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We're concluding this particular 
section, this subsection that we find ourselves in 1 Timothy. Our duties or our treatment, 
our responsibilities within the church toward others. We have 
seen the church's responsibility toward older men, younger men, 
older women, and younger women. Timothy's responsibility primarily 
highlighted in chapter 5, verses 1 and 2. The church toward widows 
in verses 3. to 16, and the church toward 
elders in verses 17 to 25. And tonight specifically in chapter 
6 verses 1 and 2, the Apostle addresses the slaves in the church 
and gives them their specific responsibilities or duties as 
they are demanded by God. So I'll just read chapter 6 verses 
1 and 2 and then we'll look in detail at this section. Let as 
many bond servants 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. 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. Amen. Let us pray. Father, thank 
you for your Word and thank you for this first epistle to Timothy 
and the very practical and relevant instruction for conduct in the 
house of God. We just pray now that you would 
guide us and direct us by the power of your Spirit. We pray 
that you would encourage our hearts and strengthen us with 
might in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts 
through faith. As those God who are under authority, 
help us to recognize what you say concerning these issues. 
Help us to be a people that are obedient first and foremost to 
our God, and help us to set forth by our example a good testimony, 
a good witness to the ethics of the gospel of our Lord Jesus 
Christ. Again, forgive us now for our 
sin, wash us in the blood, give us the Holy Spirit so that we 
may understand your word. And we pray through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. Amen. Well, slavery is addressed 
several times in the New Testament. If you look specifically at verse 
1, it says, "...let as many bond-servants as are under the yoke count their 
own masters worthy of all honor." That's a legitimate translation 
of the Greek word, but the better translation is slaves. That is 
the class to whom the apostle is addressing his comments at 
this particular time. Specifically in verse 1, he's 
dealing with Christian slaves who have non-Christian masters. And in verse 2, he's dealing 
with Christian slaves who have Christian masters. And as we 
look at this passage, because we don't currently have slavery 
in operation around us, it probably puzzles us. It probably concerns 
us to a certain degree or other. Very often, at least in North 
America, our only understanding of slavery is that which was 
practiced in the American South in the early centuries ago. but when we look at the scriptures 
we see that there are two types of slavery there is a obviously 
unlawful type of slavery the scripture says you're not to 
kidnap and in the context in Deuteronomy it's probably not 
a child is taken and held hostage for a ransom payment. But probably 
the kidnapping in view was man-stealing for the express purpose of putting 
that person into slavery. That's more akin to what happened 
in that slavery situation in America. So, stealing men and 
then treating them like chattel, treating them like property, 
is condemned in the Bible. But when we look at the type 
of slavery that's in operation here, Paul neither commends it, 
nor does he condemn it, but rather he regulates it according to 
the principles of God's Holy Word in keeping with what we 
find in the Old Testament Scriptures as well. In the Old Testament 
there was slavery. Again it was regulated. God spoke 
to it. God protected the innocent by 
putting into place particular safeguards so that slaves would 
not be abused so that they would not be treated as property, and 
so that they would not be hurt or suffer in this transaction. Very often in the New Testament 
setting, we need to understand that slavery was very, very popular 
in the Roman Empire. There was a lot of people that 
were slaves. In fact, they wanted to make 
uniforms for the slaves, but they fought against it, or at 
least this was a theory at one time. to make uniforms for slaves, 
but because they were so numerous, they didn't want them to know 
how many there actually were, lest there be an uprising by 
the slaves against the man, if you will. But not every instance 
was freedom something sought after. Oftentimes people were 
slaves because they couldn't do certain things, they didn't 
have a trade, they didn't have a way of making money, And so 
slavery was an option for that, to be paid. This wasn't as if 
they weren't being paid. There was some sort of recompense 
in view, but it wasn't as if they were getting rich. But nevertheless, 
the ideal was to not be a slave. the believers in Corinth, in 
1 Corinthians chapter 7, very specifically, were you called 
while a slave, do not be concerned about it, but if you can be made 
free, rather use it. So that's the Apostle's statement 
concerning that whole reality. So let's look in detail here 
at verses 1 and 2. As I said, First, the slaves 
with non-Christian masters, and secondly, the slaves with Christian 
masters. Note verse 1. I've already mentioned 
that slaves is the preferred statement. 1 Corinthians 7, 20-22, 
the Apostle deals with, or at least alludes to it. In Ephesians 
6, 5-9, the Apostle not only gives instructions for slaves, 
but he also gives instructions for masters. why he doesn't replicate 
or duplicate those instructions for masters here in 1st Timothy 
6, we need to remember that it's the same audience. Perhaps there 
was a problem among the slaves. Remember that Ephesus received 
the letter to the Ephesians, where those things are treated, 
both slavery and the masters. Well, where is Timothy? he is 
operating in Macedonia, specifically in Ephesus. And so this particular 
church had received instruction, so maybe the case was that this 
was a bit of a turmoil amongst the slaves in the congregation, 
and so Paul needs to speak to that particular contingency. 
