I have been doing a lot of soul searching lately. Trying to find what may be the issue with things in my life. I stumbled on this particular truth about myself the other day. I really don’t want to be a servant of any stripe. In fact if listed things on a scale of 1 to 100 with heaven at 1 and hell at 100 the last four things listed before hell would be paid servant(98), unpaid servant (98.5, not paid, but free to leave), indentured servitude slavery (99, contracted slavery), and chattel slavery(99.5, what we think of as slavery).
intellectually, and even internally, I know this isn’t the attitude I am supposed to have, but it is the truth. I want to be served, not serve. Maybe I am looking at it wrong. I don’t know. I do need to figure out what to do about this. Any thoughts?
actually, i agree with you - but when we receive spiritual rebirth, we don't become mere servants (as in 'slaves'), we become
sons (and daughters):
(Rom 8:12)
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
(Rom 8:13) For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
(Rom 8:14)
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
(Rom 8:15)
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
(Rom 8:16) The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
(Rom 8:17)
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
(emphasis added by me)
my father in the flesh wasn't perfect, but i knew he loved me and sacrificed for me by investing his time and resources helping me rather than in himself; this made me
want to obey him as a servant would,
but out or gratitude,
not fear (which motivates a
slave to serve their master).
God's love toward me is the same whether i serve Him or not; but if i don't serve Him out of a son's gratitude, my love toward Him won't be strong enough to enable me to believe Him when there are a multitude of reports from the world and my own body that conflict with His Word (His Report)
when i'm facing a situation that can steal, kill, and/or destroy in my life.
(Rom 8:17)
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
the scripture verse above harmonizes with ones we've looked at before:
(2Pe 1:2) Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
(2Pe 1:3) According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
(2Pe 1:4)
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
(emphasis added by me)
the reason we can expect 'all things that pertain to life and godliness' is because God has made us '
heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ' - God will never die, so He hasn't given us an inheritance that we'll never receive, but one that we can receive even as He lives. this was a practice in ancient times, that sons and daughters inherited what their flesh parents had by yielding to their flesh parents' leading and following their direction, even while their flesh parents still lived on the earth:
(Luk 15:11) And he said,
A certain man had two sons:
(Luk 15:12) And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
(Luk 15:13) And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
(Luk 15:14) And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
(Luk 15:15) And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
(Luk 15:16) And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
(Luk 15:17) And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
(Luk 15:18) I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
(Luk 15:19) And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
(Luk 15:20) And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
(Luk 15:21) And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
(Luk 15:22) But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
(Luk 15:23) And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
(Luk 15:24) For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
(Luk 15:25) Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
(Luk 15:26) And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
(Luk 15:27) And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
(Luk 15:28) And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
(Luk 15:29) And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
(Luk 15:30) But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
(Luk 15:31) And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
(Luk 15:32) It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
(emphasis added by me)
does this make sense?