1. WHAT BIBLICAL TERM DO YOU PERFER THE MOST WHEN BEING DESCRIBED AS ONE WHOSE GOD IS THE LORD?

2.  One reference (sort of) is Mark 4.10 10 As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables. Mark 4  and the literal Greek is, “they that were about him”  Nevertheless we use this term in our core description of what we call those at Friends Church who identify themselves with Christ.

3.  Used over 250 times from Matthew through Acts but not used in epistles.  24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. Matthew 10.24  Greek is μαθητής (mathēt ḗ s) meaning a learner or pupil and more, it means one who rule of life conforms to that of the Teacher.

4.  Used eleven times in NT  Greek is πιστός (pistós) meaning worthy of belief, trust or confidence.  30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Acts 16.30-31  The means of our salvation is faith in Christ alone, hence the significance of this word is so great it has become a major description for us.  The term disciple used in the gospels seems to have been replaced post resurrection with the term believer

5.  Used three times in the Bible (Acts 11.26, 26.28, I Peter 44.16) with its origin as a derogatory word meaning little Christ  26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. Acts 11.26  Greek is Χριστιανός (Christianós) meaning Christ plus the ending “ianos” to belong to. The Christian identifies himself as belonging to Christ.

6.  Used fifty eight times in the New Testament  Greek is ἅ γιος (hágios) meaning holy ones  21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you. Philippians 4.21  The Its fundamental idea is separation, consecration, devotion to the service of Deity, sharing in God’s purity and abstaining from earth’s defilement. (Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary : New Testament)

7.  When a person trusts Christ for salvation, he or she becomes a child of God.  12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, John 1.12  16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,  17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. Romans 8.16-17

8.  Used thirty four times in the Bible  Greek is δο ῦ λος (doúlos) meaning a slave who for the balance of his or her life is in servitude to his master. The bond-slave’s will is synonymous with that of the master.  Many translations differentiate between slave and bond-servant. Both words are the Greek word doúlos.

9.  7 “Which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down to eat’?  8 “But will he not say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat, and properly clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink’?  9 “He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he?  10 “So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’ ” Luke 17.7-10

10. 1. We are both a child of God and God’s slave simultaneously – Romans 8.17 2. Our state of being a slave extends also to that of being a slave to other Christians  25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.  26 “It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant,  27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; Matthew 20.25-27

11. 3. Christ Himself is not asking us to do something He would not or has not done. Our great God and Savior became a slave in order to provide salvation for His children.  5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,  6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,  7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond- servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Philippians 2.7

12.  In the epistles, the term is generally reserved for those who are living out bond-slaveness to Christ rather than a term like Christian which refers to all the saved.  1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, Romans 1.1  7 just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, Colossians 1.7