A Faithful Servant Of God

He is/was a faithful servant of God.  For a Christian, that is about as complimentary of a statement that anyone can make about you!  While there are synonymous terms that could be used to refer to the same individual, simply being known as a faithful servant of God is truly a privilege.

          Unfortunately, some might think that being a servant is degrading and/or humiliating.  That is certainly not the case for the faithful servants of God.  Jesus taught His disciples, “…Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.  But it shall not be so among you:  but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:  Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:25-28).  Also, after demonstrating humility and service by washing the feet of His disciples, Jesus explained, “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.  Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater the his lord; neither he that is sent greater that he that sent him.  If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” (John 13:15-17).  Did we notice that Jesus indicated that one is blessed/“happy” when doing the work of a faithful servant of God?  That does not seem degrading and/or humiliating.

          Another reason that faithful servants of God have for being “happy”/blessed is that they get to be known as part of God’s family.  “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:  therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not (1 John 3:1; see also Gal. 4 [God considers Christians as His children, and not as bondservants under the old Law of Moses]).  Also, Paul wrote, “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” (Rom. 8:17).  When an individual is physically born into a “royal” family, it is usually considered a great honor with many benefits.  When a person is “born again,” and thus becomes part of God’s “royal” family, it is a great honor with many benefits.

          By being a faithful servant of God, a Christian is going to receive an inheritance worth more than all earthly/physical treasures.  “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of inheritance:  for ye serve the Lord Christ” (Col. 3:23-24).  Jesus explained, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:  For where your treasure is, there will you heart be also” (Matt. 6:19-21).  That does not seem degrading and/or humiliating.

          It is good to emphasize that the aforementioned inheritance is only going to be for faithful servants of God.  The question then is what about individuals that became servants of God, but they did not remain faithful?  Paul indicated, “…if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” (Rom. 8:17).  Some individuals will not “suffer” for the Lord.  Instead, they decide, for whatever reasons, to cease from being faithful servants of God.  John wrote, “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth:  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.  If we say that we have not sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:6-10).  The writer of Hebrews warned Christians, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised’;)…Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?  For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense saith the Lord.  And again, The Lord shall judge his people.  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:23, 29-31).

          He is/was a faithful servant of God!  Degrading?  Humiliating?  That may continue to be the thoughts of some.  However, a Christian should feel honored to be known as such (Rom. 12:1).
Corey Barnette