Slavery is dealt with in Colossians chapter 3, verses 22 to 25. Titus 
chapter 2, verses 9 and 10. 1 Peter chapter 2, verses 18 
to 20. where Peter says that slaves 
must be submissive to their masters, not just to the good ones, not 
just to the nice ones, but to those who were harsh. And as 
well, the book of Philemon is about slavery. So it is a prevalent 
theme in the New Testament scriptures. As I've already mentioned, slavery 
was an integral part of the social and economic world of the first 
century. Freedom and liberation were not as much an obvious good 
in the first century that it is in the 21st century. Again, 
our mindset and our conception of what's going on at times. 
is challenged based on our particular context. The first century Christians 
were a small group living within an all-powerful authoritarian 
empire. Social action in that context 
wasn't the first order of business. They didn't go out picketing 
the institution of slavery. They had other fish to fry at 
this particular time, like not being executed for the cause 
of Christ, the Lord. And then as well, while it shouldn't 
be viewed the way that slavery was carried out, it's not just 
America that practiced a man-stealing, shadow-slavery type thing. This 
is not something only common in that environment. It's happened 
throughout history. While it ought not to be viewed 
the same way in the New Testament Scripture, it ought not to be 
viewed in a positive light either. I mean, you were still basically 
the property of another person. And so that would present as 
a struggle to the one who was in fact a slave. Now notice the 
duty toward unbelieving masters. let as many bondservants as are 
under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor. The slave is to actively consider, 
to reckon, to deem, specifically his master, as worthy of all 
honor. When we ask the question, what 
does it mean honor, does it just mean respect? Well, in the context, 
in verse 3, widows are to be honored. That means some tangible 
financial assistance is to be given to them. In verse 17, let 
the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor. That 
doesn't mean they get two parking spots. It doesn't mean they get 
a gold pen on their birthday. It means that they are paid for 
services rendered. So when we look here, the idea 
is not that the slave pays the master, but it is a concrete, 
tangible product that he is engaging in, specifically faithful and 
diligent service to the master. The slave might be tempted to 
think, as Calvin says, thus slaves who have unbelieving masters 
are ready enough with the objection that it is unreasonable that 
they who serve the devil, my unbelieving master, should have 
dominion over the children of God. Paul says that isn't your 
concern. Your task is to do what you're 
supposed to do, regardless of the spiritual condition of your 
master. This is very clear in this passage. They are to count their own masters 
worthy of all honor. And I think that fundamentally, 
something that we struggle with as well, this may be a preacher's 
we, it may not apply to you, you may be that person that has 
no problem with authority whatsoever, you have no problem with submission 
whatsoever, but there's a lot of us in the Christian church 
that do struggle with this, so I'm going to speak to us. I think 
again Calvin is right when he says, owing to the false opinion 
of his own excellence, which every person entertains, there 
is no one who patiently endures that others should rule over 
him. Listen to what he's saying here. 
Why do you think Paul is having to write 1st Timothy 6.1? Because 
all the slaves always did what they were supposed to do for 
their masters. Absolutely not! He's having to address a problem. 
I think Calvin hits the nail on the head. The issue in our 
heart of hearts is this lack of submission to lawful authority 
over us. We don't like for someone else 
to have the rule over us. He says, they who cannot avoid 
the necessity, that means of being subject to others, do indeed 
reluctantly obey those who are above them, but inwardly they 
fret and rage because they think that they suffer wrong. The Apostle 
cuts off by a single word all disputes of this kind by demanding 
that all who live under the yoke shall submit to it willingly. This is what the Apostle says. 
