Slave: The Hidden Truth about Your Identity in Christ

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Slave: The Hidden Truth about Your Identity in Christ

4.2 of 5 stars 4.20 · rating details · 581 ratings · 76 reviews

A COVER-UP OF BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS...

Centuries ago, English translators perpetrated a fraud in the New Testament, and it's been purposely hidden and covered up ever since. Your own Bible is probably included in the cover-up!

In this book, John MacArthur unveils the essential and clarifying revelation that may be keeping you from a fulfilling--and correct--relationship with...more A COVER-UP OF BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS...

Centuries ago, English translators perpetrated a fraud in the New Testament, and it's been purposely hidden and covered up ever since. Your own Bible is probably included in the cover-up!

In this book, John MacArthur unveils the essential and clarifying revelation that may be keeping you from a fulfilling--and correct--relationship with God. It's powerful. It's controversial. And with new eyes you'll see the riches of your salvation in a radically new way.

What does it mean to be a Christian the way Jesus defined it? MacArthur says it all boils down to one word:

SLAVE

"We have been bought with a price. We belong to Christ. We are His own possession."

Endorsements:

"Dr. John MacArthur is never afraid to tell the truth and in this book he does just that. The Christian's great privilege is to be the slave of Christ. Dr. MacArthur makes it clear that this is one of the Bible's most succinct ways of describing our discipleship. This is a powerful exposition of Scripture, a convincing corrective to shallow Christianity, a masterful work of pastoral encouragement...a devotional classic." ―Dr. R. Albert Mohler, President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

"John MacArthur expertly and lucidly explains that Jesus frees us from bondage into a royal slavery that we might be His possession. Those who would be His children must, paradoxically, be willing to be His slaves." ―Dr. R.C. Sproul

"Dr. John MacArthur's teaching on 'slavery' resonates in the deepest recesses of my 'inner-man.' As an African-American pastor, I have been there. That is why the thought of someone writing about slavery as being a 'God-send' was the most ludicrous, unconscionable thing that I could have ever imagined...until I read this book. Now I see that becoming a slave is a biblical command, completely redefining the idea of freedom in Christ. I don't want to simply be a 'follower' or even just a 'servant'...but a 'slave'." ―The Rev. Dr. Dallas H. Wilson, Jr., Vicar, St. John's Episcopal Chapel, Charleston, SC(less)

Hardcover, 227 pages

Published December 28th 2010 by Thomas Nelson Publishers (first published November 24th 2010)

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Feb 26, 2011 Mandy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-reviews, counseling, all-time-favs, i-own, mandys-reads, read-in-2011

MY REVIEW:

According to the back cover of this book there has been quite the cover up happening in our English translations of the Bible. However, a few short pages into the book we find out that most likely it's not intentional. While the promotion for this book may be a bit misleading, the message inside the cover is not. In fact, it will set you back in your chair with a sober "wow!".

I don't consider this book to be an "easy-read", but neither do I think it is hard to read. It is solid theolo...more

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Sep 09, 2011 Mark Clements rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed the book but by the end I felt like MacArthur was making a point completely off the topic. This book almost seems like MacArthur's coming out party as a 5-point Calvinist. He goes out of his way to use phrases like "the doctrines of grace." The people he references throughout the book are major names in the Reformed tradition. Please understand, I don't have a problem with Calvinists/Calvinism. I am only commenting on the direction of the book. His analysis and insights about slavery a...more I enjoyed the book but by the end I felt like MacArthur was making a point completely off the topic. This book almost seems like MacArthur's coming out party as a 5-point Calvinist. He goes out of his way to use phrases like "the doctrines of grace." The people he references throughout the book are major names in the Reformed tradition. Please understand, I don't have a problem with Calvinists/Calvinism. I am only commenting on the direction of the book. His analysis and insights about slavery and their application to the believer were challenging and engaging. The author is right--we don't understand the "slave" concept as the original readers did. The challenge to see God as Master is timely.

However, Dr. MacArthur seemed determined to work all 5 points of the TULIP into the book, including "Particular Redemption" (Limited Atonement). In fact, he actually gets all 5 together on 147-48. His observations could have been made without any need to mention those areas by name. His readers would still have gotten the point about slavery being a picture of salvation. IMHO, He went out of his way to get them in and indeed they are in there. If Calvinism bothers you at all this will not be a book you enjoy. His main idea is squelched by his effort to thrust Calvinism into the discussion.

