Free Bible Commentary
“1 Timothy 6:1-2”
Categories: 1 Timothy“All who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be spoken against. Those who have believers as their masters must not be disrespectful to them because they are brethren, but must serve them all the more, because those who partake of the benefit are believers and beloved. Teach and preach these principles.”
---End of Scripture verses---
Slavery in America was evil and horrid and it is an appalling atrocity in the history of our otherwise great nation. To use this passage to justify the sins of cruelty and oppression is obscene and despicable. The New Testament does not endorse slavery. But since it was such a prevalent aspect of ancient Roman society, the Holy Spirit inspired men to deal with the reality of slavery in the best possible ways.
It has been estimated that there were 60 million slaves in the Roman Empire. God’s plan of salvation did not require or promote societal upheaval. If anything would have caused “our doctrine” to “be spoken against,” a bloody revolution certainly would have. The heavenly Father sent Jesus into the world to save the souls of sinners, not to demand social justice. You can be a slave and still be a Christian. You can be a slave owner and still be a Christian. But you are required by the Lord to be the most godly and honorable slave or master that you can possibly be.
“For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.” (Galatians 3:27-29)
Sin is the worst form of slavery because it has the potential to hold a person in torturous bondage for eternity. When we are baptized for the forgiveness of our sins, our old self is “crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin” (Romans 6:6). “But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:22-23)
Please read 1 Timothy 6:3-8 for tomorrow.
Have a blessed day!
- Louie Taylor
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