If you have an unbelieving master, you cannot conclude, he is not 
worthy of my service. Paul says just the opposite. If he's an unbelieving master, 
he is worthy of your service, because the condition of the 
one you serve does not affect the demand that God has placed 
on you. That's the bottom line. We are 
always called to obey God no matter what the particular situation 
is. Now, we can qualify this if the 
master is this or the master is that. There may be instances 
and issues where we can resist those things, but insofar as 
the master is not commanding the servant to send then the 
slave must count them as worthy of all honor. And consider the 
reality that all of us are subject to someone else in one form or 
another. See, it's never an issue, submission 
or non-submission, in the Christian life. I think that at times we 
hear that passage in Ephesians 5, wives, be submissive to your 
own husbands, and there's something in us that recoils against that 
reality. Well, consider, the church needs 
to submit to Christ. We all agree with that, don't 
we? The Christian must submit to God, James 4. The Christian, 
be they man or woman, must submit to the governing authorities, 
Romans chapter 13, 1 Peter chapter 2. The wife must submit to her 
husband. But the husband, according to 
Ephesians 5.20, along with everybody, must submit to one another in 
the fear of God. In other words, Christian to 
Christian, there ought to be this sort of submission, deference, 
giving preference to other persons. In the first letter of the Apostle 
Peter, he speaks of submission to God-ordained human authorities. 
We need to submit to government, servants and masters, he speaks 
in marriage, he speaks concerning all of life. Consider the reality 
that our Lord Jesus Christ was submissive, that he was one that 
was willingly under authority, first and foremost, to his Heavenly 
Father. He always did the will of his 
Father. He didn't balk at, he didn't 
scoff at, he didn't resist, he didn't say, Lord, this is unfair, 
it's unrighteous, it's ungodly, you are not worthy of my service 
in this instance. No, he always did that which 
was pleasing to the Lord. But consider as well our blessed 
Christ. He had earthly parents. What 
does Luke tell us in Luke 2? He is found teaching in the temple 
at the age of 12. His parents come and they express 
concern to him that he was not with them. He says, do you not 
know that I must be about my father's will? And so then they 
want to take him home, and the scripture says he continued in 
subjection to them. So for us to say, well, you just 
don't know my master, you just don't know my husband. Now again, 
if husband or master is abusive, there's the qualification. You 
don't have to submit to that sort of thing. But our Lord Christ 
submitted to non-perfect earthly authority. And not just his earthly 
parents. As we continue in the Gospel 
of Matthew, there will be an instance where Peter comes along, 
talks about taxes. Jesus says, go and find that 
fish and take out the money so you can pay the taxes to Caesar. You know, there are those who 
think that resisting paying income taxes is a righteous cause. Well, 
it might be a righteous cause to pursue in a righteous way. 
But if we ask the question, what does God say concerning that? 
Paul is very clear in Romans 13, pay your taxes. Jesus paid 
his taxes to an unlawful, godless authority. He didn't say, well, 
they're pagans, I'm not going to pay my taxes. The Lord Christ 
submitted willingly in these various spheres. So when we go 
back to 1st Timothy chapter 6, and we hear Paul's word to these 
slaves, believing slaves under the yoke, count their own masters, 
their unbelieving masters, worthy of all honor. Now note the reason 
that he gives for this direction. It's theological as we would 
expect from the Apostle Paul. It's not pragmatic. It's not, 
count them worthy so that you'll get benefit, count them worthy 
so that you'll get preferential treatment, count them worthy 
so that you'll get a parking space, count them worthy so that 
you'll get a free ham, count them worthy so that you'll get 
a bonus at Christmas time. That's not it. The apostle argues 
theologically. And what is at stake in the slave's 
conduct toward his non-Christian master but the name of God and 
the doctrine of God. Theology proper, the way that 
we view God, the way that we conduct ourselves in the presence 
of God, the vertical affects the horizontal. But as well, 
the horizontal and the way that we conduct ourselves with man 
reflects upon the vertical. If we are bad, insubordinate, 
lazy, disrespectful slaves, what happens? There is blasphemy cast 
upon the name of our God. Imagine for a moment that you 
had a friend, and he owned a particular business, and your friend phoned 
you, and your friend said, do you know anybody that you could 
recommend for a job at my establishment? And you say, yes, I want you 
to hire this particular person. I won't give a name because I 
don't want anybody to say, is he singling me out? No, I'm not. 
