Read 1 Timothy 6
Slaves:
Why did God want slaves to show respect to their masters? Outsiders evaluate God and the gospel based on Christian behavior. To understand Paul’s words, we need to recognize the reality Paul faced. In those days, masters saw slaves as the enemy. If he tried to correct slavery, it could have resulted in civil war. Paul would have discredited the gospel of Christ. Paul’s main priority was the gospel of eternity. He wrote that slaves respect their masters so God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered.
In Titus, Paul also teaches about slaves to submit to their masters to make the teaching about God our Savior attractive. Peter told wives to win their husbands to the truth of the gospel through the purity and reverence of their lives. These verses give us the principle that applies relationships between believers and non-believers. Our behavior can either adorn or slander the gospel. We can either make the gospel attractive or repulsive. How do you think we are representing the gospel today to non-believers? Non-believers watch Christian’s behavior.
If slaves become believers, their masters watch their behavior. If their rebel, how would that represent the gospel of Christ?
Our actions and actions are essential. It is how we represent Christ. When we have a conflict, it is vital to keep it between each other and not share it with others. You make that person look bad, and you make yourself look bad. You make Christ look bad.
False Teachers:
They may have their faults, but their main goal was money. Remember that the false teacher at Ephesus was in the church. Some may have been church leaders. The second half of chapter 6 is about money. Paul’s emphasis on the subject of money can cause us to think that money was the most significant concern. The false teachers had many bad characteristics. Money is the goal of greedy pastors. It is important not to get focused on money in our ministries but to love people.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I pray that we, as believers, will be careful with our actions and our words. I pray that we will represent who you are with adoration. I also ask that we be focused on you and not on money and not be like the false teachers.
In Jesus Name
Amen
