Slavery

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother. This is the first commandment with a promise, that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life on earth. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up with the training and instruction of the Lord.

Slaves, be obedient to your human masters with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ, not only when being watched, as currying favor, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, willingly serving the Lord and not men, knowing that each will be requited from the Lord for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. Masters, act in the same way towards them, and stop bullying, knowing that both they and you have a Master in heaven and that with him there is no partiality. (Ephesians 6:1-9)

This reading from Ephesians has been misused.  “Slaves be obedient to your human masters with fear and trembling…”  The part about being “slaves of Christ” is tied to the ways slaves served their masters.  Bad comparison!  

Slavery is rampant throughout the world. According to the latest Global Estimates of Modern Slavery (2022) from Walk Free, the International Labour Organization and the International Organization for Migration: 49.6 million people live in modern slavery – in forced labor and forced marriage. Roughly a quarter of all victims of modern slavery are children.  Many slave owners are Christian with some justification for that crime being Ephesians.  

The Bible can be interpreted for good or evil purposes. Too many choose the latter.  

Deacon David Pierce