.....choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.....
( Joshua 24:15)
Ephesians 6:5-9 (New International Version)
5Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 8because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
9And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
1 Timothy 6:1-5 (New International Version)
1All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God's name and our teaching may not be slandered. 2Those who have believing masters are not to show less respect for them because they are brothers. Instead, they are to serve them even better, because those who benefit from their service are believers, and dear to them. These are the things you are to teach and urge on them.
Colossians 3:22-4:1 (New International Version)
22Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.
1Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.
Is slavery evil? Who has the authority to answer such a question? God does, not man. The New Testament seems to allow for slavery. Though Jesus walked the earth during the Roman Empire, which had a system of slavery, He never condemned slavery. In fact He applauded a slave holder in Matthew 8:5-13. Slaveholders were admitted to church membership in Acts 10:5-17 and Acts 11:15-17. Paul returned the slave Onesimus back to his master Philemon.
Slavery is an inescapable concept. It is never a question of slavery versus no slavery. It is always a question of slavery to whom or what. You are either a slave to Christ or a slave to sin. So the institution of slavery is not sinful in and of itself because it is ordained by God. Christians have fallen prey to the politiaclly correct philosophy that teaches slavery is wrong, but the Bible seems to allow for at least some kinds of slavery for it is a type and shadow of the relationship between God and His people. We have a gracious Master in Jesus Christ do we not? We must not lean on our own understanding and automatically conclude that all slavery is wrong, but rather we should remember that God's ways are not always our ways. Because the North won the War for Southern Independence, we all live on the plantation as slaves. We now have oppressive taxation, over regulation, government schools, no private property etc, etc. You can't cut down a tree in your yard, build a shed, or open a business unless you get permission from your masser.
ARTICLES
Slavery and Race
Is Slavery Racism?
Why Americans Want To Believe The "Civil War" Was Fought To Free The Slaves
Facts About Southern Slavery
The Role of Slavery in the War
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