A Christ Centered Home - Part 3

Introduction

A Christ centered home - summary

The husband/father has received the greatest responsibility

Why does Paul include bondservants? A normal part of 1st century life. The man in the home may be the master of a bondservant, or he may be a bondservant.

Does the Bible condone slavery?

That’s going to be the question on most peoples minds when they first read this passage.

Depending on who you ask, you’ll get a different answer. So who do we ask?

The church interprets the Bible

Not: critics, unbelievers, liberal scholars, those who view the Bible as just another ancient text

The church, those who God has placed His Spirit in, given His Son for, those whom He loves and those who love Him

I don’t want this morning’s sermon to just be an apologetics course — we want to hear what God has to say to us through this passage — but I do want to spend a bit of time understanding what God’s word has to say about the manmade institution of slavery. And in doing so, it should help us, hopefully to understand what God is saying to us.

None of us here are slaves - and none of us today own slaves. Not to say that slavery does not exist in the world — unfortunately it does. And that is a result of a broken, depraved, sinful world.

We want to answer two questions this morning:

Does the Bible condone or endorse slavery?

How might this passage apply to us here at Calvary?

Let’s pray…

Doulos / ‘ebed

The first thing we should do is look at is the word itself:

doulos (Greek), ebed (Hebrew): Col 3 - Bondservants (ESV) servants (KJV) slaves (CSB)

Why a range of different translations?

ebed & dulous “cover a range of relationships that require a range of renderings depending on the context” (ESV Study Notes)

Bible is written over 1500 years (or so) and spans many different eras, cultures/kingdoms/occupations

Meant something different to each writer in each era

Has a particular meaning in our 21 century context:

when we hear each translated word (bondservant, servant, slave) something comes to mind

bondservant: not a word we use much

servant: Downton Abbey, people who live in the downstairs of the home - cooks, butlers, maids

slave: 17th cent chattel slavery (abolished in the US in 1865)

Translators must be discerning - words mean different things at different times

Does the Bible condone or endorse slavery?

It’s important not to merely do a search on all the passages that directly refer to slavery, although that is important.

Slavery in the context of the overarching theme of the Bible

How does God view mankind?

God created mankind in His image

God gave us a capacity to think and to feel - He gave us free will and the ability to choose

We were created as vice-regents - to be God’s representatives and subdue the earth - be stewards of His creation

All mankind equal regardless of race or gender - male and female - this message is consistent throughout the Bible

Who is Moses writing Genesis to?

The Hebrews in the wilderness who have just been rescued out of slavery to the Egyptians

Egyptians worshipped creation: sun/moon/stars, Nile river, animals

God created these things - worship the one who created them - not the things themselves

Pharaoh was considered a God - men were not equal

Moses is saying:

Don’t be like the Egyptians, or like the other nations.

Don’t worship other gods - one true God

We are all created equal in God’s image!

Point 1: God created mankind in His image, and all are equal

2. God’s law to the Israelites put restraints on the institution of slavery

Progressive revelation of who God is - He wants us to learn who He is - He’s steadily revealing Himself

The Law was given to a specific people for a specific time

We no longer practice the ceremonial law

We don’t stone a person for committing any offence

Slavery is not prescribed but allowed

Not everything in the law is an approval, but makes allowance for

Ex. God hates divorce, but He made an allowance for it “because of the hardness of their hearts” “from the beginning it was not so”

The Law was a “reigning in” of what mankind is capable of

Exod 21

Recognize how radical this would have been in the context of the world they were living in

The Canaanites were sacrificing their children to their false gods

Exodus 21:1–9 ESV

“Now these are the rules that you shall set before them. When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out alone. But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever. “When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do. If she does not please her master, who has designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has broken faith with her. If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her as with a daughter.

Exodus 21:16 ESV

“Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.

We must not read this with our 21st century, western civilization eyes and think this is terrible - we have to put ourselves in the context of 1400 BC.

Slavery was an economic institution that was a means of survival for many people. There was no social assistance - although God did make provisions for the poor. Gleaning the fields for example.

The more you read of the Pentateuch and put yourself in their context, the more you see God’s compassion.

Exodus 34:6–8 ESV

The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped.

The God who has revealed Himself to you is more compassionate, more merciful, more full of grace than most of us are able to comprehend. The more you get to know Him the more beautiful He is.

Psalm 34:8 ESV

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Don’t stand in judgment over God with your human standards and think that you know better than Him.

