tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post2454157549755570260..comments2023-10-07T04:07:56.527-04:00Comments on The End Time: Being a slave of ChristElizabeth Pratahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04341086233512507156noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-46888928803995583182016-12-26T14:05:04.041-05:002016-12-26T14:05:04.041-05:00Thanks for your assurance.Thanks for your assurance.Elizabeth Pratahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04341086233512507156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-17852945833667689652016-12-26T13:55:23.119-05:002016-12-26T13:55:23.119-05:00"he antichrist forced all to receive the mark..."he antichrist forced all to receive the mark of worship. I voluntarily surrender my will to His."<br /><br />dont worry we all know you mean jesus :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-22056728076358787852011-02-27T08:22:17.519-05:002011-02-27T08:22:17.519-05:00Hi Kim,
You captured the thought I'd had but ...Hi Kim,<br /><br />You captured the thought I'd had but did not write: man (satan) perverted slavery into something evil and terrible. But slavery to Him simply means submitting to the One Will in the universe who knows us best and has plans for our good. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jer 29:11<br /><br />It means perfect trust that He will use us well and for His glory. Not many people have that deep kind of trust, as you pointed out. How many slaves for Christ do we know? It is likely why there will be many who say "Lord, Lord..."Elizabeth Pratahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04341086233512507156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-69449321086436665342011-02-27T08:11:50.074-05:002011-02-27T08:11:50.074-05:00Hi, Elizabeth,
Funny you should post this. I hear...Hi, Elizabeth,<br />Funny you should post this. I heard Mac Arthur's sermon on this as well and was contemplating a post on my blog about it. I'm considering buying his book as well. I have often been stopped by the holy spirit when reading the Bible and coming upon the phrase "slave for Christ" often used by Paul in his writings. As I have pondered this message, the spirit has shown me that as I surrender to his will, I become, for lack of a better word, his "slave". My body which he bought at a high cost, becomes his to use at his discretion for his purposes, and because I do this voluntarily knowing that he is the creator of all, my redeemer, and my friend; I will be rewarded at the end of my physical life by being able to remain "in Him" who is "all in all" for eternity. Slavery is a most distasteful word these days because of man's evil use and manner of ownership. Man's ways and God's ways are not the same. Man used slavery for ill and God uses slavery for good. I really think bond-servant is a better word because you are owned by the one you serve (and I think Paul used that term once or twice if I remember correctly). I was trying to explain this to my husband and his question was "how many slaves to Christ do you know"? It is a phenomen unknown to the masses these days. God bless...great post!<br /><br />KimKimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15449934341845326322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-45113776238551393702011-02-25T23:32:49.977-05:002011-02-25T23:32:49.977-05:00I agree anonymous, that we are both, slaves and he...I agree anonymous, that we are both, slaves and heirs.<br /><br />Don't return MacArthur's book. Read it. The Holy Spirit will help you with the emotional part.Elizabeth Pratahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04341086233512507156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-35716325678455751612011-02-25T23:15:16.903-05:002011-02-25T23:15:16.903-05:00we are slaves to christ when we choose to COMPLETE...we are slaves to christ when we choose to COMPLETELY submit to Him and it doesn't happen to everyone immediately we get saved but The Holy Spirit puts that desire in our hearts. I'm a new christian and God has had to break me (The Holy Spirit gave me the desire but I made the decision to ask The Lord to do it) and I have had to go through valleys to realize how I cannot survive, have peace or joy without completely submitting to Christ and being a slave to him. It inherently has a negative connotation if I think with my mind but the FREEDOM that I experience when I completely surrender to Christ and become his slave is....unspeakable. I'm still in the process of becoming a total slave to Christ and I thank my God for never giving up on me, never leaving nor forsaking me.<br /><br />Alot of Christians (not you all though!) seem to think we are either slaves OR we are fellow heirs, children of God but it seems we are meant to be both because it's all God desires us to be. They are both in His divine word, we don't get to pick and choose what makes us feel more comfortable. <br /><br />I bought McArthur's book but might return it, I'm still not sure if I want to read it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-44655027696431068312011-02-25T15:21:08.669-05:002011-02-25T15:21:08.669-05:00Jackie, thank you. That was extremely well said.
