Slave: The Hidden Truth About Your Identity in Christ

by John F. MacArthur Jr.

expertly

In a highly skillful or knowledgeable manner

lucidly

Express clearly, easy to understand

paradoxically,

In a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory way

riveting

completely engrossing; compelling. - compelling; evoking attention, interest.

succinct

especially of something written or spoken) briefly and clearly expressed. "use short, succinct sentences" synonyms: concise, short (and sweet), brief, compact, condensed, crisp, laconic, terse, to the point, pithy, epigrammatic, synoptic, gnomic; formal compendious "just a succinct report, please"

resonates

produce or be filled with a deep, full, reverberating sound 🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆 re·ver·ber·ate rəˈvərbəˌrāt/Submit verb gerund or present participle: reverberating (of a loud noise) be repeated several times as an echo. "her deep booming laugh reverberated around the room" synonyms: resound, echo, re-echo, resonate, ring, boom, rumble, vibrate "Fred's voice reverberated across the room"

ludicrous,

So foolish and unreasonable

unconscionable

un·con·scion·a·ble ˌənˈkänSH(ə)nəbəl/ adjective not right or reasonable. "the unconscionable conduct of his son" synonyms: unethical, amoral, immoral, unprincipled, indefensible, unforgivable, wrong; More unreasonably excessive. "shareholders have had to wait an unconscionable time for the facts to be established" synonyms: excessive, unreasonable, unwarranted, uncalled for, unfair, inordinate, immoderate, undue, inexcusable, unforgivable, unnecessary, needless; informalover the top "we waited an unconscionable length of time"

startled

Cause a person or animal to feel sudden shock and alarm

recant.

To renounce

professed.

Claimed

undeterred.

persevering with something despite setbacks.

torment.

Severe physical or mental suffering

uttered

make (a sound) with one's voice. "he uttered an exasperated snort" synonyms: emit, let out, give, produce "he uttered an exasperated snort"

designation

the choosing and naming of someone to be the holder of an official position. "a leader's designation of his own successor" synonyms: appointment, nomination, naming, selection, election "the designation of a leader" the action of choosing a place for a special purpose or giving it a special status. "the designation of parts of Santa Ana as an enterprise zone" synonyms: classification, specification, definition, earmarking, pinpointing "the designation of wildlife preserves" a name, description, or title, typically one that is officially bestowed. plural noun: designations "a group of tribes banded together under the designation “Sheepeaters.”" synonyms: title, name, epithet, tag; nickname, byname, sobriquet; informalmoniker, handle; formaldenomination, appellation "the designation “Generalissimo”"

confounded

used for emphasis, especially to express anger or annoyance

succinct

Concise. (Done concisely, or succinctly means DONE BRIEFLY but COMPREHENSIVELY)

assertion

a confident and forceful statement of fact or belief. "his assertion that his father had deserted the family" synonyms: declaration, contention, statement, claim, opinion, proclamation, announcement, pronouncement, protestation, avowal; formalaverment; rareasseveration "I questioned his assertion"

perplexity

inability to deal with or understand something complicated or unaccountable. "she paused in perplexity" synonyms: confusion, bewilderment, puzzlement, bafflement, incomprehension, mystification, bemusement; informalbamboozlement, discombobulation "he scratched his head in perplexity"

pertinacity

Pertinacity is a quality of sticking with something, no matter what. It's a type of persistent determination. People who have pertinacity won't give up, and they stick with things doggedly. Pursuing a difficult career requires pertinacity. Pertinacity is a mix of courage, conviction, and a little stubbornness.

ad...

stick fast to (a surface or substance). "paint won't adhere well to a greasy surface" synonyms: stick (fast), cohere, cling, bond, attach; be stuck, be fixed, be glued, be cemented "a dollop of cream adhered to her nose" believe in and follow the practices of. "the people adhere to the Muslim religion" represent truthfully and in detail. "the account adhered firmly to fact" synonyms: abide by, stick to, hold to, comply with, act in accordance with, conform to, submit to, hew to; follow, obey, heed, observe, respect, uphold, fulfill "they adhere to Judaic law"

designation.

Moniker(a name), name, title, epithet, nickname, denomination, appellation, nomination.

underscored

Underline, emphasize

wholesale

done on a large scale; extensive. "the wholesale destruction of the natural order" synonyms: extensive, widespread, large-scale, wide-ranging, comprehensive, total, mass; indiscriminate "wholesale destruction"

implications

the conclusion that can be drawn from something, although it is not explicitly stated. "the implication is that no one person at the bank is responsible" synonyms: suggestion, insinuation, innuendo, hint, intimation, imputation "he was smarting at their implication" 1. a likely consequence of something. "a victory that had important political implications" synonyms: consequence, result, ramification, repercussion, reverberation, effect, significance "important political implications" 2. the action or state of being involved in something. "our implication in the problems" synonyms: incrimination, involvement, connection, entanglement, association; datedinculpation "his implication in the murder case"

What Does It Mean to Be a Christian?

martyrs

a person who is killed because of their religious or other beliefs. "saints, martyrs, and witnesses to the faith" verb 3rd person present: martyrs 1. kill (someone) because of their beliefs. "she was martyred for her faith"

woefully

1. in a manner expressing sorrow or misery. "she sighed woefully and walked out" 2. very badly; deplorably. "they performed woefully to lose 2–0"

Interestingly, the followers of Jesus Christ were not called “Christians” until ten to fifteen years after the church began. Before that time, they were known simply as disciples, brothers, believers, saints, and followers of the Way (a title derived from Christ’s reference to Himself, in John 14:6, as “the way, the truth, and the life” [NKJV]). According to Acts 11:26, it was in Antioch of Syria that “the disciples were first called Christians” and since that time the label has stuck.

initially

At first

coined

1. make (coins) by stamping metal. synonyms: mint, stamp, strike, cast, punch, die, mold, forge, make "dimes were coined" make (metal) into coins. 2. invent or devise (a new word or phrase). "he coined the term “desktop publishing.”" synonyms: invent, create, make up, conceive, originate, think up, dream up "he coined the term"

To be called “Christians” (in Greek, Christianoi) was to be identified as Jesus’ disciples and to be associated with Him as loyal followers.

Thus, to be a Christian, in the true sense of the term, is to be a wholehearted follower of Jesus Christ. As the Lord Himself said in John 10:27, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (emphasis added). The name suggests much more than a superficial association with Christ. Rather, it demands a deep affection for Him, allegiance to Him, and submission to His Word. “You are My friends if you do what I command you,” Jesus told His disciples in the Upper Room ( John 15:14). Earlier He told the crowds who flocked to hear Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine” ( John 8:31); and elsewhere: “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23; cf. John 12:26). When we call ourselves Christians, we proclaim to the world that everything about us, including our very self-identity, is found in Jesus Christ because we have denied ourselves in order to follow and obey Him. He is both our Savior and our Sovereign, and our lives center on pleasing Him. To claim the

title is to say with the apostle Paul, “To live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21).

A Word That Changes Everything Since its first appearance in Antioch, the term Christian has become the predominant label for those who follow Jesus. It is an appropriate designation because it rightly focuses on the centerpiece of our faith: Jesus Christ. Yet ironically, the word itself appears only three times in the New Testament—twice in the book of Acts and once in 1 Peter 4:16. In addition to the name Christian, the Bible uses a host of other terms to identify the followers of Jesus. Scripture describes us as aliens and strangers of God, citizens of heaven, and lights to the world. We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, members of His body, sheep in His flock, ambassadors in His service, and friends around His table. We are called to compete like athletes, to fight like sold...