But imagine, you send your friend, you say, hey, there's a job for 
you, you go down there, you fill out the application, he will 
hire you and you do a good job. Why would you tell him, you do 
a good job? Because the employer if that 
employee doesn't work out, is probably not going to have fond 
thoughts of you. In other words, if you send a 
man, you recommend him for a particular job, and he turns out to be lazy, 
he turns out to be insubordinate, he turns out to be a pathetic 
whiner, what does that do but reflect upon you, who recommended 
him for that job? That's the Apostle's mindset. There is something bigger at 
stake than your personal happiness in your workplace. There is something 
more important than you getting preferential treatment. There 
is something more valuable than your place as a free man in society. And that which is more valuable 
is the name of God. If you go in and you disobey 
God, you will give cause to the enemies of God to blaspheme His 
holy name. It's intriguing when you consider 
slavery. I don't think it's an illogical 
jump into the 21st century in North America to consider being 
an employee. While this doesn't address the 
same sorts of situations in an employer-employee relationship, 
certainly we can argue from a slave-master relationship to an employee-employer 
relationship. Have you ever considered the 
doctrine of work with reference to the Decalogue? We all would 
consider the doctrine of work with reference to the fourth 
word, wouldn't we? The fourth word not only enjoins 
upon us a day of rest, but it also tells us to work hard for 
six days, doesn't it? You see, the fourth commandment 
isn't just a blessing in terms of a gift from God, but there's 
a supposition or an assumption or an implication with reference 
to that blessed gift of rest from God. The implication of 
the supposition is, is that you've worked hard for six days. So 
we say naturally our employment is somehow connected to the fourth 
word. When we take a passage like this 
and we give it just a bit of thought, we can certainly see 
how being an employee is related to the eighth commandment. We 
ought not to steal if our employer trusts us with things. We ought 
not to pocket it. We ought not to run off at lunchtime 
and steal from him. We ought not to steal his property. 
We certainly ought not to steal his time. If he's paying us for 
eight hours, we ought to serve him for eight hours. So we see 
the fourth commandment, we see the eighth commandment, we see 
the fifth commandment as well. You say, well, where does it 
say honor your father and your mother in this passage? The best 
interpreters in the history of the church saw the fifth word 
as not just relative to the parent-child relationship, but to all manner 
of authority. In other words, when you're out 
on the road and the speed limit sign says, go 60 kilometers an 
hour, that's the fifth word. You need to understand that you 
are subject to lawful authority, even if you disagree with it. 
Do you think it should be 65? Write your MP. If you think it 
should be 70, write your MP. But the issue is, you are not 
supposed to blow through those things under the guise of, well, 
it's my liberty. No, you're a man under the Fifth 
Commandment. But if we follow the logic of the text, we follow 
the apostle's argument, we follow his reasoning, we must see the 
third word as well. You shall not take the name of 
the Lord your God in vain." Well, certainly if I'm a lazy, insubordinate, 
disrespectful servant, or slave, or employee to my master, and 
it causes that master to speak ill of my master, well then I 
am assisting someone, I am complicit in the violation of the Third 
Commandment. You see, God's word is practical. It is relative. The Decalogue 
has abiding influence in the lives of the children of God 
Most High. So the apostle says, so that 
the name of God and his doctrine may not be blasphemed. The doctrine. Consider that in this particular 
context, the Christian slave may have been the non-Christian 
master, non-Christian masters, only exposure to Christianity. The only one! The non-Christian 
master would say, yes, I've got one of those new ones, that new 
set, that new religion. Remember, it's not like it is 
today, where there's churches on every single corner, and where, 
to a large degree, in North America, even the most paganized man or 
woman around us has had some contact, maybe it's minuscule, 
but some contact with Christianity in some form. That was not the 
case in the Roman Empire. So for a Christian slave to be 
disrespectful, to be lazy, to be insubordinate to a non-Christian 
master, the non-Christian master would conclude, why would I want 
the gospel? Why would I want the Lordship 
of Jesus Christ? If coming to Christ produces 
that type of slave, you can keep it. Paul says, don't do that. If this is the man's only exposure 
to the word of truth, then make sure you are exposing him properly. Now note, secondly, slaves with 
Christian masters. Verse two, and those slaves who 
have believing masters. Those slaves who have believing 
masters. What ought to be apparent before 
we even proceed from this point forward? Christians had slaves. Paul doesn't commend it. Paul 
doesn't condemn it. Paul simply speaks to the current 
situation and regulates it so that it functions in a manner 
that is consistent with biblical ethics. So there was a class 
of Christian slaves in Ephesus who had Christian masters. We 
know this in addition to Ephesians 6. Paul's addressing masters 
on how they're to conduct themselves to the slaves. Do you think he's 
addressing pagan masters in the context? I just hope every pagan 
master out there will actually... No, he's talking to Christians. 
