Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. 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.
(Ephesians 6:5-9)
Servants … boss. Today, the word ‘servants’ means everyone who works for someone else. When Paul wrote this letter, the word meant ‘slaves’, people who were owned by their boss (master). Paul lived at a time when the people of Rome ruled much of the world. The Romans had many thousands of slaves. Many of them were white people. They had been taken prisoner in war, or were born as slaves. They could not choose where to live or what they wanted to do. They had to obey their master, or they were punished. If they ran away, they were sometimes killed. But Paul tells them to do their work not just for their master (boss), but for Jesus Christ. He also tells the bosses that Jesus Christ is boss over everyone, so they should be kind to their slaves, as Jesus Christ is kind to them. One day every person will stand before God. In God’s sight, there is no difference between a boss and a slave. Finally this teaching brought slavery to an end in the Roman Empire. Today all Christians believe that slavery is wrong. It was Christians who ended the slave trade from Africa 200 years ago.
Everyone should do their work not just for their boss (employer), but for the Lord Jesus Christ. They should do it as well as they can. But the boss should remember that God sees what they do. If they do not treat their workers well, one day they will stand before God and be punished.
Do you have any good employers in the place where you live? Then thank God for them, Do you have any bad employers? Then pray for them.
Are there people in your place who have no work? Then ask God to show you ways of creating work. In some countries there are special organizations which try to help people who want to start a business together.
In some countries today, parents who are very poor sometimes sell their children, who must then do very hard work. Some young people are tricked into leaving their country for a ‘good job’ in Europe or America. There they are often used as sex slaves. Pray about these things and try to stop them if you can. Do not believe people on the Internet (computer), who promise you a good job in another country. Never send them money.
Everyone should do their work not just for their boss (employer), but for the Lord Jesus Christ. They should do it as well as they can. But the boss should remember that God sees what they do. If they do not treat their workers well, one day they will stand before God and be punished.
Do you have any good employers in the place where you live? Then thank God for them, Do you have any bad employers? Then pray for them.
Are there people in your place who have no work? Then ask God to show you ways of creating work. In some countries there are special organizations which try to help people who want to start a business together.
In some countries today, parents who are very poor sometimes sell their children, who must then do very hard work. Some young people are tricked into leaving their country for a ‘good job’ in Europe or America. There they are often used as sex slaves. Pray about these things and try to stop them if you can. Do not believe people on the Internet (computer), who promise you a good job in another country. Never send them money.
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