KEY SCRIPTURE: John 15:15 KJV” Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”

The Lord Jesus clarified the essence of calling us His friends in the key scripture above. He said he does not call us servants but friends. The Lord was taking the word servants in its normally accepted concept. A servant as translated from the Old Greek language means a slave or a bondman. He has no relationship with His master. He has no access to what the master has. His role is to please the master, with or without any compliment to show approval of his efforts.

This is not so with friends. We learnt in our last study that in God’s concept, a friend is a covenant brother. We have become one with the Lord. We are joint heirs with Jesus. Rom 8: 17. As joint heirs we are joint owners of all that is the Lord’s. This means, there is nothing too dear that He can’t give to us.1Co 3:21 KJV” Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;” Apostle Paul iterates this thought in the preceding scripture we stated. As friends all things are ours. This is the reason He says the Father loves us Just as He loves the Son. John 17:23 KJV ” I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” This is wonderful! God loves us just as He loves Jesus. He hears our cry just as He heard the Lord Jesus.

Does this friendship status mean we do not serve Him? No, not at all. In our place as friends and subsequently covenanted brothers, we give our all to Him. Whatever makes Him pleased becomes our delight. We give our everything to please Him. We actually sacrifice our life to please Him.

Please consider this analysis; we were held by our former master the devil. He used us, afflicted us, and bound us in chains. The prize on us was the life of the Son of the creator of the Universe. He offered His Son to free us and also gave us the status of His Son. How should we respond to Him? We owe Him everything, and so we give Him our ALL.

THOUGHT: IN THANKING GOD FOR THE UNQUALIFIED FAVOUR DONE US, WE SERVE HIM, WITH OUR VERY LIFE.

FURTHER STUDIES

Eph 2:4-6 KJV” But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”

Eph 3:6 KJV “That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:”