Pastor's Bookshelf: Slave by John MacArthur

We exist to glorify and serve the Risen King of Kings, the Lord Jesus Christ.  He is not here to serve our needs.  What has been lost from the true rendering of the Greek word 'doulos' as 'slave' instead of what we commonly see it rendered as 'servant'?

John MacArthur delivers yet another powerful literary work to help Christians understand exactly what is expected of them and why Christ used the imagery of a slave/master relationship at the same time the language of Christians being His adopted children.  It would seem that much has been lost, by and large, by forgetting this important relational understanding.

I understand that "slave" carries a horrid meaning in America because of the atrocities committed here in the last 3+ centuries, but the early church seemed to have a right understanding of the Christians call to be a slave of Christ and we need to re-embrace that same meaning and try to get beyond the stigma with the word.

"Like slaves we are to be fully devoted to our Master alone."(P.48)  To deny Christ's Lordship is to declare mutiny against Jesus Himself.  Those who are offended at the designation of themselves, as Christians, as slaves to Christ, should examine themselves to see whether it is the American connotation of the word 'slave' that troubles them or the fact that being Christ's slave demands death to self and a forfeiture of seeking my desires first.

"Those unwilling to give up everything to follow [Christ] are not worthy of Him."(P.80)  If we don't want to submit to Christ, we've never submitted to Him to begin with.

Further, we see the wroth of Christ to be our Master and His trustworthy kindness as such when held against the back drop of our former master that we has from birth.  The most "devastating and degenerating power ever to afflict the human race..." (P.120) sin.

Our slavery to sin was one of a cruel master and our broken will readily submitted to him in complete and intentional opposition to God.  And yet God reached out in grace and sent Christ to save us... rebellious wretches... anyway.  But our blessed relationship to our Redeemer doesn't end with slavery alonie.  Christ has not only purchased us, but through His atonement God has adopted us and made us His child!

Amazing Grace!  Gladly then will I therefore bear the title of "slave" for and to Christ my Lord!

Pastor's Bookshelf: It Is Well by Mark Dever & Michael Lawrence

Have you ever struggled to find the significance and beauty of the sacrifices in the Old Testament?  Most of us have at some point or another.  Mark Dever and Michael Lawrence set out to exegete crucial Old Testament texts that shadow what was accomplished by Christ on the cross.  

The truth that man MUST have a substitute for our sins in order to be spared from God's just wrath is at the very heart of the Gospel.  Dever and Lawrence bring this out in a totality from the Old Testament all the way to looking at the actual words and work of Christ in the New Testament.  From there they look at the depiction of Christ and His suffering from Isaiah 52 & 53.  Bringing it home by then looking at what God has revealed about the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.  They highlights the comprehensive and permanent nature of the salvation that God has provided by His grace.  Climaxing in the understanding that the beauty in the life of a Christian comes from understanding the Gospel more, so that we learn to enjoy God fully as our all-sufficient Savior and see the benefits of our having been redeemed as being far more precious than any mass of worldly treasures and pleasures.  In light of so great a salvation, how could we not trust Him more daily?  One last note, I definitely appreciated there thorough use of Scripture to make their points as well as their constant encouragement to unbelievers, who might be reading the book, to repent and for the believer to guard their heart against legalism and self-righteousness.

Five out of five stars!  Highly recommended!  Great for individual study or small group.

Pick it up from 9Marks Ministries or from Amazon.com