Others will have a problem with his use of the term "Lordship." Dr. MacArthur has taken some heat for what is called by some "Lordship Salvation." His detractors on this point are mistaken. The NT is clear that if you aren't walking with Christ, you aren't part of Christ. Those who love Christ keep His commandments. Dr. MacArthur nowhere says you have to know and believe everything about the Lordship of Christ to be saved. He does say that only those who persevere (continue) in the faith are really true converts. Slaves do not obey themselves or other masters (Satan, mammon, etc.). Slaves recognize their one true Master and they follow His commands.

Like I said, I enjoyed the book but I felt like he was flaunting his Calvinism to the point where it became a distraction. That made the book a bit of a disappointment.(less)

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Feb 06, 2012 Lee Ann rated it 3 of 5 stars

Coming across this book during Black History month was a little ironic, I think, especially since the deliberate mistranslation, i.e. the substitution of the less offensive servant for the word slave was supposedly due to more modern readers apparently not being able to handle the truth.

In the Roman world during which the New Testament writers (and Christ) had been living and working, slavery was a normal thing. There were good masters and bad masters, but as slaves were still considered a thin...more Coming across this book during Black History month was a little ironic, I think, especially since the deliberate mistranslation, i.e. the substitution of the less offensive servant for the word slave was supposedly due to more modern readers apparently not being able to handle the truth.

In the Roman world during which the New Testament writers (and Christ) had been living and working, slavery was a normal thing. There were good masters and bad masters, but as slaves were still considered a thing owned by the master, I can't think that slavery was ever a good thing. There are lots of slave roles defined in these pages, the urban slave who might rise to power in his master's household and take his status from his owner; the domestic slave who might be seen as a member of the family; the rural slave who worked in the country and therefore might seemingly have more freedom as he seldom saw the master. No matter how you slice it, the Roman world was filled with slaves; and it is against this backdrop that Jesus used the word "slave" in order to define the role of his followers.

MacArthur suggests this mistranslation was done by English speaking translators as opposed to other countries of the world, due, I suppose to our negative views of the role. Americans can only view it negatively against the backdrop of our Civil War and the horrible treatment of African Americans being stolen from their countries and sold into a life of less than servitude and more, complete subjugation. It is anathema to us, seeing ourselves as "things" with no will that suggests most people would rather see themselves as servant of a Saviour rather than a possession. But the whole purpose of Christ's sacrifice as a ransom for sin, and the Pauline assertion that we are "bought with a price" is that God's followers are not the old man, but are new and are now in service to their Master. It might be revolutionary to some readers that think they have a say in how they will or will not follow God's edicts, but the Bible's message on that is pretty plain...you're either all in, or don't even bother to call yourself Christ's. As Jesus said, "not all who say Lord, Lord will enter the Kingdom."

The book is defintely a game changer if you take your walk with God seriously. I awarded it only a 3 because it is a little repetitive, but still well-written and definitely worth reading.(less)

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Mar 03, 2011 Dan Curnutt rated it 5 of 5 stars

MacArthur starts the preface of the book with a statement that many will find controversial, or they will just down right be appalled that Pastor John would believe that there has been a centuries old cover-up in regards to a key word in the Bible. He states, "It wasn't until the spring of 2007, on an all-night flight to London while reading 'Slave of Christ' by Murray J. Harris, that I realized there had been a centuries-long cover-up by English New Testament translators that had obscured a pre...more MacArthur starts the preface of the book with a statement that many will find controversial, or they will just down right be appalled that Pastor John would believe that there has been a centuries old cover-up in regards to a key word in the Bible. He states, "It wasn't until the spring of 2007, on an all-night flight to London while reading 'Slave of Christ' by Murray J. Harris, that I realized there had been a centuries-long cover-up by English New Testament translators that had obscured a precious, powerful, and clarifying revelation by the Holy Spirit." He does go on to say, "Undoubtedly, the cover-up was not intentional--at least not initially."

So, what is that cover-up? It's the translation of the word 'doulos' in the Greek and 'ebed' in the Hebrew. Those words translate to 'slave' but are most often translated as 'servant'. That seems like a small difference to most of us but Pastor John is going to point out how the two words slave/servant or vastly different in what God intended for their usage.

MacArthur believes that our English translators started to use the term 'servant' because of the political backlash of the term 'slave' and the problems that it created over the centuries for English speaking countries. England and America fought political battles and actual wars because of 'slavery'. So, to tell the believer in Christ that he was a 'slave' seemed to carry a very derogatory definition. Servant seemed softer and more palatable for the English speaking world to accept.