Read the Book of Job…

God speaks to Job out of the whirlwind:

Job 40:1–5 ESV

And the Lord said to Job: “Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.” Then Job answered the Lord and said: “Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further.”

Proverbs 9:10 ESV

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

“When there’s something in the Word of God that I don’t like, the problem is not with the Word of God, it’s with me.” R.C. Sproul

Who stands in judgement over their creator?

Arriving at the 1st Century

by the time Augustus became emperor, approximately 3 million slaves existed in the empire, with 400,000 in Rome alone

Being a slave was a fact of life for many

slaves were employed in diverse roles including agriculture, manufacturing, construction, government, education, entertainment, and household duties

Slavery was not race based, anyone could become a slave and anyone could become free again

Slavery does not look the same in every era

Most of us have someone over us - we all probably have some “earthly master” at some level:

Employer, bank (mortgage), government - different depending on which country you live in at what time

Iran: You are born Muslim

North Korea

China: 1 child policy for many decades

I do not want to minimize in any way the horrendous treatment that some people have faced, and continue to face, at the hands of other people - including slavery

“In 2019, approximately 40 million people, of whom 26% were children, were still enslaved throughout the world despite slavery being illegal.”

In no way does God condone or allow for that kind of treatment of those made in His image.

Three Quick Things To Consider:

We sometimes view God’s word through a set of lenses shaped by our own, limited experience and understanding.

Sometimes to better understand Scripture it requires a deeper understanding of the historical context.

Broaden your view - read history books. Don’t allow your ignorance to shape your view of God

Always view scripture as a whole, not in small fragments. What is the overarching message that we should take away from God’s word?

God is loving, compassionate, merciful, gracious - more so than humanly possible

Narrowing in closer to our passage:

Colossians: Paul Addresses slavery as a fact of life, but drives at the heart of the relationship between master and slave

Remember:

Colossians 3:11 ESV

Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

All are equal in Christ - no partiality. No one is outside God’s grace.

Paul addresses both slaves and masters and reminds them that they have an ultimate Master (v.22)

Paul draws a strong distinction

earthly master vs. The Master - kyrios vs kyrios

kyrios: derived from the Greek word for power or might

lord, master, or sir

Septuagint: YHWH (God’s personal/covenant name) and adonay

NT writers use kyrios to refer to Jesus, there’s a direct connection with YHWH of the OT

Onesimus

Letter carriers: Tychicus & Onesimus (4:7-9)

Who is Onesimus?

A slave who ran away from a man in Colossae who had become a Christian, Philemon

Onesimus becomes a Christian and Paul sends him back to Onesimus

Listen to the heart of the Apostle Paul under the superintendence of the Holy Spirit:

Philemon 13–19 ESV

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, but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord. For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, 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. So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self.

Application

How might we apply this section of the passage to our lives?

Remember, God’s word applies to all people for all time.

1. There is no partiality

The gospel is for all people, regardless of social or economic status, race, gender

That’s the beautiful thing about the church: doctors, plumbers, teachers, stay-at-home moms, people who need 24 hr care, young people, older people.

We all need Jesus!

2. In all things, we work as if we are working for Jesus

Sounds easier than it is

“When you’re sitting on the couch watching a movie, would you still be watching it if Jesus was sitting in the flesh next to you. Jesus, do you want to watch this movie with me?”

He is always with us, you are joined with Christ

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 ESV

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Paul is talking about sexual immorality in this part of 1 Corinthians, but the principal is the same.

Where does Jesus sit in importance in your life?

If Christ is first in your life, you will not be working for merely the appreciation of others

The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe. Prov 29:25

3. We can give praise to God and give thanks to Him in any situation

No matter what situation we might find ourselves in, we must apply the same attitude towards our lives.

Some people who were at the church in Colossae were serving as slaves/bondservants

Do you know someone who is in prison - we can serve Christ no matter where we are

Joseph, Jacob’s son was sold into slavery, ended up in prison

Daniel was taken into captivity

We can shake our fist at God and cry, “Why me!”, or we can thank God He is with us in every situation, and give Him the glory

4. The Christian life is one of submission and of serving others

Christ came to serve you

Mark 10:43–45 ESV

But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

A Christian home is one of the father looking to Christ - submitting to His Master

5. Christ Came to serve

Philippians 2:5–11 ESV

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant (dulous), being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (kyrios), to the glory of God the Father.

He Is Lord, He is Lord He has risen from the dead, and He is Lord Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess That Jesus Christ is Lord