...Jackie, thank you. That was extremely well said.<br /><br />Child of God, thank you for that great comment. I think you, me and Jackie are in harmony that though we are bought with a price, we submit to that price voluntarily. It is the major difference between the slavery shown by the antichrist and the slavery necessitated by Jesus. In Rev 13:16 the antichrist forced all to receive the mark of worship. I voluntarily surrender my will to His.Elizabeth Pratahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04341086233512507156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-71154723784420798412011-02-25T14:49:08.542-05:002011-02-25T14:49:08.542-05:00Hi Elizabeth,
Good post!
Romans 6:17-20
17 But tha...Hi Elizabeth,<br />Good post!<br />Romans 6:17-20<br /><i>17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. 19 I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness.</i> <br />Romans 8:14-16<br /><i>14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.[a] And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.</i><br />1 Peter 2:15-16<br /><i>15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.</i><br /><br />We are either a slave to sin or a slave to God for we are created beings and we have a master. If we make God our master by free choice we are still a slave to Him but by freedom of choice. We are heirs with Jesus through the gift of Jesus but like a child will alway be under the control of the parent we too are under the control of God and willingly serve Him because of love. <br /><br />God Bless,<br /><><child of Godhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11635805396738062444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-21375681036725623362011-02-25T14:19:08.346-05:002011-02-25T14:19:08.346-05:00Hi Elizabeth:
I find the real trouble is that we a...Hi Elizabeth:<br />I find the real trouble is that we are slaves<br />to Jesus ONLY as we submit ourselves to Him - <br />He will not keep us slaves if we change our<br />mind - which we can do at any time - we have to<br />freely and joyously serve Him - we have to<br />each moment choose to serve Him - otherwise He<br />will not accept it - we can pray to Him telling<br />Him we choose to serve Him and ask for power to<br />do this and I have found that I need to do this<br />daily - hourly - moment by moment - I think this<br />is what Paul meant when he said "I die daily"<br />JackieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-20004033352549122572011-02-25T13:06:12.457-05:002011-02-25T13:06:12.457-05:00Hi Liz!
thank you for reading and also for your c...Hi Liz!<br /><br />thank you for reading and also for your comment.<br /><br />I'm sorry if I didn't write this clearly enough, because I'm *not* hit wrong by the emphasis on the word slave. We are slaves. It is stated so 130 times in the NT. We were bought with a price, remember. (1 Corinthians 6-20)<br /><br />Slaves did rule and reign: Joseph was a slave who ruled ALL of Egypt with only one above him. In the New Earth we rule and reign: with Jesus placing a name on our foreheads. Only Masters do that. We will rule and reign, but at HIS pleasure. Not ours.<br /><br />The translators were squeamish about using the clear word meaning slave and used the near synonym servant or bond-servant instead. It is also unpalatable to today's proselytizers who focus only on the liberating aspects of Christianity, and the political loadedness of saying "come, repent and be a slave to Christ" has its difficulties when sharing the Gospel. But the clear truth is that we are His slaves. <br /><br />I ended the essay by saying May His will be done as an indicator of my personal acceptance of my position in Christ.Elizabeth Pratahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04341086233512507156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-78199194772235896852011-02-25T12:48:24.481-05:002011-02-25T12:48:24.481-05:00Hi Elizabeth,
I love your blog, but don't thi...Hi Elizabeth,<br /><br />I love your blog, but don't think I've ever commented. I agree this new emphasis on "slave" hits me wrong. I think it totally ignores the scriptures that say we are children of God, His heirs and ultimately His bride and will rule and reign with Him. Slaves do not rule and reign. There must be some way to harmonize all of this.<br /><br />Thanks,<br />LizLiznoreply@blogger.com