The Family Business

Many Christians do what we call "serving the Lord". I sense there is an impression that after people accept Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, therefore becoming a Christian - the call to display their commitment through their lifestyle becomes laborious. Some believers, I feel, may perceive the good works or deeds to be chore oriented and that is their starting-line for serving God.

I believe if this is your perspective as a fellow brother or sister in Christ then it needs some alteration. There is truth in knowing some of the work, deeds or service we will render unto God will be labor intensive. However, when acting on the instruction to fulfill God's personal calling on your life or live a lifestyle set apart for Him, led by the Holy Spirit -believers in Christ should desire to minister unto the Lord at all times from a reference of eternal gratitude. Having the heart and mindset of serving the Lord is proper since He died for us, we should live for Him. From this foundation, whatever the believer does that is in alignment with the Word of God, their service is justified.   

However, at the same moment we are called to served, Christians should be reminded they are not servants. I would like to recall the Lord's own words to my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ from John 15:15 -

"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."

The two words in this verse to magnify are "servants" and "friends". The word "servants" in the original language, doulos (doo-los), means bound slave. The word "friend" in the original language, philos (fee-los) means dear one, fond of. Christians are no longer a slave to sin and fear, but are free as friends of Jesus and of Father God in Christ.

I have heard a saying in our culture that fathers cannot be or should not be friends of their children. This is certainly not exemplified by God the Father. In many passages of Scripture believers in Christ are equated to children of God and John 1:12 is one such verse - 

"Yet to all who did receive him [Christ Jesus], to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—"

Christians have a Friend and a Father as their God through a relationship with Christ Jesus. The heavy requirement placed upon Jesus for the Christian's salvation and the many blessings since is the reason why believers sing, is the cause for their testimony, is the purpose behind their witness. Believers should no longer serve for the sake of service. Yes, there are rewards promised, but for the eternity that Christ secured for all who believe, serving God is simply part of The Family Business.