But that is not what the Bible intended. MacArthur does a wonderful job of expressing how God the Father and Jesus the Son intended to use the word. Jesus is the Master and we are His 'slaves'. There is no way around that meaning.

Throughout the text MacArthur will share how the people of Jesus time and in the Old Testament would have understood the term Slave. He shares how in the days of the early church roughly 20 percent of all people were slaves, and within the larger cities of Rome, Corinth, Ephesus and Antioch, as many as one-third of the population were legally slaves.

So, when Biblical text makes the statement you will be a 'slave' it has a very definite meaning. You are indebted to Christ (He purchased you with His Blood), you are called to be a 'slave' obedient to what the Lord wants you to do, which is the Great Commission and the Great Commandment.

This book is filled with examples from the Bible, filled with stories of how the early church members accepted readily that they were 'slaves of Christ', that's what "Christian" meant.

My favorite part of the book is MacArthur's discussion of the fact that we were 'slaves to satan/sin' before we knew Christ and that after we came to Christ we became 'slaves to Christ'. You can't serve two masters, you have to choose which master to serve.

There is a lot more I could say, but this review is getting a bit long. This book will not have any new teaching if you have always translated the terms as 'slave' and not 'servant'. But if you have taken the 'softer' route of interpretation you will be challenged to look at the terms in a new way and challenged to examine your life in a new way.

Are you living as a 'slave of Christ' or not? That is the big question.

Enjoy!(less)

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Jan 20, 2011 Cassandra rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction

Slave was offered for review on BookSneeze and I snatched it up. I loved John MacArthur's book The Jesus You Can't Ignore and Slave sounded like another great read.

From Amazon's product description: "What does it mean to be a Christian the way Jesus defined it? MacArthur says it all boils down to one word: Slave. 'We have been bought with a price. We belong to Christ. We are His own possession.'"

Unfortunately, the book got off on the wrong foot. The preface talks about an intentional translat...more

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Jan 13, 2011 Keiki Hendrix rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction-christian

The beginning of wisdom, a Chinese proverb states, is to begin calling things by their correct name.

In Slave: The Hidden Truth About Your Identity in Christ , John MacArthur explores the Greek term “doulos” and its mistranslation in many contemporary bible translations which has led to a skewed perspective of the Christians relationship to God.

To say that John MacArthur is a powerhouse of a scholar would be an understatement. His ministry is founded on the study and teaching of the bible as the...more The beginning of wisdom, a Chinese proverb states, is to begin calling things by their correct name.

In Slave: The Hidden Truth About Your Identity in Christ , John MacArthur explores the Greek term “doulos” and its mistranslation in many contemporary bible translations which has led to a skewed perspective of the Christians relationship to God.

To say that John MacArthur is a powerhouse of a scholar would be an understatement. His ministry is founded on the study and teaching of the bible as the inerrant word of God. MacArthur’s’ thorough examination of the terms ‘slave‘ and ‘master‘ provided a clear history of each of these words revealing the vast difference in definitions from the early Church time frame until now.

Not being a bible scholar, just your average Christian, I learned much reading this book. The part that had me in total agreement was the discussion of the growing number of ‘easy grace’ teachings and other seeker friendly approaches proving that the enemy need only skew the meaning of a word to redirect the message.

To consider oneself a slave, owned by another and without authority over oneself, is the correct view of a Christian. Prosperity teaching does not promote a slave mentality. How can a slave be interested in their own prosperity when they have no authority?

Overall my take on this book is that it speaks squarely to who do not consider holiness as the Christian standard. The mistranslation of the word ‘doulos‘ is but a small change that has had a very significant impact. Each of the points are well referenced and footnoted throughout the book. It is a short book (only 240 pages) and the focus is s heralding the correct view of a Christians relationship with Christ.

Some books encourage and strengthen my faith. This one did just that. With the wave of shifting morals and seeker sensitive marketing of the Church, it was good to read words of truth.

The truth is that we are all slaves whether it be to God or to sin. We will either recognize our condition and turn to a loving God or we will exalt our importance and continue our lives in deception.

Recommended highly to the new Christian who may be confused about doctrine or the seasoned saint who needs to gain new perspective on his/her relationship to Jesus.

