The Duties of Slaves

Jim Butler1 Timothy 6:1–2

What does God require of those under the authority of others, and what is ultimately at stake in how they fulfill that duty? Expounding 1 Timothy 6:1–2, this sermon examines the apostle Paul's instructions to Christian slaves — both those under unbelieving masters and those under believing masters — showing that faithful, diligent service is grounded not in pragmatics but in theology proper: the name and doctrine of God must not be blasphemed. The sermon draws out implications for the Decalogue, for the employer-employee relationship, and closes with the warning that all who are outside of Christ, whatever their outward condition, remain slaves to sin — and that only Christ can make a person truly free.