saved to serve

in one sense, God does not need us to serve Him.

"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else." - Acts 17:24-25 (NIV)

in another sense, God needs us to serve Him.

"And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?" - Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (NIV)

however, God cannot both not need us to serve Him and need us to serve Him in the same respect and at the same time.

God does not need us to serve Him in the sense that...

God does not need us to serve Him in the sense that whether or not we serve Him (preceptively), we are already serving Him (decretively). in other words, whether or not we do His will (preceptively), we are already doing His will (decretively). this is founded on the premise that there is one will in two senses.

"When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"" - Esther 4:12-14 (NIV)

God did not need Esther to serve Him. Esther needed God to enable her to serve Him.

1. we all serve God.
2. we either serve God like Judas or like John.
3. if we do not serve God like Judas, then we serve God like John.
4. if we do not serve God like John, then we serve God like Judas.

"For you will certainly carry out God's purpose, however you act, but it makes a difference to you whether you serve like Judas or like John." - C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

God needs us to serve Him in the sense that...

God needs us to serve Him in the sense that He has enabled us to serve Him, and to not serve Him would be to 'grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom [we] were sealed for the day of redemption' (Ephesians 4:30, NIV). like Esther, we need God to enable us to serve Him.

"The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." - 1 Peter 4:7-11 (NIV)

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." - 2 Peter 1:3-11 (NIV)

1. we are all elected for service.
2. we are either elected for service and salvation or service but not salvation.
3. if we choose to accept Jesus' universal offer of salvation, then we are elected for service and salvation (like John).
4. if we choose not to accept Jesus' universal offer of salvation, then we are elected for service but not salvation (like Judas).

of course, just as faith leads to works (even as works do not lead to faith), so does salvation lead to service (even as service does not lead to salvation). we are saved to serve!

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." - Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)