Disclaimer:
The review copy of this book was provided by Thomas Nelson and donated to the library of Westwood Baptist Church.(less)

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Jan 20, 2011 Melissa Stebbins rated it 4 of 5 stars

"Truth be known , the gospel is not simply an invitation to become Christ's friend. Associate in battle. Companion on the journey. The Bible includes an unmistakable mandate to become His slave. This is what it means to be a Christian" - John Macarthur

John Macarthur's book Slave is a call to renounce easy religion that costs nothing and embrace the fully fledged life in Christ that calls us to die to ourselves and live for Christ. He contends that the translation of doulos as servant instead of...more

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Jul 25, 2011 Christopher M. rated it 5 of 5 stars

John MacArthur is at his strongest when thoroughly explaining biblical concepts. Here, he expertly dissects the concept of a believer's identity in Christ through the biblical imagery of the slave-master relationship. The label of slave is (and probably always has been) an offensive and scandalous one, but MacArthur explains why this very fact is what made the "slave" title so appropriate in the minds of the New Testament writers as well as the early Christians. The concept of slavery to Christ...more

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Jan 31, 2013 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-life, 2013

Overall I thought this was an interesting read. MacArthur explains the meaning and context of slavery in the Bible. Slavery is the most common metaphor used for followers of Christ in the New Testament. Yet we don't find the word 'slave' very often; instead modern translators have always opted for the more-palatable word 'servant.' MacArthur argues that by changing the word, translators water down the meaning for modern readers. There are crucial differences between slaves and servants.

I apprec...more

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Jan 12, 2011 Rick Davis rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bible-theology

Okay, so first a bit of criticism. If you look at the trailer for the book Slave: The Hidden Truth about Your Identity in Christ, you will learn that there has been “a conspiracy to cover up a truth that is so essential to the New Testament that without it we misunderstand our relationship to Jesus Christ.” There is a “hidden word that unlocks the believer’s identity,” which John MacArthur says, “…changes everything I perceive about the Christian life.” Wow, it sounds like The DaVinci Code for e...more Okay, so first a bit of criticism. If you look at the trailer for the book Slave: The Hidden Truth about Your Identity in Christ, you will learn that there has been “a conspiracy to cover up a truth that is so essential to the New Testament that without it we misunderstand our relationship to Jesus Christ.” There is a “hidden word that unlocks the believer’s identity,” which John MacArthur says, “…changes everything I perceive about the Christian life.” Wow, it sounds like The DaVinci Code for evangelicals. The back of the book tells me that “English translators perpetrated a fraud…and it’s been purposely hidden and covered up ever since”! Wow! This is going to be great stuff! What is this crazy conspiracy that has completely distorted the Christian faith for 600 years?

Well, opening the book to crack open this mystery, the preface informs me that the Greek word douloV is probably better translated “slave” than “servant” and that this mistranslation somewhat obscures the meaning of the Greek word. MacArthur assures the reader that, “Undoubtedly, the cover-up was not intentional,” and that’s the last we hear of any conspiracy in the book. Wait, what?! I suppose that the book trailer and blurb will probably find more readers for the book than if it were marketed as a straight theology book. However, it would have been nice if the advertising were more along the lines of, “Hey, I think most English versions mistranslate this particular Greek word, and so the full force of these passages is often missed in our Bible studies.”

Aside from the sensationalist marketing strategies, however, the book is quite good. MacArthur shows that we are more than mere “servants of Christ” but are truly “slaves of Christ,” bought with a price and subject to His will alone. The book is well-footnoted, which I appreciate, and MacArthur synthesizes a lot of thought on this idea of being God’s slave into one place. This is somewhat a continuation of one of the main themes of MacArthur’s teaching, namely that we cannot have Jesus as our Savior, if we do not also have Him as our Lord. Overall the best parts of the book are his expositions of Scripture where he unpacks how the slave idea bears on the way we view our relationship with God, while also remembering that we are slaves who have been adopted by our Master and made part of His household. There are a couple of historical excursions that run on a bit long, and it seemed in a couple of places that the book was straying from the main point. However, he ties it all together very nicely in the last chapter summarizing the force and direction of the book, and the Appendix is a wonderful collection of quotes from Church history that show the idea of being Christ’s slave as expressed by great theologians and pastors.

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Apr 27, 2011 Haley Mathiot rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 5-star-bookshelf

John Macarthur has gone through meticulous study and research to uncover a truth about our relationship with Christ to a degree we have not exhausted as thoroughly as we should. Because of words being translated differently, we have lost a dynamic of that beautiful relationship: Now Macarthur has explained what it truly should look like.

