SERVANT - 20 Amazing Bible Words To Know: (DOULOS) Part 2

SERVANT - 20 Amazing Bible Words To Know: (DOULOS) Part 2

The Greek word, DOULOS, is usually translated as “servant” in the Bible. It’s interesting that the Bible is more focused on each of us thinking of ourselves as servants than it is on us acting like one. Why is that? Doesn’t that seem backwards?

The reason can be found in Isaiah 1 and in Matthew 23. Both of those chapters give us a peek into the hearts of God’s people. In both, we find religious people doing religious things very religiously. They were going to the temple, giving offerings, attending worship services and saying their prayers. But, they were hypocrites. Jesus called them whitewashed tombs, blind guides, sons of perdition and a brood of vipers. Isaiah reveals the problem:

Isaiah 29:13

“[they] draw near with their mouth

and honor me with their lips while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men.”

In other words, they were going through the motions. Their service was fake and meaningless because they were just doing what was required by their religion. Their hearts were full of greed and power instead of loving God and serving Him.

The key to knowing and honoring God begins with the understanding that we are servants. God wants servants. We are to serve Him, each other and everyone else.

The verb “serving” needs the noun “servant.” It must be in that order because Christians must understand themselves as servants above all else. It is my identity. The Christian must understand what it means to have a servant’s heart before all else. That is what produces the action of serving.