He's writing to the church. Same in Colossae. He is addressing 
Christian masters on how they ought to conduct themselves toward 
their Christian slaves. Well, here, he's just dealing 
with the slaves. Note the prohibition. Verse 2, 
those who have believing masters, let them not despise them. Let them not despise them. Do not think down on them. The word means to treat without 
the full consideration due to the other man's station. Don't 
despise them. Don't disregard them. Don't look 
down upon them. Don't go home at night and put 
his picture up on your wall and throw darts at his face. Now, 
note what Paul says. Do not do this, and then there's 
a purpose clause. Those who have believing masters, 
let them not despise them because they are brethren. Now, is Paul 
saying, do not despise them, and the reason I don't want you 
to despise them is because they're brethren? I don't think so. I think he's saying, don't despise 
them because they're brethren. In other words, the fact that 
they are brethren, that they are Christian masters over Christian 
slaves, ought not to be the reason why you despise them. Perhaps 
some of the slaves had read Galatians 3, 28. where they see that the 
gospel is the great leveler. The gospel reduces man. There's no more Jew. There's 
no more Gentile. There's no more male. There's 
no more female. There's no more of these distinctions. Speaking to redemptive benefit 
in the Lord Jesus Christ. But what Paul says in Galatians 
3.28 does not eradicate social distinction. Everybody with me? Maybe the slaves got that in 
their head. We're brothers now. Certainly I can't be your servant 
anymore. I'm your brother. Maybe the slave 
thought he should get preferential treatment. If the Christian master 
has ten slaves and one of them happens to be Christian, perhaps 
that Christian slave is thinking to himself, he ought to be extra 
specially good to me because we're brethren. And if that didn't 
occur, what would happen in the mind and in the heart of the 
slave? He would despise him. He would look down upon him. 
He would say, this is not legitimate. This is unfair. Doesn't he realize? I'm a blood-bought child of God. 
I'm on the same level redemptively as him. Yes, but you're not on 
the same level socio-economically. The Gospel hasn't obliterated 
those particular things. and because you are a slave to 
this man, serve him, labor unto him, do what he calls you to 
do. The slave might as well think 
the master should pat his wallet and send him on his way as a 
free man." So Paul's argument is very clear. Do not despise 
them because they're brethren. Now note the positive exhortation, 
but rather serve them. Serve the master. Don't whine, 
don't complain, don't grumble. Is there any of that in our hearts 
when somebody actually does better than us, instead of us rejoicing 
with them, we get upset? Oh no, not me. No one's envious 
ever. You all remember my fish story 
of envy? Fishing with my cousin in Oregon. He caught three trout, I caught 
none. He was so happy, he's bragging, he's boasting. He walks down 
the river and I took the stringer out and I let his fish go. That's 
envy, brother. Not jealousy. I wasn't just jealous 
that he caught them and I didn't. Envy is jealousy plus a desire 
to deprive the other person. Could that be what Paul is addressing? You're jealous and envious of 
this man's success? Do you find yourself as an employee 
to a successful Christian employer? Do you begrudge him for that? 