Reading Slave has been truly convicting and enlightening. It gave me a whole new perspective on my relationship with Christ, and a fresh sense of peace. Christ i...more

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Aug 02, 2011 Kenneth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: theology

This book is about a reality of life for all humans that we are slaves. All of us are slaves to sin or to Christ. This book does the service primarily of looking at what it means to be a slave with Christ as our master, something not a lot of current Christian books have done.

This is a pretty quick read and accessible to the common man in the pew, but at the same time not shallow. There are great depths to be mined looking at the theme of being Christ’s slaves and the grace of God in making us H...more This book is about a reality of life for all humans that we are slaves. All of us are slaves to sin or to Christ. This book does the service primarily of looking at what it means to be a slave with Christ as our master, something not a lot of current Christian books have done.

This is a pretty quick read and accessible to the common man in the pew, but at the same time not shallow. There are great depths to be mined looking at the theme of being Christ’s slaves and the grace of God in making us His slaves and sons. MacArthur argues that where most of our current English translations of the bible use the word servant, it ought rather to be rendered slave. I think this is a helpful distinction that helps show more clearly the relationship that we have to Christ. It really helps us keep in mind the basic distinction of creator creation. Much of the book looks at different aspects of what slavery in new testament times looked like and how it parallels to the spiritual slavery we have with Christ as our master. The area of the book that I found most beneficial was looking at where we have come from as slaves of Christ. It is not that we were freemen but we were slaves to our sin. Sin had was our master and our father and Christ was our enemy, but by God’s grace we become slaves of Christ and now sin is our enemy and no longer rules over us harshly. These are only a few of the aspects of slavery looked at in the book all of which where helpful. The book also gives several biographical sections of great Christian men which I enjoyed.

Some of the minor issues I would have with the book are as follows. While I understand that you can’t take into account every singe facet of a particular doctrine in a book this size I would of like to seen an exposition of Romans 6 and comparing our union with Christ as slaves to him as the foundation for our sanctification contrasted with our slavery to sin leading to our demise. I know that I could look at footnotes in the book, but I always appreciate when an author includes some recommended further reading on the subject of the book as an appendix or footnotes. The only other down of this book was that for being a hardback book the paper of the pages felt like a cheaper grade, more like a mass produced paperback thin paper. When I buy a hardback I like to see a good quality paper that will last. That being said this is a book I would recommend.
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Year: 2010
Pages: 240
Boards: Hardback
Binding: sewn
Dust cover: yes
Scripture index: no
Subject index: no
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May 18, 2011 Bob Gooch rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: theology-philosophy

The Bible calls followers of Christ slaves, friends, adopted sons, and citizens of heaven. The vast majority of the book talks about what it meant to be a slave in the time of Christ, and how it should influence the way followers of Christ live. Included are fascinating vignettes from the lives of John Huss, John Newton and George Müller. MacArthur’s discussions about what it means to be adopted by God and to be a citizen of heaven are set-up well by his thorough examination of what it means to...more

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Jan 22, 2011 Sally rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-non-fiction, thomas-nelson-free-for-review

"As followers of Jesus, we call ourselves, "Christians." But the fact is this word appears only three times in the New Testament. So the Bible uses a host of other terms to identify the followers of Jesus – children of God, citizens of heaven, lights to the world, members of His body, sheep in His flock. But there is one word used more frequently than any of these. Slave.

"Really? Do a casual read through your English New Testament and you won't see the word printed more than a few times. "That's...more "As followers of Jesus, we call ourselves, "Christians." But the fact is this word appears only three times in the New Testament. So the Bible uses a host of other terms to identify the followers of Jesus – children of God, citizens of heaven, lights to the world, members of His body, sheep in His flock. But there is one word used more frequently than any of these. Slave.

"Really? Do a casual read through your English New Testament and you won't see the word printed more than a few times. "That's because," John MacArthur says, "the Greek word for slave (doulos) has been mistranslated in almost every English version – going back to both the King James Version and the Geneva Bible that predated it."" (front inside cover)

Occasionally, I liken myself to AA Milne's stuffed yellow friend of Christopher Robin: "A bear of very little brain." It means that I have difficulty in wrapping my head around complex thought and theory. (Just ask my high school Religious Philosophy teacher!) When I received my copy of 'Slave,' therefore, I expected it would be a long and heavy-going read. After all, the back cover states that "MacArthur unveils" an "essential and clarifying revelation" which is "powerful" and "controversial."

