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HONOR THE BOSS. I Timothy 6:1-2. 7/24/2022. #18.
1 Let as many bondservants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed. 2 And those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather serve them because those who are benefited are believers and beloved. Teach and exhort these things.
1. A world apart
a. Odd to speak of Christian masters owning Christian slaves
b. Paul does not command that masters release their slaves (seems surprising to us)
c. The world that then was
a1. Slaves made up to one-third of the Roman Empire and were a major part of all societies in the ancient world
a2. Christianity changed the perspective on slavery in society
d. Abraham owned slaves
e. Forms of slavery:
a1. Forced bondage by capture, purchase, or punishment (indebtedness)
a2. Volunteer servitude (attach to a house)
a3. Temporary slavery to pay a debt
f. Slavery was common and accepted
2. What now?
a. After slave owners became believers, what were they to do with their slaves?
a1. Paul did not command that they free their slaves (a social reality)
a2. Concentration on behavior
b. Christian masters are to treat their servants well
c. Ephesians 6:5-9 a change of behavior comes with coming to Christ
d. Christian slaves are to obey and honor masters
a1. 1 Corinthians 7:21-24 Paul emphasizes to honor the Lord as a servant and God will use this
a2. 2 Kings 5, Joseph, Daniel, Nehemiah, and others were used of God as servants
e. If a slave can be free, they should use this, but not to be insisted upon
a1. God wants to use us where we are
a2. It took time for Christian principles to permeate society
f. Due to man’s sinful nature, slavery was a reality
g. Servants were to honor their masters
a1. Honor believing masters as brothers
a2. How we act in the position we are in reflects on our Christian testimony
h. God allows us to be in difficult and less than ideal situations in order to use us
3. The boss
a. Today we are more likely to be in an employer/employee relationship than master/slave
a1. Same deference and respect is owed your boss or superior as a servant owes his master
a2. Our testimony at the work place and to authorities over us reflects on the Lord
b. How a believer responds in his work place is the same as how he is to respond in the family, neighborhood, church, public, and anywhere else
c. Being in a place that you do not want to be is not an excuse to behave poorly
d. The Christian testimony is mandatory in all situations
Key verse: Ephesians 6:5-9
5 Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; 6 not with eye service, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. 9 And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.