Obviously he's worked hard, he's been blessed, things have happened 
in his particular way. The bottom line is it doesn't 
matter what he is doing, other than if he's sinning, it's what 
you're supposed to do. Our personal ethics are always 
dictated to us by God the Lord. It is not contingent upon the 
behavior of the other person. Paul doesn't say husbands love 
your wives as long as they are all together lovely. Husbands 
love your wives when they make you omelets. Husbands love your 
wives when they fan you on a hot day. Husbands love your wives 
when they feed grapes to you on an equally hot day. That's 
not what I want when I go home, by the way. Omelets and grapes 
and fanning. Fanning, maybe. I'll take that. Husbands love your wives. That's 
it. You don't know my wife. Husbands love your wife. You 
see, more research needs to be done on the front end. I'm absolutely 
convinced. Take the time. Be patient. Find a spouse you can love to 
the end. If somebody ends up saying, well, 
you just don't know my wife, then you didn't know your wife 
and you should have taken the time. How many people say, I 
do, and they're not ready? How many people jump into a situation, 
you mean I got to submit to that guy? Yes, from the very beginning 
you were told this. From the very beginning you knew 
this. From your youth you were told 
this. That's a sideline note. Let's 
get back to the slaves here. But there could have been this 
envious spirit. So what's Paul's remedy? Serve 
them. Serve them. Don't whine, don't 
grumble, don't complain, because ultimately it's against God. 
Note what he goes on to say, rather serve them because those 
who are benefited are believers and beloved. There's one of two 
ways this verse can go. I think some of the versions 
unfortunately might represent the wrong way. The wrong way 
says, those who are benefited are the slaves, therefore serve 
your benefactors. In other words, as a slave, you 
are a benefactor from their provision to you, therefore serve them. 
I don't think that's what's in view. I think the idea is, as 
the New King James captures it, but rather serve them because 
Those who are benefited, the masters, are believers and beloved. Who do you want to have your 
service more? Some pagan, godless wretch that 
worships Baal, or in this context, worships Diana? Or do you want 
your service to go to a man who fears God? A man who loves the 
Lord Jesus Christ? A man who is lockstep serving 
the Savior of sinners? Well, certainly you ought to 
want to serve that man. When you go home at night, you 
say, I did my master good. I was diligent. I was faithful. 
I want him to be benefited. I want him to progress. I want 
him to succeed. That's the disposition that we 
find in our Lord Jesus Christ, who incidentally is held up as 
a paradigm to slaves in 1 Peter 2. What do we learn of Christ? The Son of Man did not come to 
be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many. Paul ends verse 2 by saying, 
teach and exhort these things. The UBS Great New Testament puts 
this with what follows. Perhaps some of the versions 
puts this with what follows. I take it as that which proceeds. We see a similar usage in 1st 
Timothy 4.11. These things command and teach. I think the previous, that warning 
against apostasy, the service of the servant of the Lord in 
verses 6 to 10, these things command and teach. So when we 
look at the end of verse 2, teach and exhort these things, it looks 
back to the context. This is where I want us to see 
something very important. I know it's hot. And I know this 
is probably not as exciting as Gideon going in to destroy Midianites. I get that. But for the Apostle 
Paul, he wanted Timothy to take the time to teach and exhort 
the church how pastors were to relate to old men, to young men, 
to old women, to young women. He wanted Timothy to take the 
time to teach and exhort the church so that they would know 
how to deal with widows in their midst. He wanted Timothy to take 
the time to teach and exhort so that the church would know 
how to deal with elders in their midst. He wanted Timothy to take 
the time to teach and exhort so that the Christian slaves 
in their midst would be educated in school and how they could 
best serve their masters, be they unbelieving or believing. 
What's the point? The point is this is where we're 
at. This is garden variety, basic 
Christianity 101. Jesus says, by this all men will 
know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another. 
The way that pastors treat brethren, the way the church treats the 
widows, the way the church treats elders, the way that slaves treat 
masters, All of that gives evidence that we are the disciples of 
the Lord Jesus Christ. He doesn't spend all of this 
time in 1 Timothy 5 and in 1 Timothy 6 seeking to inculcate people 
for far-off Christian service to the heathen. There are texts 
and passages that we can glean from the New Testament, but that's 
not where the emphasis falls. It is more often than not the 
mundane, routine, garden-variety, day-in, day-out type of Christianity 
that Paul says teach and exhort these things. Make sure that 
these slaves, when they go to work in the morning, they do 
what they're supposed to do because the name of God is at stake. 
