Christian Titles: Unworthy Slave
The Bible offers the Christian numerous terms to help him understand his position in Christ. Familiar to our communication are terms like: ambassador; child; heir; sons; elect; redeemed; adopted; saints; believers; etc.
Because the Christian is positioned in Christ, entirely by grace (1 Cor 1:30; Eph 2:8–9), he has no claims of his own. He can never boast in anything except Jesus Christ (1 Cor 1:29–31; Gal 6:14). The sheep of His pasture belong to Christ (1 Cor 3:23), who bought His chosen ones for a price (1 Cor 6:20; 7:23). The Christian life is all grace, for apart from Christ, one can do nothing (Jn 15:5). Grace is God’s work for, in, and through the saint to accomplish His salvation of His people. Sanctification is the setting apart of the elect unto holiness (1 Thess 4:3; 1 Pet 1:16). This is the life-long experience of those born again of God (Jn 3:1–8; 1 Pet 1:3).
The more light from God’s Word, illumined by the Holy Spirit, the more humility occupies the thoughts of the spiritual man made new (1 Cor 2:15). It is untenable for a Christian to say, “This is in my control,” or “I will do this or that,” or “It starts with me.”
An adopted child always has that sense of having been chosen out of helplessness and abandonment (Rom 8:15, 23; Eph 2:12). The adopted child of God was without God in the world (Rom 5:8), before he was called into the family of God (Rom 8:29–30). The term “child” carries with it the sense of dependence upon one’s father. In God our Father, we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28); moreover, we have a great view to His love for us (1 Jn 3:1), in the Bible’s accounting of all that He has done for us (Ps 57:2; 138:8; Is 26:12), according to His purpose carried out in Christ Jesus (Eph 3:11).
Jesus gave his disciples a term for them to use for themselves in relationship to their Master, “unworthy slave (Lk 17:10).” Unworthy carries the connotation of there being nothing good in oneself to warrant any favor from another (Rom 3:10–12; Eph 2:1–3, 12). This is over and against the spirit of entitlement. Jesus taught, “the greatest among you will be the servant of all (Mt 23:11; Lk 22:26).”
The Christian is a slave (doulos) of Christ, and he is a servant (diakonos) of others. Jesus was always pleasing to God His Father, always doing the Father’s will. His obedience to his Father was perfect. In this arrangement, love abounded between the two. Jesus taught his disciples, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments (Jn 14:15).” The obedient one demonstrates his love through the obedience of faith, brought about by the grace of God (Rom 1:5; 16:26).
It is a humbling experience, when one is granted the fear of the Lord (Prv 1:7). This is the knowledge of God in Christ that decimates all creature claims. The true believer would never say, “I have decided to follow Jesus,” as if that were a free will decision of his own (Jn 1:13), apart from Christ (Jn 15:5).
It is a humble thing to be given the knowledge that it is not of ourselves (Eph 2:8), but that it is Christ in me (Gal 2:20), who is willing and doing His good pleasure (Phil 2:13), in the working out of my salvation (Phil 2:12), by the will of God (Jn 1:13), who has mercy upon whom He has mercy (Rom 9:15–16).
When the unworthy slave embraces the status “unworthy slave,” it is because He has been taught by God’s Spirit, regarding his totally depraved status, as a slave of sin, prior to conversion (Jn 8:34; Rom 6:6, 16–20). Sin reigned in him, and here is the origin of the term “unworthy.” What every sinner is worthy of…is hell and eternal punishment in the lake of fire (Jude 1:7; Rev 20:14–15).
Whereas sin reigned and slavery was all-encompassing, now grace reigns in the regenerate (Rom 5:21), transferred into Christ (Col 1:13). Grace positions us as slaves of Christ (1 Cor 7:22; Eph 6:6). Whereas sin obliterated free will in the unbeliever, Christ demonstrates to His disciples that Christians do not have free will, either. He did this when He obediently prayed, “Not My will, but Thy will be done.” If a Christian exercises his will, apart from the will of the Father, it is sin.
The lack of humility, in our Christian lives, is expressed in our claims to be doing anything of our own free will. In addition, it is blasphemous to take credit for doing something “for” Jesus. Expressions of free will are expressions of disobedience to God our Father, whose will must be done. Therefore, we must humble ourselves before Almighty God, deny ourselves, for this is His will that we walk humbly with our God (Mic 6:8; Jas 4:6; 1 Pet 5:5–6).
Christian, may God give you ears to hear and eyes to see the words you and others use to steal glory from God. May the concept of your being an “unworthy slave” always be on the forefront of your thoughts about yourself and about your sovereign Master, who sits on the throne of God (Ps 110:1; Rev 7:17), with all authority (Mt 28:18), doing the will and works of God (Phil 2:13) because He is God (Jn 1:1), to the glory of God the Father.
What are you apart from God? Nothing. What are you capable of doing apart from Christ that is pleasing to God? Nothing. It is simply not wise to think more highly of yourself than you ought (Rom 12:3), and what you ought to think about yourself is that you are an unworthy slave.
This, of course, is the antithesis of our self-esteem obsessed society. The world parades its pride before the judgment throne of God, provoking God to wrath (Rom 1:18–32). The world, with all the titles it gives to men, is coming to judgment and destruction (2 Cor 5:10; 2 Pet 3:10–12; Rev 19:11–21; 20:11).
Recognizing the thorns in the flesh (2 Cor 12:7), granted to us by the grace of God (2 Cor 12:9), we give thanks in all things, without ceasing (Eph 5:20; 1 Thess 5:18), for it is God who has given us the exalted title “unworthy slave” to help us.
Christian, rejoice in your knowledge of your low estate and the grace that positioned you there. Far better is the lowest seat at the table of the King than to be dressed in the fine garments of self-achievement and pride, as an uninvited guest at the wedding feast of Christ and His church (Mt 22; Rev 19:9).
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
November 5, 2022
