Bond-slaves

The New Testament writers introduce themselves--identify themselves--with a status that makes modern man cringe. They declare that they are a bond-slave of Jesus Christ. What is a bond-slave? Someone that has been set free and chooses to surrender all that he or she has, all that they are, to the one who set them free. The bond-slave of Christ is declaring that all that he is, all his substance, all his dreams, all his will--everything--is surrendered to Christ. He is "all in" for Jesus Christ--nothing is held back. Nothing.
The follower of Christ who holds on to anything instead of surrendering all does not fully understand the cross. It is while we were dead in trespasses and sins that Christ died for us. It is while we were His enemies that He died for us. It is while we stood condemned to eternal death, separated from God, that He died for us. While dressed in the filthy rags of our human attempts at righteousness, He died for us. While a slave to sin and the Devil, Christ died for us. While walking in darkness and thinking we were in the light, Christ died for us.
If I truly meditate on such love, truly understand such love for me, surrendering my all as His willing bond-slave is the only reasonable choice to make. And being His bond-slave frees me to live a life that pleases Him. It imbues my relationships with His unconditional, sacrificial love It reveals the joy that is promised in my trials. It empowers me to persevere, endure, reflect my confidence in my Master's will no matter what I face. It causes me to exult in His presence as He demonstrates His grace and mercy through me. It makes my enemies the focus of my prayers. It transforms me into His likeness; and thus, makes the beauty of Jesus to be genuinely--spontaneously--be seen in me in the humdrum of daily life.
The bond-slave of Christ has willingly denied himself. daily bears His cross, continually follows in His Master's footsteps. To be anything else is to not be His disciple--but your own.