John MacArthur

Best-selling author and pastor John MacArthur believes that a mistranslated word has changed the message of the New Testament. He asserts that the term servant instead of the term slave has misconstrued what it means to truly be a follower of Christ.

The following is an excerpt from his new book, Slave: The Hidden Truth About Your Identity in Christ (Thomas Nelson).

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 hose of other terms to identify the followers of Jesus. Scripture describes us as children 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 soldiers, to abide like branches in a vine, and even to desire His word as newborn babies long for milk. All of these descriptions—each in its own unique way—help us understand what it means to be a Christian.

Yet, the Bible uses one metaphor more frequently than any of these. It is the word picture you might not expect, yet it is absolutely critical for understanding what it means to follow Jesus.

It is the image of a slave.