Within a couple of chapters, however, I found it made perfect sense. Throughout the book, MacArthur uses Roman civilization as a context and I could understand the comparisons he makes. We have been bought for a price, just as Roman slaves were bought in the marketplace. Our old master was sin, our new master is Christ. Our new master is a benevolent one, just as Roman masters could be. We are instructed to serve and obey. We cannot do whatever we want and think it's okay, because it isn't. Okay, I get it.

MacArthur also writes of pre-destination. Just as the Roman master chose which slave to purchase, so God has chosen us. Pre-destination is a tricky subject. On the one hand, it makes sense that no one becomes a Christian without God's hand in it. He is all powerful and had plans for us even before we were created (Psalm 139:16). It's also a good feeling to know we're chosen. On the other hand, what does it say about the non-Christians in our lives? Have they not been chosen, or has the time of their redemption simply not happened yet? Still, if you get the concept of pre-destination, you can understand the analogy of us being bought like the slaves in the marketplace.

The back cover states that there has been a "cover-up of Biblical proportions" in the substitution of 'servant' for 'slave,' but I would not go that far. In fact, MacArthur donates very little time to the supposed 'cover-up' and the possible reasons for it. Instead, he chooses to focus on what it means to be a slave in the Christian sense.

Two-thirds of the way through the book, however, MacArthur changes gears. He writes of the Roman master freeing the slave and becoming his father in the eyes of Roman law. The former slave was normally also granted Roman citizenship. I understand the citizenship analogy. Since we are longer slaves to sin, we become citizens of heaven. MacArthur also states that we are now simultaneously both sons and slaves: sons of God and slaves to righteousness. Righteousness? I thought we were slaves to Christ? Here, I do feel like Pooh Bear, and no doubt I will have to carry out further study of this concept.

The truth is, however, this book is not as heavy going as I expected. It looks daunting, but that is because of the massive amount of footnotes. They are difficult to ignore. MacArthur quotes many writers and uses a lot of Biblical concepts. As a result, there is at least one footnote at the bottom of almost every page. In some cases, the footnotes take up a third of the page. The flow of the book, therefore, is often broken as the reader switches focus from the main body of the text to the appropriate footnote and back again. To conclude, this is an interesting book regarding a concept most readers should be able to grasp.

I received this book for review from Thomas Nelson. I was not required to write a positive review and the above opinions are my own.
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Sep 21, 2012 Jason Hernandez rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: theological

A great book about what is something of a cover up in translation of the bible. The word is doulos and is used so much in the bible in reference to the Christian before God it would surprise you. It can only be translated as slave, and all the writers describe themselves in this way. The only contention I would have is that MacArthur is a calvinist and he goes into special election, which I am not much for. However, everything else is great and it really challenges you to place yourself before G...more

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Aug 30, 2011 Chuck rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is an absolute MUST read for anyone who is serious about their Christianity. There are too many today who think that Christianity is a birthright that goes hand in hand with being an American & John MacArthur completely burns that theory to the ground! He further defines completely & in a very clear way what it is to follow Christ. That we are not merely followers because it might be fashonable or perhaps an "inviting club" to belong to, but the truth is far less appealing. We are b...more

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Jan 04, 2011 Liz rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-living

When I first viewed the trailer for Slave by John MacArthur I knew I wanted to read this book. He begins by explaining a cover-up on the part of the translators of the English New Testament to mistranslate the Greek word "doulos" to say "bondservant" in most of our modern Bible translations. In truth, "doulos" should be translated "slave". MacArthur then explains throughout the book what slavery was in the Greco-Roman period and what it was in the Old Testament, making the comparisons to Christi...more

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Jan 04, 2011 Perelandra rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction, christian, christianity, john-macarthur, doctrine, theology

In an age of churches that "thrive" on teaching personal ambition, fulfillment, and gratification John MacArthur reminds us that Jesus Christ, as depicted in the original languages of the Bible, is not just our savior but our Lord, and we are his slaves. Yes, SLAVES.

