This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of the “Ephesians 5-6” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, December 29, 1996.

We begin our scripture reading this morning in the book of Exodus, chapter 21, and we are reading from that chapter a single verse, verse 16. This is Exodus 21, verse 16. Give your attention to God’s word. And he that stealeth a man and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.”

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior and of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope unto Timothy, my own son in the faith, grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord, as I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some. that they teach no other doctrine, neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith, so do. Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfamed, from which some, having swerved, have turned aside unto vain jangling. desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm. But we know that the law is good if a man uses it lawfully, knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for poor mongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for men stealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust. And then finally, turning over to Ephesians chapter 6, returning to our messages on Ephesians 6, picking up Then at verse 5, servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart as unto Christ, not with thy service as men pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free, and he masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening, knowing that your master also is in heaven, neither is there respect of persons with him.

Our Father, our hope is for the consummation of all things, and we look to the blessed hope of the return of our Savior in the clouds of glory, bringing to a conclusion this world and its history. But Lord, in order that we might face that event rightly and well, we plead with you, O God, that our faith may be strong and our obedience sincere. To this end, Lord, would you bless this congregation, even in its giving and in its praying? even in its worshiping, even in its living. And Father, in the center of these things that are of concern for you, as far as our lives go, we ask that we might be devoted to one another. Even more, O God, may we be devoted to the wide extent of your church, and intercede faithfully after the pattern and power of your Son for those who are beloved of you, called by you throughout the world. And may it please you, Lord, to save many today. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

How do we gracefully approach a text like the one that is before us this morning, Ephesians 6, 5-9? We have been convinced, through the force of historic events, Through an enlightened assessment of political realities, and through what we have judged the sheer weight of common Christian decency, that the institution of slavery as such is more than simpliness guided and improper, it is much the rather inherently evil. Therefore, slavery, or the economic and social relationship in which someone has property in another, someone has ownership of another, is wicked, always and ever wicked, to be viewed negatively. And that, without exception, case closed. But this being the case, what in heaven’s name do we do with Ephesians 6, verses 5 through 9?

A text that speaks explicitly about slaves and masters. And what do we do with any number of other texts? in the New Testament and in the Old Testament that speak about the same thing. Obviously, we cannot make this text here in Ephesians say something that it does not say. We cannot, for instance, turn this text into a diatribe against slavery. or even an overt prescription for slavery’s deconstruction.

How then do we retain the text? Much more, how do we retain the apostle and the integrity of the scriptures, and at the same time do justice to the way in which we have been taught to read history, appreciate political reality, and express Christian sensitivities about such matters as justice and freedom.

Well, one way some have endeavored to resolve this problem is to suggest that the Bible, and particularly now the Apostle Paul, were conditioned by their times, and therefore only expressing the social attitudes of the cultural environment in which they appeared.

Furthermore, so it is said, although Paul’s statements do not expressly challenge or refute the institution of slavery, they do so implicitly. For the slaves and the masters here are addressed as members, collaterally and equally, of the Church of Jesus Christ. Therefore, the overall effect of Paul’s words was really the undermining of slavery, even its abolition. Not its protection, certainly not its promotion. However, it has not gone unnoticed that this position, which I have just stated, creates its own tensions.

For example, can we avoid the power of the parallel between these verses, which we’ve read in Ephesians 6, verses 5 through 9, and what appeared previously, in Ephesians 5.22, to Ephesians 6.4. In other words, we find in Paul not just remarks in this context about slaves and masters, but also about children and parents, verses 1-4 in chapter 6, and wives and husbands, verses 22-33 of that fifth chapter. Since Paul’s comments in each of these units are deliberately in sync, since they parallel each other, it would seem abundantly evident that we have to treat each unit in the very same way. In fact, it is the force of this observation that has now, of late, driven some to suggest about parents and children, and his views about husbands and wives are just as arcane, are just as culture-bound and outmoded as his views on masters and slaves.

And just as the Gospel set in motion the message concerning the abolition of slavery, even saintly honoring the institution, so also that gospel has set in motion the message about children’s rights, and that message prescription for anti-discipline and the promotion of a self-esteem evangel for child rearing. That gospel also set in motion, so we are told, the message about female co-headship in marriage, together with a redefinition of the nature of the family and a new understanding of the relationship between wives and husbands.

Those who have suggested this approach have this going for them. They have labored to be consistent in the application of their method, and they have labored to maintain what they consider to be a credible biblical message in the modern world. They feel that if they go in a contrary direction, not only they, but their gospel becomes an embarrassment. How can we hold up our heads? in modern society. Our question this morning is whether these who have suggested this route have been either biblical or consistent. Have they been successful in their pursuit of a unified view of the Christian life? with respect to these three areas of interest marked out by Paul—marriage, family, slaves and masters. And have they been biblical, in tune with the Apostle Paul’s intention as he addresses the leaders then and by the Spirit now?

Let’s begin with the issue of consistency. Yes, there is a consistency in method applied by these people of whom we’ve spoken that sees each of these three areas now—marriage, family, and labor—affected by the gospel. But should we also expect to see a consistency of effect upon all three areas? What I mean is this, if all three relationships are parallel, shouldn’t we expect the same impact from the gospel across the board?

And if in one area, the area of masters and slaves, the goal is actually abolition, would not the impact of the gospel in the other areas be equal? Shouldn’t we expect abolition in them as well? And if the abolition in the one area is actually the abolition of the institution in view, do we not expect then the abolition of the institutions in the other instances? That is to say, if Paul’s message about masters and slaves really means the abolition of the institution of slavery, doesn’t his message about children and parents Wives and husbands really mean the abolition of marriage and the family.