Make sure they do what they're supposed to do because their 
Christian master's benefit is at stake. So that's the conclusion 
of the exposition. Just a couple of thoughts and 
then we close. First, the Apostle and slavery. Because this is 
such a hot topic, you'll hear this as a Christian when you're 
out defending the faith. People will say, well the Bible 
has slavery. Yes, the Bible does have slavery, but we need to 
understand what type of slavery, and we need to realize that God 
regulated the type of slavery that was in place. God condemns 
man-stealing. God condemns man-stealing. Again, the little child that's 
held for ransom certainly falls under that particular prohibition. 
but probably what's in view is stealing people to make them 
slaves. God abominates that. He regulates 
that. He calls for the death penalty 
in those particular instances. So if anyone ever says to you, 
well, the Bible says, is there slavery? Well, yeah. And God 
says, if you carry it out unlawfully, you ought to be executed. I mean, 
that will open up a whole other can of worms, but be ready to 
go down that road too. The Apostle addressed slaves 
as image bearers of God. He doesn't discount them like 
property. I think it was Plato or Aristotle, 
one of those philosophers referred to slaves as tools. You have a shovel in your shed, 
you have a Makita power drill in your work tool kit, That's 
how slaves were regarded, just an implement, just a tool to 
accomplish the task. Not so in God's Word. They are 
addressed as human beings, image-bearers of the living God. And as a result, 
they have responsibility. As well, as I've mentioned, the 
Apostle does not commend and he does not condemn slavery. He calls for the regulation of 
an existing practice through the power of the Christian gospel. The Apostle obviously recognizes 
the benefit of freedom. 1 Corinthians 7 verse 21. If you can secure your freedom, 
then do it. That's a good thing. As well, 
the Apostle gave specific instructions for Christian slaves with non-Christian 
masters and Christian slaves with Christian masters. And he 
grounded this instruction in theology proper. What we do this 
way affects what happens concerning God, but what men think and say 
concerning God. Secondly, as I've already mentioned, 
while the text deals with slaves to masters, certainly employees 
ought to take notice of a passage like this. If a first century 
slave was told not to be insubordinate, was told not to be lazy, was 
told not to be a whiner, was told not to be a grumbler, was 
told not to despise his master, especially if it was because 
the master was a brother, and the slave thought, therefore 
he owes me things. If all that is true, then what 
about employees today? Certainly, we ought not to be 
lazy. We ought not to be insubordinate. We ought not to be disrespectful. We ought not to be thieves. We 
ought not to be those who are lazy. But rather, we ought to 
be diligent and earnest and faithful Christians. And then a final 
note concerning slavery is that slavery is one of those concepts 
that is inevitable. It is inevitable. You might be 
a free man. in concerning your temporal affairs. You may be a slave spiritually. The Bible speaks not only of 
temporal slavery and of the responsibilities of slaves to masters, but the 
Bible also speaks of a slavery that is even more systemic, something 
that is even more troublesome for those who are slaves this 
way. Jesus said in John 8, 34, whoever 
commits sin is a slave of sin. So while you may be a free man, 
a free woman, laboring unto the pursuit of your own ends and 
your own goods and your own stuff, if you are not in Christ tonight, 
you are a slave. You are in bondage. It may not 
look that way. It may not feel that way. You 
may not be wearing shackles. You may not be eating gruel out 
of a bowl with a piece of wood instead of a nice spoon. But 
nevertheless, you are a slave. And Christ highlighted the only 
way of redemption. He says, if you abide in my word, 
you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, 
and the truth shall make you free. He says in John 8, 36, 
Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. So these first Timothy 6, one 
in two men, though they were slaves to earthly masters, they 
were liberated concerning the heavenly master. May it not be 
the case for us that we are temporally free, but spiritually bound. Christ is the way of salvation. Believe on him and you will be 
saved. Well, let us pray. Father, thank 
you for your word and the fact that it speaks to each and every 
area of our lives. And we pray that you would just 
go with us now, watch over the brethren in this congregation. 
Cause your face to shine upon us and may your peace always 
flood our hearts. Grant us the power of your spirit 
that we may pursue those things which are pleasing in your sight. 
And whether we are employers or employees, help us to work 
hard, help us to do so for the glory and the honor of our God. 
And we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.