MacArthur goes on to show that we are not only his slaves, but always were slaves if not to him, to sin. Suddenly the picture becomes clear: Unbelievers are slaves to sin which promises all, but always brings destruction, and believe...more

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Jul 23, 2011 Jean Pierre rated it 4 of 5 stars

To claim allegiance to Christ means to be His slave. John MacArthur masterfully exposits on the true identity of every Christian. He goes to the Greek root of the word often translated "bond-servant", duolos, and explains how this word actually means slave. To help clarify what it means to be a slave for Christ, MacArthur explains how slaves were treated in the first century. In doing so, he paints a picture as to what Paul really meant when he describes all believers as "slaves". All in all thi...more

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Sep 16, 2011 Doug Johnson rated it 5 of 5 stars

The power of words to shape our approach to life and our God is always staggering. The watered down translation of the original word slave to servant or bondservant changes dramatically how we view many relationships. Paul describes himself as a slave to Christ, the Bible calls a borrower a slave to a lender. Our historical shame over the slave trade in the USA has led us to avoid using that word at all, yet we do need to face it's meaning and understand our own relationships through that lens....more

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Apr 06, 2013 Zoe Scrivener rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: devotional-and-theology, outread-aubrey-2013

I enjoyed this book...as well as one enjoys a convicting book, anyway. MacArthur skilfully explains the verses regarding Christians being slaves to Christ with examples from Roman culture, helping the reader to greater understand their position in Christ. Yes, we are slaves to Christ, but it is not a demeaning thing, but a place of great privilege. MacArthur also goes on further to demonstrate the believers' position not only as slaves, but as sons and citizens.

This book was meant to be a break...more

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Mar 28, 2011 Jonathan rated it 3 of 5 stars

A well worded and articulate thesis. MacArthur painstakingly develops the Biblical imagery of the Master/Slave relationship as it applies to life in Christ. He cites numerous historical and ecclesiastical authorities and opts for footnotes as opposed to endnotes. The result is an impressive corroboration of thought. Most thought provoking for me was revisiting in a new light the doctrines of election, perseverance of the saints, irresistible grace, etc. The author makes a strong case for additio...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Benjamin Thompson rated it 2 of 5 stars

Macarthur proclaims rightly that Christians are not only servants of Christ but His slaves. This implies that we are to obey our Lord and depend on Him for everything. It is amusing, however, that Macarthur didn’t realize that the slavery motif’s in scripture had been covered up by numerous translators (intentionally or unintentionally) until 2007. If only he had read the scholarship, he would have realized that this had been known for quite a while. But, while John nails the essence of the impl...more

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Sep 17, 2012 Heath Marion rated it 5 of 5 stars

At a time when racial prejudice is flying wildly in the news, the title of this book will catch your attention. No, the point of the title is not to make a racial statement but to highlight what a born again believer is. The problem is that much of Christian literature is geared more towards self help and positive affirmation. Dr. MacArthur highlights this by writing, "We don't hear about this concept in churches today. Slavery is a distasteful concept to modern sensibilities. So we hear that Go...more

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Feb 27, 2013 Suzanne Jackson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 12-24-challenge

We are all slaves of someone... Careful study of this book should put the Lordship debate to rest, once and for all. More importantly, the premise set forth should motivate us to greater love, greater service, greater obedience, and greater gratitude.

I appreciated that while MacArthur drew his premise primarily from Scripture, he also drew from both historical literature and theologians of the past.

"To be clear, salvation is by faith alone. Yet genuine saving faith is never alone. It inevitably...more

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Mar 04, 2013 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, orthodoxy

"Over the last twelve chapters we have considered the crucial difference between servants and slaves- noting that while servants are hired, slaves are owned. Believers are not merely Christ’s hired servants; they are His slaves, belonging to Him as His possession. He is their Owner and Master, worthy of their unquestioned allegiance and absolute obedience. His Word is their final authority; His will their ultimate mandate.

Having taken up their cross to follow Him, they have died to themselves a...more

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Sep 03, 2011 Jeanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: serious-about-god-theology

Slave to Christ or slave to sin. We are one or the other. In other words, we live by the flesh (slave to sin) or live by the spirit. (slave to Christ) Romans 6:16-18. It is a very intentional act on our part. It is letting go of all my rights and placing them on the feet of Jesus and what he has done. I enjoyed how this book was laid out with the history of what a slave was during Roman times and England. From slavery to adoption to citizenship. He is very clear about the meaning of what a slave...more

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Feb 17, 2011 Sandy Sandmeyer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Read this review on my blog at - http://sandysandmeyer.wordpress.com/2...

“A metaphor commonly associated with scorn, oppression, and abuse, slavery has been gloriously transformed, in Christ, to signify honor, liberty, and eternal bliss!”

The word slave brings different pictures to different people. Many English Bible translations, including the King James Version, incorrectly substitutes the word servant for slave (doulos or ebed). He notes that the Greek language has at least a half a dozen wor...more Read this review on my blog at - http://sandysandmeyer.wordpress.com/2...

