all. How with fear and trembling you received him. Therefore, I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything. Hallelujah. So we know that Paul's letter caused the Corinthians brethren much sorrow and yet that sorrow was beneficial and we see and know that the godly repented and it changed. So it's really wonderful when we see and can learn from Paul's secret of motivation to press on in his struggles and his devotion to God in the truth. And the bottom line, dear ones, is to all of this is that everything was motivated out of love because he had made a personal commitment to the Lord and willingly became his slave or his bondservant. Our Heavenly Father expects this very same thing from each one of us whom he calls his child. Let us be diligent in these days that we have breath to do everything in our power by the Holy Spirit given to us, to be wise stewards of our time, to search for him whom our hearts love and whom we desire to know more and more every day. Let us be diligent to pray and meditate upon his word and see that is good.