Me, a Slave?Ephesians 6:5-9

By David Turnerwww.BibleStudies-online.com

No one is Free

To Whom/What Do You Serve?

We are Slaves to lawlessness or slaves to righteousness

Romans 6:19 19 I am speaking in human terms,

because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your

members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more

lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness

leading to sanctification.

Slaves to various passions and pleasures

Titus 3:33 For we ourselves were once foolish,

disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures,

passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one

another.

Slaves to whatever overcomes us

2 Peter 2:19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to

that he is enslaved.

Slaves to False gods

Galatians 4:88 Formerly, when you did not know God,

you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.

Slaves to the elementary principles of the world

Galatians 4:3, 93 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the

elementary principles of the world. …9 But now that you have come to know

God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak

and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be

once more?

Slaves to Money

Matthew 6:24 24 “No one can serve two masters, for

either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one

and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Slave to the Law

Romans 7:17 Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the

law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives?

Slaves to Sin

John 8:34 34 Jesus answered

them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a

slave to sin.

No longer Slaves to Sin

Romans 6:6 6 We know that our old self was crucified with

him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to

sin.

In Christ,

You are no longer to be slaves to:Impurity and lawlessnessPassions and pleasuresThe gods of this worldThe elementary principles of the

worldTo the LawTo Sin

But, In Christ

We:Serve ChristServe Righteousness Serve one another

Not free, yet free Free, yet not free

1 Corinthians 7:22 22 For he who was called

in the Lord as a bondservant is a

freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a

bondservant of Christ.

But there is still earthly masters.

There are still bosses, employers, officers, teachers, people in authority over others.

How should Christians under authority respond to those over them?

How should Christians in authority act towards those under them?

Ephesians 6:5–9 (ESV)

5 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. 9 Masters, do the

same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and

yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.

Christian servants

5 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ,

Bondservants (δοῦλος) - slave

Christian servants

5 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ,

earthly masters – “fleshly lords (κύριος)” – Paul intentionally uses the same name for lords as he does for the Lord.

Christian servants

5 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ,

Fear and trembling - not slavish terror, but an anxious eagerness to do your duty, and a fear of displeasing

Christian servants

5 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ,

With a sincere heart – Literally “simple heart”. Means “purity of heart”, “wholehearted” or “without ulterior motives”

Christian servants

5 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ,

As you would Christ – “you obey your earthly lord in the same manner that you’d obey Christ”.

Christian servants

6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,

Not by the way of eye-service – “not with the intent to attract attention or be noticed”, “not only when you’re being watched”.Not as people-pleasers – “men pleasers” “don’t do your work with the intent of simply making people happy”

Christian servants

6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,Obey as a slave of Christ, doing the will of God – “When you serve your earthly lord in this manner, you are ultimately serving your heavenly Lord and doing His will.” From the heart – literally “from the psyche (ψυχή)” inner person (heart, soul). Opposite of external performance.

Christian servants

7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.

Good will – “eagerness, zeal” Serve your earthly lord with the same zeal that you would the Lord.

Christian servants

7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.

Your good deeds will be rewarded. Whether your earthly lord acknowledges them isn’t significant. The Lord in heaven is watching and will see that you receive a reward (inheritance).

Christian servants

7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.

The criteria for rewards and inheritance is the same for all, whether you are a slave or free. God shows no partiality. Social status is immaterial with God.

Bosses, don’t celebrate just yet.

What about Christian lords?Paul’s statements to the Christian Slaves were revolutionary. But his following statements to the lords is even more so. “According to a proverbial statement known to Seneca, ‘all slaves are enemies’, while many masters were tyrants and abusive. In order to deal with their slaves, owners were known to threaten beatings, sexual harassment, or selling male slaves away from the households with the result that they would be parted forever from their loved ones.”

Christian Earthly lords

9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.Do the same – Does not mean that they are to serve the slaves, but “show the same regard to God’s will, and to your servants’ well-being, in your relation to them, as they ought to have in their relation to you.”

Christian Earthly lords

9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.Christian lords, Stop threatening your servants:Because you both serve the same Lord in heaven.The standards/criteria set of doing good by the

heavenly Lord is the same for the slave, the free and the earthly lords. You will be held accountable.

Not a vertical relationship

Lord in Heaven

Lord in the Flesh

Slave

Lord in Heaven

SlavesLord in the Flesh

Brothers in Christ

Christian Slaves and Masters are brothers

Philemon 10–16 10 I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. 11 (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) 12 I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. 13 I

would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my

imprisonment for the gospel, 14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord. 15 For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, 16 no longer as a

bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you,

both in the flesh and in the Lord.

If both are Christians?

1 Timothy 6:1–2 Let all who are under a yoke as

bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name

of God and the teaching may not be reviled. 2 Those who have believing

masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since

those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved.

If the Master isn’t a Christian?

Titus 2:9–10 9 Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they

are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in

everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

If the Master isn’t a Christian?

1 Peter 2:18–2118 Servants, be subject to your masters with all

respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows

while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure?

But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of

God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an

example, so that you might follow in his steps.

First Century Slaves

The masters had their faces dead set against these Christian slaves. We can understand that attitude when we remember that these slaves lived lives of singular purity, meekness, honesty, willingness to serve, and obedience in the households of their heathen masters. This was a powerful testimony for the gospel, and brought them under conviction of sin. All this irritated them, and they reacted in a most unpleasant way toward their slaves, whom they would punish without provocation. Yet they did not want to sell these Christian slaves and buy pagan ones, for the Christian slaves served them better. So they just had to make the best of the situation.Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest's word studies from the Greek

New Testament : For the English reader (1 Pe 2:18). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Serving two masters

Matthew 6:24 24 “No one can serve two masters, for

either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one

and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Slaves encouraged to be free

1 Corinthians 7:2121 Were you a bondservant when called?

Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail

yourself of the opportunity.)

Christ Became a Servant

Philippians 2:5–8 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who,

though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being

born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled

himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Christ Became a Servant to Others

In washing the apostles feet, he

not only performed as a servant, but

requested that his followers do the

same.

His Disciples Were servantsRomans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Christ

Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,

2 Peter 1:1  Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, …

James 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

Jude 1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James,

We are servants

1 Peter 2:16 Live as people who are free, not using

your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.