“A metaphor commonly associated with scorn, oppression, and abuse, slavery has been gloriously transformed, in Christ, to signify honor, liberty, and eternal bliss!”

The word slave brings different pictures to different people. Many English Bible translations, including the King James Version, incorrectly substitutes the word servant for slave (doulos or ebed). He notes that the Greek language has at least a half a dozen words that can mean servant and that the word doulos was not one of them! MacArthur looks at the definition of each word, especially as it relates to first century AD Rome. This is important because to be a slave in Roman times can not be compared to the slaves in the 1700′s in America. The very basic difference between the two words is that servants are hired and slaves are owned.

MacArthur brilliantly points out the huge flaw in Catholicism. The Pope fancies himself to be the infallible leader, the ultimate authority, and the head of the Roman Catholic church. Heck, the Catholic church is probably the richest entity in the world! The Catholic church even states that Peter is the one that the foundation of the church was built on. But, they are so wrong! The apostles never claimed to be anything but a servant of Jesus Christ and Jesus is “the chief cornerstone” of the Christian faith.

We learn that through Jesus’ blood sacrifice on the cross (redemption), our acceptance of His Lordship over our lives, and the turning away from our past life, we cease being slaves of sin. We become slaves of Jesus Christ; “free to obey, to live righteously, and to pursue holiness”, but we also become children of righteousness. We are adopted into God’s family and given the privileges of sons and daughters. We then obey God because we want to and not because we feel like we have to due to punishment or fear of losing our salvation. It’s not because of obligation, it’s because we want to obey God because we love Him. MacArthur puts is succinctly when he says, “Our priorities, passions, and pursuits have all been changed because our very identity has been transformed.”

I can’t even begin to explain this book as well as I would like to and I highly recommend reading it. It has opened up my eyes to my position in God’s Heavenly household as well as made it plain what my responsibilities are. This book is a wonderful gift for a pastor or someone grounded in the Word. It might be a little overwhelming for a new believer. MacArthur shares a good bit of the history of the Reformation, many of the earliest writings on this same topic, and first century AD Rome. (less)

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Mar 28, 2013 Damon rated it 4 of 5 stars

MacArthur starts out well in this book, and makes some very good points, almost all of which I agree with. The idea of the lordship of Christ is a much-needed message lost in the noise of modern Christianity. Unfortunately, MacArthur cannot resist the chance to get a poke in wherever he can at the mega-church movement. Whether or not the mega-church movement embraces the lordship of Christ as it should, MacArthur's well-known history with them makes the jabs a deal-breaker for an otherwise good...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Mark A Powell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Pointing out that most English-language translations of the Bible often substitute the word ‘servant’ where ‘slave’ should be used, MacArthur goes on to explain the importance of the Master/slave relationship that believers now have with Jesus. Although our pride tends to bristle at the word ‘slave,’ the reality of Scripture is that we are all slaves—either to sin or to Christ. MacArthur unpacks this truth, including many references (plus an appendix), in a potent manner.

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About John MacArthur

John F. MacArthur, Jr. is a United States Reformed evangelical writer and minister, noted for his radio program entitled Grace to You and as the editor of the Gold Medallion Book Award winning MacArthur Study Bible. MacArthur is a fifth-generation pastor, a popular author and conference speaker and has served as pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California since 1969, and as...more

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Books by John MacArthur

Twelve Extraordinary Women: How God Shaped Women of the Bible, and What He Wants to Do with You

The Gospel According to Jesus: What Does Jesus Mean When He Says "Follow Me"?

The Truth War: Fighting for Certainty in an Age of Deception

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“But the language of slavery does more than merely picture the gospel. In fact, it is central to the message of salvation. That is because the slavery metaphor points to the reality of Christ's lordship, and the lordship of Christ is essential to the biblical gospel.” — 4 people liked it

“Over the last twelve chapters we have considered the crucial difference between servants and slaves- noting that while servants are hired, slaves are owned. Believers are not merely Christ’s hired servants; they are His slaves, belonging to Him as His possession. He is their Owner and Master, worthy of their unquestioned allegiance and absolute obedience. His Word is their final authority; His will their ultimate mandate.

Having taken up their cross to follow Him, they have died to themselves and can now say with Paul, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live nut Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). As the apostle elsewhere explained, “[Christ] died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf” (2 Cor. 5:15).

In reality, all of life should be viewed from that perspective. As Christians, we are slaves of Christ. What a radical difference that truth should make in our daily lives! We no longer live for ourselves. Rather, we make it our aim to please the Master in everything.” — 2 people liked it

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