Ephesians 6:9 says,...
Today's verse is Ephesians 6:9, which reads,
And masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.
Paul has spoken to the wives, husbands, children, parents, slaves then or relevant us as employees, and now the masters then or relevant to us as the employers. The Christian faith stretches across all ages and all races and all social economical levels. Who we worship is greater than who we are.
The masters or employers who have been transformed by the grace of God through the cross of Christ are to treat their employees just like a transformed Christian employee is to treat him or her. They are to be obedient; they are to give respect; they are to do their part not just in others eye sight or with flattery to promote themselves; and they are to do good as to the Lord. All of these things are instructed to the masters or employers in the phrase "do the same things to them."
Paul gets very practical to inform the transformed Christian master or boss to how they are to govern their workers. It is not to be done with threats. Being threatening gives the picture of a raised voice and holding something over the employee's head with the fear of losing his or her job. The employee is in constant fear of losing their job because they have a boss who is one way one day and another on another. Paul is telling the masters or employers not to be this way as they govern their slaves or employees.
The way to conduct their business as transformed Christians is to remember that the God of the transformed Christian slave or employee is the same God of their transformed life. When God looks down He doesn't see a difference between the employer and the employee who are both Christians. In the end both will be in heaven in the presence of God and with each other for eternity. The employer's response should be of truth in love no matter who it is directed to.
A great Biblical example of this principle in life is the book of Philemon. Philemon was a master who had a slave and Philemon was a transformed life because of Jesus Christ. His slave Onesimus who was not a Christian ran away from him and his household but ran right into the arms of Paul. Through Paul's ministry of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, Onesimus became a Christian. Now Onesimus and Philemon were on the same page with God. Paul instructs Onesimus to return to Philemon and make right the wrong he had done to him by running away and leaving Philemon short handed and maybe short changed. Paul also instructs Philemon, the master, to receive Onesimus back not as a slave but as a brother in the Lord. Philemon was not to lose the fact that the man who stood before him was more than just a worker but a fellow worker of God. It might be a good book of the Bible to read along with this verse to see this principle in action.
We have our God given roles to play out in this life but our transformed life in Christ should dictate how we perform in those roles with our actions displaying "as to the Lord." We are first and foremost and will be for eternity with the Lord a Christian and second and temporarily fulfilling a role as a Christian here. May our words and actions reflect the transformation that has come to us and upon us. Lets pray.
"Lord, thank You so much that You show no partiality. Your saving grace is not different for one person of a certain status than for another of a different status. You proved that on the cross by turning to the repentant thief, the lowest of the low, and telling him that You would see him in paradise. May where we are in life never be an excuse not to be first and foremost a obedient follower of Your words and ways. Amen."
Pastor Adam
And masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.
Paul has spoken to the wives, husbands, children, parents, slaves then or relevant us as employees, and now the masters then or relevant to us as the employers. The Christian faith stretches across all ages and all races and all social economical levels. Who we worship is greater than who we are.
The masters or employers who have been transformed by the grace of God through the cross of Christ are to treat their employees just like a transformed Christian employee is to treat him or her. They are to be obedient; they are to give respect; they are to do their part not just in others eye sight or with flattery to promote themselves; and they are to do good as to the Lord. All of these things are instructed to the masters or employers in the phrase "do the same things to them."
Paul gets very practical to inform the transformed Christian master or boss to how they are to govern their workers. It is not to be done with threats. Being threatening gives the picture of a raised voice and holding something over the employee's head with the fear of losing his or her job. The employee is in constant fear of losing their job because they have a boss who is one way one day and another on another. Paul is telling the masters or employers not to be this way as they govern their slaves or employees.
The way to conduct their business as transformed Christians is to remember that the God of the transformed Christian slave or employee is the same God of their transformed life. When God looks down He doesn't see a difference between the employer and the employee who are both Christians. In the end both will be in heaven in the presence of God and with each other for eternity. The employer's response should be of truth in love no matter who it is directed to.
A great Biblical example of this principle in life is the book of Philemon. Philemon was a master who had a slave and Philemon was a transformed life because of Jesus Christ. His slave Onesimus who was not a Christian ran away from him and his household but ran right into the arms of Paul. Through Paul's ministry of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, Onesimus became a Christian. Now Onesimus and Philemon were on the same page with God. Paul instructs Onesimus to return to Philemon and make right the wrong he had done to him by running away and leaving Philemon short handed and maybe short changed. Paul also instructs Philemon, the master, to receive Onesimus back not as a slave but as a brother in the Lord. Philemon was not to lose the fact that the man who stood before him was more than just a worker but a fellow worker of God. It might be a good book of the Bible to read along with this verse to see this principle in action.
We have our God given roles to play out in this life but our transformed life in Christ should dictate how we perform in those roles with our actions displaying "as to the Lord." We are first and foremost and will be for eternity with the Lord a Christian and second and temporarily fulfilling a role as a Christian here. May our words and actions reflect the transformation that has come to us and upon us. Lets pray.
"Lord, thank You so much that You show no partiality. Your saving grace is not different for one person of a certain status than for another of a different status. You proved that on the cross by turning to the repentant thief, the lowest of the low, and telling him that You would see him in paradise. May where we are in life never be an excuse not to be first and foremost a obedient follower of Your words and ways. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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