To be a servant of Christ means to completely surrender one’s life to following and obeying Jesus Christ. A true servant of Christ has made Jesus the Lord and Master of their life and seeks to live in accordance to His teachings and example. This requires dying to self and living for God’s purposes instead of one’s own.
Some key aspects of being a servant of Christ include:
Obeying Christ’s Commands
A servant seeks to obey Christ’s commands found in the Bible. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15). Some of Jesus’ key commands include loving God and neighbor (Matthew 22:37-39), making disciples (Matthew 28:19-20), living humbly and serving others (Matthew 20:26-28), and proclaiming the gospel (Mark 16:15). A servant of Christ makes it their aim to know Christ’s commands and to walk in obedience to them.
Imitating Christ’s Example
Not only did Jesus give commands, but He also set an example for believers to follow. As servants of Christ, we are called to walk as He walked (1 John 2:6) and have the same mindset as Him (Philippians 2:5). Jesus lived a life of complete obedience to the Father, humility, sacrifice, love, service to others, prayer, dependence on the Spirit, and proclaiming the truth. As servants, we aim to emulate His character and way of living.
Living as Christ’s Representative
A servant of Christ is called to represent Christ to the world through their words, actions and lifestyle. Paul said, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:20). As Christ’s ambassadors, we seek to reflect His heart and character to those around us. Our lives should point people towards Christ.
Using Gifts to Build Christ’s Kingdom
Every believer has been given spiritual gifts by the Holy Spirit to use for God’s glory and building His kingdom (1 Peter 4:10). A servant seeks to steward these gifts well for the advance of the gospel. Whether it be teaching, encouraging, giving, leading, or serving, we devote our gifts to the expansion of Christ’s kingdom.
Sharing the Gospel
Servants of Christ seek to share the gospel message that Jesus saves people from sin when they put their faith in Him. Just as Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10), we too are called to proclaim the good news of salvation to the world (Matthew 28:19-20). This is the primary mission Christ has given us.
Suffering for Christ
True servants are willing to suffer for Christ just as He suffered for us. Jesus said that His servants would face persecution because of Him (John 15:20). Part of taking up our cross means being willing to endure hardship, ridicule, or even death for the sake of following Jesus. The apostles rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ (Acts 5:41).
Pursuing Holiness
Servants of God are called to live holy lives, separate from the sinfulness of the world. We are told, “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do” (1 Peter 1:14-15). Pursuing holiness is a central part of serving Christ.
Living by the Spirit’s Power
While we serve Christ diligently, it is only by the enabling power of the Holy Spirit that we are able to do so. A servant of Christ lives in continual dependence on the Spirit working in and through them. As Paul said, “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). We serve Christ by the Spirit’s power at work within us.
In summary, being a servant of Christ encompasses every area of life. It means dying to self and living wholeheartedly for King Jesus in obedience to His commands, following His example, representing Him well, serving His kingdom purposes, sharing the gospel, being willing to suffer for Him, pursuing holiness, and depending fully on the Spirit’s power. Christ is our Master and we are His bondservants.
Here are some key Bible passages about being a servant of Christ and what that entails:
Romans 6:15-23 – We are slaves to righteousness now, not sin
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 12:26 – Serve Christ by following Him
Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
Matthew 16:24 – Take up your cross and follow Christ
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
Mark 10:43-45 – Be a servant like Christ
“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Ephesians 6:6-7 – Serve wholeheartedly
Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people.
Colossians 3:22-24 – Work as serving Christ Himself
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
1 Corinthians 4:1-2 – Be faithful stewards
This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
2 Timothy 2:24-26 – Gently instruct and correct
And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
Galatians 5:13 – Serve one another humbly in love
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
1 Peter 4:10-11 – Use gifts to serve others
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
In conclusion, to be a servant of Christ means devoting all that we are and have to loving, following and representing Jesus. It requires dying to self and living wholeheartedly for Him through obeying His teachings, imitating His example, using our gifts to advance His kingdom purposes, proclaiming the gospel, suffering for Him if called to, and doing it all in the power of the Holy Spirit. The life of a true servant centers around loving and serving their Master, Jesus Christ.