And tragically, isn’t this precisely the way in which a growing number of Christians have begun to live? repulsive, rampant divorce, abandonment, abortion, abuse, financial unaccountability, and absolute irresponsibility and perversions of all kinds. The consequences within the confessing Christian public, which both consciously and subconsciously lives as if Paul’s imperatives to Husbands and wives, parents and children are no more binding on them than his imperatives to masters and slaves.

Of course there is ample justification offered for this attitude from within the Christian community. That justification summed up in the vain and misguided confession. I believe, I believe, this is my credo, I believe God wants me to be free. After all, my personal freedom is God’s greatest concern. And I am determined that no patriarchal notions, no antiquarian views of marriage, no old-fashioned opinions about a child’s place or a parent’s responsibility, no unwanted pregnancy, no financial obligation, no sexual identity or stereotype shall restrict my free movement to be in concert then with God’s chief interest for me, my personal freedom within this world.

It would seem, would it not, that those who have thought themselves consistent in the application of their method inevitably fall beneath the weight of a position they have sought to maintain in the interests of their assured convictions that Paul’s position must mean the abolition of slavery, otherwise Paul’s credibility and the credibility of the Bible. are lost. But this failure on the part of these people, of course, is the result of a more serious failure still, that of not truly grasping the Bible’s intention, the Apostle’s meaning. Now it is very important to say at this point Paul’s comments are not meant to vindicate the modern institution of slavery based upon the notion that slavery is the solution to political dissent, such as has been practiced under communism. Nor do Paul’s statements vindicate the infamous system, the infamous system built up by Christians, built upon the practice of slave trading, which lay at the root of the slavery institution as practiced in this country for so many years.

That institution depended upon what the Bible calls man-stealing. Exodus 21 verse 16. 1 Timothy 1 verse 10. Man-stealing. A sin, which you will note from that Exodus text, punished in the Old Testament by death. Oh, we got death, didn’t we? We have blood running from one end of this country to the other. horrible sufferings and his judgment. When John Newton, the slave trader, the man-stealer, came to Christ, he repented of all of his sins, including his sin of man-stealing. He later wrote, Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, could save a wretch like me.

But if now Paul, when he speaks about slaves and their masters in Ephesians 6 verses 5 through 9, doesn’t mean a solution to political dissent or that slavery which belongs to the wicked world of slave trading, what does he mean? He means what we suggested at the beginning of this message. He means that essentially economic and social arrangement in which someone has property in another, in which someone has ownership in another. That’s what he means.

Now, you might find yourself recoiling from this definition as much as you did from any other. But before you recoil too far, let me suggest to you that what I am proposing offers you a consistent line for Paul’s argument, namely that the apostle means the institution of which he speaks in chapter 6, verses 5 through 9, to be just as perpetual, just as constant in Christian experience and within the world as he means the institutions of marriage and family to be. All three are treated alike, all three are affirmed. But how, you ask, is this possible? How is it possible for him, for the Apostle, for the Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, to affirm slavery, to affirm this distinction between slaves and masters, by any definition? because he understands that that of which he speaks is as common and as inescapable to life in this world as marriage and family. It is inescapable for us as it was for the Ephesians to whom Paul wrote. As inescapable today as it was then. Paul’s words therefore include us. We are in view.

How so? You ask. I’m no slave. I’m no master. Let me ask you. Do you have a mortgage? I don’t care how you cut it. The bank owns you. I don’t care how you dress it up, how you finesse the language, the bank has ownership in you. You’re working for the bank. Do you have debts? Yes, it’s true. People actually do have property in others. It’s unavoidable. You cannot escape it. People do actually have ownership of others. It’s inescapable. That is at the heart of what Paul is saying. And what do we make of bankruptcy court?

Being a little bit more general, are you an employee? Then someone has property in you. I don’t care how you dress it up. I don’t care what language you use. Someone has property in you. On the other hand, are you an employer? Have you purchased the labor of another? Then you are a master, and have property in those who serve you. The arrangement is inevitable. It is as automatic and as natural as the sun in the sky. You’re going to have to make a completely different universe in order to escape it.

But notice now, in conclusion, What Paul says about slaves and masters is as well consistent with what he has said about marriage and family. Slaves and masters, just like children and parents and wives and husbands, are subjected to the gospel and informed in all of their relationships by the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.

The husband cannot consider himself now apart from his Savior and his Savior’s love for his church. The wife cannot consider herself apart from the church and Christ’s love for his bride. A child must not consider his or her parent apart from the God and Father who stands behind that parent. And a parent cannot consider their children apart from the way in which the heavenly parent has dealt with his children. So also with slaves and masters. Is it not true? The slave cannot consider himself apart from that one who was the Lord who made himself the bond slave. And masters cannot consider themselves apart from that humbling activity of Christ and the consideration that they have. a master in heaven.”

Truly then, we affirm the consistency of the apostle and the word of God, and rightly divided, it offers up rich reward. blessing for all of us, we God’s children, that we might live as we should. Father, we may chafe at your word. We might find ourselves emotionally in severe disagreement. We might rebel for a time, but we do ask you, Lord, that you would bring us to your feet. That in our submission to you, there would be that beautiful and wonderful submission to your word, that we might live in a way that is pleasing to you, even in a way in which Jesus Christ is evident in us and foremost for all of our considerations. Lord, bless your church even as she struggles in these matters and forgive her for her sins. We plead on our behalf, on behalf of others.

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.