Greeting to the Called
(Verses 1 & 2)
Romans 6:16 says:
“Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves
slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey,
whether of sin leading to death,
or of obedience leading to righteousness?”
Jude identifies himself as a “bondservant” of Jesus Christ
(Jude 1)
Simply put a “Bondservant” is a slave
But when taken in the context of what Paul says
In Romans 6 verse 16
We are ALL slaves
Now most of us would never consider ourselves to be “slaves”
We are after all – FREE
Whether or not we consider ourselves to be saved
And therefore set free by the blood of Jesus
Having had our sins washed away
And brought into fellowship and relationship
With God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Or indeed to be good, godly people
We make up our own minds
We do what we want to do
“Nobody tells me what to do”
And yet Paul says:
(In paraphrase)
Do you not know?
Whoever you obey…
Whether “sin” or “God”…
(Through Christ’s righteousness)
Whichever one it is…
That ONE which you obey
You ARE a “slave” to
And just to be clear
There ARE only two choices
For when we say:
“But I am doing my OWN thing”
Jesus is no longer Lord
In that “thing”
And by definition
If Jesus is NOT Lord
Then SIN is
So Jude starts by identifying himself
As being a Bondservant
Of Jesus Christ
He recognises that he has been
Bought with a price
And he is not his own
(1 Corinthians 6:19 & 20)
How do we see ourselves?
Slaves?
Free?
Or perhaps a bondservant
To God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit