Which One Are You?

By Barbara Keim

November 1, 2008

In many of Paul's letters he introduces himself as a servant of Jesus Christ and I was curious about the word servant. This is what I discovered. The word servant is defined as someone who willingly chooses to serve his master. I also looked up the opposite of servant and the answer is slave. A slave completely belongs to his owner and has no freedom to leave. So I am asking each one of us, "Which one are you?"

Are you choosing to serve God or are you a slave to a religion?

Romans 3:9 - 31

What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; ¹⁰As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:¹¹There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. ¹²They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. ¹³Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: ¹⁴Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: ¹⁵Their feet are swift to shed blood: ¹⁶Destruction and misery are in their ways: ¹⁷And the way of peace have they not known: ¹⁸There is no fear of God before their eyes. ¹⁹Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. ²⁰Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. (you are encouraged to read through verse 31)

Romans 10: 1 - 17

Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.²For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. ³For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.⁴For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. (you are encouraged to read through verse 17)

Hebrews 11:1, 2, 3, 6

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ²For by it the elders obtained a good report. ³Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. ---- ⁶But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Have you given your heart to God or to a religion? Without faith it is impossible to please God so is your faith that which is pleasing in the sight of God? If you can't answer this question then I would advise you to study Romans and Hebrews.

Keywords: amish, amish voice, barbara keim, christian living, map ministry, mission to amish people, relationship with god, religion, servant, slave