Expert: Cooper P. Abrams III - 6/30/2006

Question
I've been hearing a lot lately about having a "relationship" with Jesus. My first reaction was that that concept is a very new and nebulous kind of touchy-feely American term that could mean anything. It's enough that we have faith (through grace) in Jesus' words and obey His commandments (good works) so that we are saved. My "relationship" with Him consists of worship through prayer and the tendency of my heart to do His will rather than my own. However, a few verses were pointed out to me which do seem to indicate a new kind of relationship to God than that enjoyed under the Old Covenant. They talk about a relationship between friends or between a parent and child rather than one between a master a slave. OK, but what exactly do these mean? John 15:15 (I know longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.)
1 Cor 1:9 (God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord).
Rom 8:14 (For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, "Abba, Father!" The Spirit itself bears witness that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him)

Answer
 Hi Winston,

    The verses that you quote described the different aspects of our relationship with God.   We are brought with a price and therefore in that Paul uses the word "bond slave" to the Lord Jesus. (1 Cor. 6:20, 7:23)  We are called the children of God and called God "Abba, Father." (Romans 8:15) Believers are said to be joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17)   Revelation 21:2, 9, 22:17, refer to Christians as the "bride of Christ."   Believers are called the "body" of the Lord (1 Cor. 10:17)   Jesus said those that followed Him were His friends. (John 15:14)

      So believers are the Lord's and we are bound to  Him in a special relationship that has a number of elements.      A Christian has a relationship with the Christ  in a number of ways each of which defines the different aspects with Him.
      I hope this is what you are asking. In other words our relationship is multifaceted.

Cooper Abrams
http://bible-truth.org