Our Redemption “in Christ” Detailed to the Ephesians Volume 58

Paul’s Instructions to Slaves/Employees in Christ

Ephesians 6:5-8 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 eye 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. KJV

During Paul’s time it was common for human beings to be bought and sold to other human beings as slaves. In fact, many people, Jews and Gentiles alike were born and raised by slave mothers and fathers and in turn they were slaves themselves all of their lives. Therefore, with this historical backdrop or background common place to the Apostle Paul, he now writes to the slaves/employees who have heard the Gospel of Christ and now have been born again and belong to our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ. Paul wanted them to understand that their lot or status in this earthly life is secondary to their new lot or status in Christ. We today who are descendants of African Mothers and Fathers here in the United States of America can relate to what went on in Paul’s day. African men and women were captured and brought to this country and enslaved and every child born to a slave African mother and father also became a slave. Today in America there is no longer slavery.

Paul’s instructions to those of us “in Christ” today are no longer presented as to slaves and masters, but his instructions do apply in the same manner to Christian employees and Christian employers. Paul speaks first to Christian slaves/employees instructing them to “be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;” (Ephesians 6:5). The little English phrase “be obedient” is the same Greek word Paul used above in instructing children to obey their parents in the Lord and that word is hupakouo which means to hear under (as a subordinate), that is, to listen attentively; by implication to heed or conform to a command or authority: - hearken, be obedient to, obey. In other words, Paul declares to the slave/employee that they are to be under the authority and command of their master/employer with reverence, revering, and respecting with internal sincerity treating their work for them in the same manner they would treat their work for our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ.

However, knowing that their master/employer only has control over them in the physical sense and not control over their souls spiritually which belongs solely and only to Christ. Our Lord Jesus Christ gave an illustration to the first disciples about faith and duty to Him and in so doing He used an earthly illustration of a slave and master as recorded for us by Dr. Luke, “And the Apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’ So the Lord said, ‘If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea, and it would obey you. And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, Come at once and sit down to eat? But will he not rather say to him, Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink? Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’” (Luke 17:5-10).

Paul instructs slaves/employees on how and where their service to their masters/employers should come from and that is an idea that they are serving our Lord Jesus Christ Himself by saying to them, “Not with eye service, as men pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;” (Ephesians 6:6). Paul uses here the English word or phrase “eye service” which is translated by the Greek word ophthalmodouleia meaning sight labor, that is, that needs watching (remissness): - eye-service. In other words, Paul is declaring to Christian slaves/employees that they are not to serve or work for their masters/employers heartily only when they are watching over them, but instead they are to so respect their masters/employers and their work that they work as hard (if not harder) in the master/employers absence as in his or her presence. This is radically different behavior than many unsaved men and women view their masters/employers, but as the servants/slaves of Christ the child of God is to view their master/employer in the same light they see and view Jesus Christ, despite the attitude or behavior of the master/employer or whether the master/employer is a Christian or not.

Paul said the exact same thing to the Colossian believers but he added even a little more when he said, “Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye service, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” (Colossians 3:22-24). Paul declares that the Lord Jesus’ slave/employee should serve his or her earthly master/employer, “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.” (Ephesians 6:7-8). In other words, once again, it should be the desire of the redeemed child of God to joyfully, cheerfully, and kindly serve his earthly master/employer because in his or her heart and  mind they are not serving and being obedient to them, but to Christ Jesus our Lord who sees their/our internal thoughts, desires, and attitudes toward all men no matter if they are good and kind to them/us or treat them/us with hatred or harshness as Paul declared to the Philippians how they should live and work in this world of woe with these words, “Do ALL THINGS without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.” (Philippians 2:14-16).

“What they do they must do cheerfully: Doing the will of God from the heart, serving their masters as God wills they should, not grudgingly, nor by constraint, but from a principle of love to them and their concerns. This is doing it with good-will (Ephesians 6:7), which will make their service easy to themselves, pleasing to their masters, and acceptable to the Lord Christ. There should be good-will to their masters, good-will to the families they are in; and especially a readiness to do their duty to God. Observe, Service, performed with conscience, and from a regard to God, though it be to unrighteous masters, will be accounted by Christ as service done to himself.” Matthew Henry

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…