Bondservants (Slaves), obey your earthly masters…with a sincere heart, as you would Christ…
Ephesians 6:5-9
Paul has already written regarding gratitude for the benefits granted in the Christian’s union with Christ by faith alone to serve the interests of everyone united to Jesus. Our relation to others in the body of Christ determines the practical outworking of our Christian service. Husbands serve their wives through leading them in godliness self-sacrificially. Wives serve their husbands by willingly following their husbands’ authority. Children serve their parents by honoring them with obedience. Parents serve their children by raising them in the fear and admonition of the Lord. These examples represent the most common relationships within the church. Our verses today, however, discuss another relationship often found within the first-century church but foreign to the experience of most of us today, the master-slave relationship that existed in Paul’s day. Though slavery is condemned by much of the world today, it still exists. We can all learn from the principles Paul sets forth here, for we all have authorities over us, and many of us have authority over others. The fundamental tenet Paul unfolds is that we serve our earthly superiors with an eye to the Lord. We are servants of Christ first and foremost, and the key to serving Jesus well is doing the will of those in authority over us, as long as that will does not violate God’s law. God, our Creator, rules His creation through delegated authorities. So, to obey the directives of authorities is to obey God Himself. Christians cannot claim to be Christ’s servants if they do not heed those whom God has put over them, showing respect and not contempt. A 17th century theologian commented, “service, performed with conscience, and from a regard for God, though it may be to unrighteous masters, will be accounted by Christ as service done to himself.” Not all of our earthly supervisors are Christians, but we owe them respectful obedience as long as they do not demand that we violate God’s law.
Source: S C Ball February 9, 2024
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