Grace Fellowship Church www Grace Doctrine org Pastor

Grace Fellowship Church www. Grace. Doctrine. org Pastor / Teacher James H. Rickard Thursday, March 27, 2008

Memory Verse 1 John 1: 9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ”

The Upper Room Discourse John 13 -16; John 13: 16, Servant-hood, Pt. 9

Doctrine of DOULOS Slave, Servant

E. The use of DOULOS: 1) Christ is the DOULOS of God. 2) The believer is a DOULOS of God and Christ. 3) The believer is a DOULOS to others.

3) The believer is a DOULOS to others.

Col 1: 7, “Just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, ”

Col 4: 7, “As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you information. ”

Amongst believers, slavery is not a distinction. There are no societal classes inside the Royal Family of God. Mat 23: 11; 1 Cor 7: 20 -24; Gal 3: 28; Col 3: 11; Philemon 16.

Col 3: 11, “A renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. ”

Mat 23: 11, “But the greatest among you shall be your servant. ”

The example of our servitude towards others is found in our Lord as He demonstrated the prototype of our unique spiritual life for the Church Age. Mat 4: 1 -11; 20: 26 -28; Mark 9: 35; 10: 43 -45; John 13: 15 -17.

Having obtained a new and unique spiritual heritage, we are to live in our new life in our new royal priesthood unto God as ambassadors for Christ. Rom 6: 6 -14; 2 Cor 5: 15 -21; 1 Peter 2: 5, 9.

The N. T. writers understood their position as bondservants by disseminating the Word of God. Rom 1: 1 -7; 2 Cor 4: 5; Phil 1: 1 -2; Titus 1: 1 -3; James 1: 1; 2 Peter 1: 1 -2; Jude 1: 1; Rev 1: 1 -3

2 Cor 4: 5, “For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. ”

All believers are servants of the "New Covenant" in that we are to witness the gospel to unbelievers, 2 Cor 3: 6.

2 Cor 3: 6, “Who (God) also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. ”

Servant-hood is our expression of impersonal and unconditional love, kindness and social responsibility under the Royal Family Honor Code, Rom 14: 1 -23; 16: 1 -2; Gal 5: 13 -6: 10; 2 Tim 2: 20 -26.

Rom 14: 4, “Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. ”

Honoring and respecting all legitimate authority is part of our servant-hood unto God. 1 Peter 2: 13 -20

On the job you are to have the servant-hood mentality by respecting authority and performing well, as unto the Lord.

The worker is to be obedient to his boss on the job. Eph 6: 5 ff; Col 3: 22; 1 Tim 6: 1 -2; Titus 2: 9; 1 Peter 2: 18 -20

Titus 2: 9, “Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, 10 not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect. ”

The Pastor is a servant to others as a result of doing his job correctly.

He is to lead them to spiritual maturity as demonstrated by his own spiritual walk and conduct. 1 Tim 4: 1 -15; 2 Tim 2: 24

1 Tim 4: 6, “In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following. ”

Grace Fellowship Church Thursday, March 27, 2008 Tape # 08 -023 Servanthood, Part 9 The Believer is a DOULOS to Others Upper Room Discourse, Pt 165 John 13: 16; Matt 20: 26 -28; 2 Cor 5: 15 -21; Gal 5: 13 -6: 10 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2008