Slave, Servant, Bond-Servant, and Sin: Who Is My Master?
Slave, Servant, Bond-Servant, and Sin: Who Is My Master? My recent studies have led me into a deep question: Is sin something I choose, or something that controls me? Am I a slave to sin? A slave to Satan? Or does Satan simply take advantage of my slavery to sin? The Bible is clear that all people, by nature, are slaves to sin; we have lost our self-control. As Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.” ( John 8:34 ) If that is true, then another question follows: does being a slave to sin mean I am also a slave to Satan? Satan is called “the ruler of the world” ( John 12:31 ) and “the god of this age” ( 2 Corinthians 4:4 ). We all begin life as part of this world, so if Christ is not my master, could it be that Satan is? Slave vs. Servant: What’s the Difference? In English, “slave” sounds harsh and “servant” sounds gentler. But in the New Testament, the Greek word behind both is usually the same: dou...