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Dripping Springs Weekly Bulletins
Question: Why Did God Not Forbid Slavery?
The world into which Jesus came was one beset with many social ills, not the least of which was that of slavery. Historians tell us the Roman Empire alone counted a population of 60,000,000 slaves. Most were born to slave parents or were somehow indebted or indentured to another. It was almost impossible to escape slavery without running away, and that was punishable by death. There are several ways in which God could have rid the world of slavery:
FIRST: He could have merely “programmed” all men so they would not engage in the sale, purchase or utilization of slaves. However, God did not make robots, but human beings, capable of making choices.
SECOND: He could have forbidden slavery for every Christian. Some may be surprised to discover that He did not do so, but Barclay explains:
“If Christianity had, in fact, given slaves any encouragement to revolt or to leave their masters, nothing but tragedy and disaster could have followed. Any revolt would have been savagely crushed; any slave who took his freedom would have been mercilessly punished; and Christianity would itself have been branded as a revolutionary and subversionary treason.”
THIRD: He could have given laws and precepts that, when diligently kept, would bring about slavery’s eventual demise. Interestingly, this is exactly the solution God chose. He did not demand that slave- masters (even Christians) release their slaves. He did not encourage slaves to run away from their masters. He did not rail upon policy makers to change the laws. He merely instructed slave owners to treat their slaves with the respect that was appropriate to their Christian ethics, and for slaves to work harder for their masters than others who had no reason to do so.
Note the words of Ephesians 6:5-9:
“Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh...Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;....And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing your Master also is in heaven.”
Even in societies that have perverted Bible precepts, slavery has slowly diminished in acceptance. Truly, the wisdom of God excels that of man!
PHILEMON, PAUL AND ONESIMUS
This truth is nowhere shown more clearly than in the little one-chapter book of Philemon. The premise of the book is this: Onesimus, a slave owned by a Christian named Philemon, has run away from his master. Evidently, he was not a very good worker, perhaps even a thief before (Philemon 1:11, 18). He was “unprofitable” (even though his name meant “profitable”). Somehow he found Paul in Rome and was converted to Christ. Paul, instead of merely condemning slavery as such, sent Onesimus back to his master, Philemon, with the letter so named. In that letter, Paul urged his friend Philemon, evidently a faithful Christian (1:4-7) in Colosse, to take back his wayward servant and now treat him as a brother (1:15-16). He used every available means to convince Philemon of the wisdom and righteousness of his request, even reminding Philemon of the debt he owed Paul. He promised to repay any debt owed by Onesimus. He stood by the runaway slave because he is now his and Philemon’s brother in Christ.
How does this story apply to today’s Christian? Why is this private letter made known to all of us in the pages of inspired scripture? Most of us have never had any experience with slavery, but our nation fought a tragic war, slavery being at the very heart of its cause. We know how that war divided our country in a way that sounds very similar to that to which Barclay alluded earlier. Today, the closest relationship to slavery with which we are familiar is that between employer-employee. While not entirely comparable, God’s rules for such a relationship certainly apply:
- An employee’s work ethic must not be merely “eyeservice,” being diligent only when the employer or supervisor is observing our work. It is to be “With good will, as to the Lord, and not to men,” Ephesians 6:7. Christians reveal much of their understanding of and submission to the gospel they claim to accept to those in whose employ they labor. What about your influence in the work place? Is it in harmony with the fact that you are a Christian?
- The Christian employer, while having a degree of authority over his workers, still must “give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing ye also have a Master in heaven,” Colossians 4:1.
Employers, are you being fair and just in your treatment of those who work under your charge? Does your treatment of them cause them and others to praise God for you, and to recognize the true example of a Christian who is faithful to God?
Can we not see the wisdom of God in this issue? Man’s social ills can be solved using the precepts of the Gospel if we will but hear and apply them.
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Satan's Convention
Satan called a worldwide convention. In his opening address to his evil angels, he said, "We can't keep Christians from going to church. We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth. We can't even keep them from forming a close association with Christ. BUT, IF they maintain that connection with Him, our power over them is broken. So, let them go to their churches; let them have their conservative life styles; BUT steal their time, so they can't gain that relationship with Jesus Christ. This is what I want you to do, angels. Distract them from gaining hold of their savior and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!"
“How shall we do this?" shouted his angels. "Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds," he answered. "Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow. Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 6-7 days a week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their empty lifestyles. Keep them from spending time with their children. As their family fragments, soon their home will offer no escape from the pressures of work!"
"Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot meditate on the words of Scripture. Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive; to keep the TV, VCR, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their homes. And see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays raunchy music constantly. This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ. Fill their coffee tables with magazines and newspapers. Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day. Invade their driving moments with billboards. Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail order catalogs, sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and promotion offering free products, services, and false hopes. Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines so the husbands will believe that external beauty is what's important, and they'll become dissatisfied with their wives. HA! That will fragment these families quickly!"
"Even in their recreation, let them be excessive. Have them return from their recreation exhausted, disquieted, and unprepared for the coming week. Don't let them go out in nature to reflect on God's wonders. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, concerts and movies instead. Keep them busy, busy, busy. And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences and unsettled emotion."
"Go ahead, let them be involved in soul winning. But crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Christ. Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause. IT WILL WORK! IT WILL WORK!”
It was quite a convention. And the evil angels went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busy, busy, busy and to rush here and there. I guess the real question is: Has the devil been successful at his scheme? You be the judge.
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